Alcaraz Battles Back To Beat Fritz In Thriller

World number 1 Carlos Alcaraz felt "relieved" aft he battled backmost from a group down to separator retired Taylor Fritz successful a thrilling title and adjacent connected a spot successful nan knockout stages astatine nan ATP Finals successful Turin.

With his victory, Alcaraz besides moved wrong 1 triumph of securing nan end-of-year world number 1 ranking successful his conflict pinch Jannik Sinner for that honour.

American sixth seed Fritz, nan 2024 runner-up, matched Alcaraz for overmuch of their 2 hours and 48 minutes together connected court.

But nan Spaniard, arsenic he truthful often does, recovered different cogwheel to move nan lucifer astir and complete a 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 6-3 win.

"It was tight. I felt I was moving much than him, struggling much than him," Alcaraz said.

"I was really relieved aft nan triumph because of everything I went done physically. I'm really happy that I recovered a measurement to travel backmost and find his weaknesses."

On being 1 triumph distant from clinching nan year-end world number 1 ranking, Alcaraz added: "I effort not to deliberation astir it. It is going to beryllium a really large lucifer for maine [against Lorenzo Musetti successful his last group game] and I will effort not to fto nerves springiness maine a bad time."

Both players were seeking consecutive victories, aft Alcaraz hit Australian Alex de Minaur and Fritz besides won successful consecutive sets against Italy's Musetti.

Victory for De Minaur against Musetti successful Tuesday's different lucifer successful nan Jimmy Connors Group would corroborate Alcaraz's spot successful nan past 4 earlier his last round-robin lucifer against nan Italian.

A high-quality opening 4 games lasting 30 minutes group nan reside for nan match, pinch some players forced to conflict done their opening work games earlier Fritz responded instantly to Alcaraz's breakthrough.

Fritz, who won nan astir caller indoor gathering astatine nan Laver Cup successful September, missed 2 break points successful nan eighth game, but maintained unit and seized power of nan tie-break to deservedly declare a 70-minute first set.

Alcaraz earned a important clasp of service aft an eighth deuce successful a captivating 14-minute 5th game, pointing to his receptor arsenic he lapped up nan crowd's appreciation aft shutting down nan first of Fritz's 2 break points connected his measurement to taking a 3-2 lead.

Fritz overcame his first trial of nan 2nd group to seal an important clasp for 4-4, but he could not flight 4 games later when, seemingly from nowhere, a uncommon double responsibility contributed to a 0-40 shortage - and Alcaraz took his 2nd group opportunity.

Fritz continued to spell toe-to-toe pinch his force and ended nan lucifer pinch 75% first serves in, but Alcaraz took afloat advantage erstwhile his level yet dipped.

Breaking for a 4-2 lead, Alcaraz sought to decorativeness successful style and landed a spectacular overhead backhand driblet changeable to scope a 3rd lucifer constituent connected Fritz's serve.

Fritz rightfully received nan adoration of nan crowd for hanging successful nan contest, only for a free-flowing Alcaraz to service retired nan lucifer to love.