To mark the end of another exciting season, ATPTour.com unveils our annual ‘Best Of’ series, which will reflect on the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and more. This week we look at the best rivalries of the year.
Four Lexus ATP Head2Head clashes in 2025 sparked a budding rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz. After meeting just twice this season, the duo battled it out at some of tennis’ biggest tournaments in captivating showdowns this year, from the Wimbledon semi-finals to the Nitto ATP Finals.
ATPTour.com recaps the four tour-level battles between Alcaraz and Fritz this season.
Wimbledon SFs, Alcaraz d. Frits 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6)
The tension in Alcaraz and Fritz’s Wimbledon semi-final reached a breaking point at the climax of the match. The Spaniard was about to have to contest a fifth set when he faced two set points at 4/6 in the fourth set tiebreak, but he rattled off four straight points to secure his place in a third successive final at SW19.
Alcaraz were on a 24-match winning streak heading into the match, while Fritz was on the back of nine wins in a row, including a title run at Eastbourne during a standout grass-court season. However, the American failed to extend that run on the Center Court of the All England Club as he awaited a first tour-level victory against Alcaraz.
The Spaniard dictated play from the baseline, hitting precise drop shots and wielding a big second serve that kept Fritz constantly in the background. Alcaraz raised his level when it mattered most, pulling no punches in tight moments, such as when he charged forward to the net as Fritz threatened with his first set point in the fourth set. With his second set point at 6/5, the American had to regret an inside-out forehand error.
Credit: Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images.
Washing cup, Fritz d. Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2
Fritz finally cracked the code against Alcaraz to claim his first Lexus ATP Head2Head win against the Spaniard in four attempts, with a comfortable victory for Team World at September’s Laver Cup in San Francisco.
The American was fearless in his approach, dictating the basic play at every turn and applying relentless pressure on Team Europe’s Alcaraz by converting 16 of his 20 net points. In the second set, Fritz pulled away by winning the last four games to seal a memorable victory. A pivotal moment came in the opening leg of the match, when Fritz fended off the only two break points he faced all match, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
“The three times I played against Carlos, he broke me in the first game every time,” Fritz said. “It was extremely important to come out of that first match. I just made sure I didn’t have any doubts.”
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Tokyo final, Alcaraz d. Frits 6-4, 6-4
Just nine days after their match in San Francisco, Alcaraz and Fritz found themselves on the other side of the net again, this time at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, where the world number 1 exacted revenge.
Alcaraz underlined his authority with trademark firepower and shotmaking in the title match at the hard-court ATP 500. He overwhelmed Fritz from all corners of the court and rarely gave up in a 93-minute victory. Fritz took a medical timeout at the end of the first set to receive treatment on his left thigh, which was later taped after three games of the second set. Struggling to act efficiently, the American saw his chances of regaining the Tokyo crown, which he won in 2022.
“I’m very happy with the level I played, with everything,” said Alcaraz, who recovered from a left ankle injury in his first-round match to lift the trophy on his debut in Tokyo. “The week didn’t start well with the ankle and the way I came back from it, I’m just very happy with that.”
Nitto ATP Final Round Robin, Alcaraz d. Frits 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3
The two rivals saved perhaps their best match of the season for the finals and the Nitto ATP Finals. A confident, powerful Fritz carried the momentum for much of the first 90 minutes and had two consecutive break points at 2-2 in the second set, having already taken a one-set lead. Then the number 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Alcaraz turned the tables in Turin.
The most crucial moment came when Fritz held his first break point of the second set. He had the upper hand in a thrilling 19-shot rally, but Alcaraz moved forward – similar to his tactics when he lost set point against Fritz in the Wimbledon semi-final – to clear a backhand volley. Fritz had a chance for a bicycle kick during that rally, but he opted to let the ball bounce, a decision he later admitted: “I probably should have sent it out of the air.” Alcaraz finally held on after 14 minutes, reducing Fritz’s chances of an upset.
Throughout the high-quality tug-of-war, Alcaraz and Fritz battled for the starting position, taking every risk on their return and looking for their first chance to play in attack. But in the end, Alcaraz went into lockdown mode with a squeaky clean performance in the third set to survive.
“I was very relieved after the win because of everything I experienced during the match,” Alcaraz said. “I didn’t feel the ball as well as in the first one [match]but I’m very happy that I found a way to come back.”
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