For the first time in three appearances at the Nitto ATP Finals, Carlos Alcaraz has come back to win from a set down. He did so against Taylor Fritz in a demanding, nearly three-hour match that tested both his skills and his mental toughness. The win puts the Spaniard on the brink of the semi-finals, and mathematically he is now one match short of finishing the year as No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
The match yielded several lessons, but one above all: Alcaraz learned to dig deep in Turin. “A tennis match can change at any time,” the 22-year-old explains. “When we’re on the court, we don’t know what’s going to happen; we’re stuck in the present. When you’re not feeling good, you tend to think that it will stay that way. From the outside everything looks easier, but in the end, if you persevere and keep doing the right thing, things always get better. Today I ended up playing much better.”
The turning point, according to the Spaniard, was the 14-minute match (at 2-3 in the second set), in which he managed to hold his serve before breaking Fritz’s the next time he asked. “That’s where the game changed,” he recognized.
In addition to commenting on the victory, Alcaraz also provided a detailed analysis of some of the technical aspects that defined the encounter. Among them was his backhand down the line, a shot he often used during his matches in Turin. “It’s something we’ve really focused on,” he explained.
“About not always being so predictable and hitting cross-court, but doing it when the opponent isn’t expecting it. It’s a shot where the opponent normally goes cross-court, and then I can hit a forehand, and that’s where I really feel comfortable. We’ve been working on that a lot and I think it’s really paid off in this tournament.”
It was his backhand down the line that allowed him to open the court against Fritz who was exceptionally solid from the baseline. But Alcaraz also realized there were things he could do better, especially during his serve. “Without a doubt, I didn’t feel as comfortable as I did on the first day against Alex,” he admitted.
“The serve is a very important weapon. It gives you a lot of confidence from the baseline, even on other shots. If you have a good percentage, you can freewheel more; if you don’t, it’s more difficult, especially if your opponent pressures you with his return, like Fritz did. We tried to improve during the match and I think it got a little better, but it’s something we have to keep improving every match,” he said.
The physical effort was also visible. “It was a very demanding match, both physically and mentally,” he admitted. “Staying strong for three hours, trying not to crash and not allowing your negative thoughts to outweigh the positive ones, is really demanding. You end up getting very tired. I also noticed the different conditions, not because of the pitch, but because of the heat and humidity. That really plays a big role in such a long match.”
He explained that his team is now fully focused on his recovery for the final group match. “Recovery is difficult, but we still have one day left. We will try to do everything perfectly, down to the millimeter, to be in good shape for the last match, which is very important.”
The win over Fritz not only means Alcaraz tops his group, but it also leaves him one step away from finishing the year as No. 1 for the second time in his career. However, the Spaniard does not want any extra pressure. “It’s really great and a clear goal I’ve had from the beginning of the year,” he admitted.
“But we try not to think too much about the number one because it can affect you if you give too much importance to it. You can feel extra pressure at the beginning of the match or have difficulty dealing with the nerves. If I succeed, it will be very important and really great, especially to compete with Jannik (Sinner), who is much more consistent and always stays at such a high level. But we prefer to concentrate on the tournament and playing good indoor tennis, something I am not really used to”, he said.
With two victories in Turin to his name and, above all, a sense of competitive maturity, Alcaraz approaches the end of the group stage with a mix of relief and ambition. He’s learned to dig in his heels, he’s learned to wait for his time, and most of all, he’s proven that he has the perseverance to turn things around when he’s up against a wall – even indoors, where he used to feel uncomfortable.
“Today I proved that I can keep going even if I don’t get a good start,” he concluded. “That gives me a lot of confidence for the future.”
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