TURIN, Italy – Carlos Alcaraz is one win away from securing the year-end No. 1 ranking.
Alcaraz got past Taylor Fritz 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-3 at the ATP Finals on Tuesday and now must win either his final group match against Lorenzo Musetti or his next match in the semi-finals to finish at number one for the second time in his career.
“To be honest, I try not to think about it,” Alcaraz said. “But it’s very hard not to think about the No. 1 spot.”
Alcaraz, who improved to 2-0 in the season-ending event for the top eight players, later sealed a spot in the semi-finals when Musetti stopped Alex de Minaur 7-5, 3-6, 7-5.
If Alcaraz doesn’t win another match and Jannik Sinner remains undefeated to defend his title, Sinner will finish at No. 1.
Alcaraz produced 47 winners to Fritz’s 38 and managed to come back from a set down despite 14 aces from his American opponent.
“It was a very, very difficult match,” Alcaraz said. “Physically very demanding. It was really tight. I saved very difficult and important moments during the match, which I am very proud of and very happy to show really good tennis when it matters.”
Fritz had opportunities to break Alcaraz’s serve early in the second set.
“I just wasn’t clinical enough in getting some points on some really big points,” Fritz said.
“I think I did a great job serving and returning the first two sets. I gave myself all the chances I could want for the first two sets,” Fritz added. “My chance to win that match was in the second set, and I didn’t take it. I had the chances.”
Alcaraz now leads the Jimmy Connors group, ahead of Fritz and Musetti, who are at 1-1, while De Minaur is 0-2 behind.
Musetti was a late replacement for Novak Djokovic, who withdrew with a shoulder injury.
The top two finishers from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
Sinner leads his group after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in his opener on Monday.
Fritz suffered from patellar tendonitis in the third set.
“It’s going to be a little difficult to bend my knee on my serve when we’re this late in the match,” Fritz said. “My knee is completely fried.
“I’ve had tendonitis all year,” Fritz added. “I really struggled to play for days in a row without it flaring up. … I started feeling it towards the end of the first set, but it didn’t really affect me until the third set. It just got to the point where I was really struggling to bend my back leg on my serve, step into the backhand, load the leg, my right leg, for an open-stance forehand.”
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