TURIN, Italy — Carlos Alcaraz is one win away from securing the year-end No. 1 rating.
Alcaraz rallied previous Taylor Fritz 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-3 on Tuesday on the ATP Finals and now must both win his ultimate group match towards Lorenzo Musetti or his subsequent match within the semifinals to complete a 12 months No. 1 for the second time in his profession.
“I am making an attempt not to consider it, to be trustworthy,” Alcaraz stated. “But it surely’s actually troublesome, not to consider the No. 1 spot.”
Alcaraz, who improved to 2-0 on the season-ending occasion for the highest eight gamers, sealed a spot within the semifinals in a while when Musetti held off Alex de Minaur 7-5, 3-6, 7-5.
If Alcaraz does not win one other match and Jannik Sinner goes undefeated to defend his title, Sinner will end No. 1.
Alcaraz produced 47 winners to Fritz’s 38 and managed to return again from a set down regardless of 14 aces from his American opponent.
“It was [a] actually, actually troublesome match,” Alcaraz stated. “Actually demanding bodily. It was actually tight. I saved actually troublesome and necessary moments throughout the match, which I am actually happy with and actually joyful about it to indicate a extremely good tennis when it issues.”
Fritz had alternatives to interrupt Alcaraz’s serve early within the second set.
“I simply wasn’t medical sufficient in ending some factors on some actually huge factors,” Fritz stated.
“The primary two units I believe I did an unimaginable job serving and returning. I gave myself all the probabilities I may presumably ask for the primary two units,” Fritz added. “My alternative to win that match was within the second set, and I did not take it. I had the probabilities.”
Alcaraz now tops the Jimmy Connors group forward of Fritz and Musetti, who’re 1-1, whereas De Minaur trails at 0-2.
Musetti was a late alternative for Novak Djokovic, who withdrew with a shoulder harm.
The highest two finishers in every group advance to the semifinals.
Sinner leads his group after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in his opener on Monday.
Fritz was bothered by knee tendinitis within the third set.
“It will get a bit of bit powerful to bend my knee on my serve as soon as we get that late into the match,” Fritz stated. “My knee is totally cooked.
“I’ve had tendinitis all 12 months lengthy,” Fritz added. “I’ve actually struggled to play back-to-back days with out it flaring up. … I began feeling it in direction of the top of the primary set, however it did not actually have an effect on me till the third set. It simply received to the purpose the place I used to be actually struggling to bend my again leg on my serve, step into backhands, load the leg, my proper leg, for an open-stance forehand.”
