TURIN, Italy — Carlos Alcaraz is one win away from securing the year-ending 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 remaining group match in opposition to Lorenzo Musetti or his subsequent match within the semifinals to complete a yr No. 1 for the second time in his profession.
“I’m attempting not to consider it, to be sincere,” Alcaraz mentioned. “However it’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 doesn’t 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 mentioned. “Actually demanding bodily. It was actually tight. I saved actually troublesome and necessary moments in the course of the match, which I’m actually happy with and actually pleased about it to point out a very good tennis when it issues.”
Fritz had probabilities to interrupt Alcaraz’s serve early within the second set.
“I simply wasn’t scientific sufficient in ending some factors on some actually huge factors,” Fritz mentioned.
“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 didn’t 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 substitute 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 little bit bit powerful to bend my knee on my serve as soon as we get that late into the match,” Fritz mentioned. “My knee is totally cooked.
“I’ve had tendinitis all yr lengthy,” Fritz added. “I’ve actually struggled to play back-to-back days with out it flaring up. … I began feeling it in the direction of the tip of the primary set, nevertheless it didn’t actually have an effect on me till the third set. It simply acquired 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.”
