Quarterfinals: Alcaraz has the last laugh

Except for an opening set won in a tie-break against Alex Michelsen in his first match, Carlos Alcaraz (No.2) had not really been tested in the 2026 Rolex Paris Masters. The Spaniard had received a first-round bye and then advanced through the round of 16 following Matteo Berrettini’s withdrawal. As a result, he had spent just 1 hour and 41 minutes on court at the Plenitude Arena before Friday, perhaps not quite enough time to fully settle into the conditions.

That lack of match time may have shown when it came to closing out the opening set against the American. After securing an early break at 3-2, Alcaraz lost some of his precision and aggression when serving for the set, allowing his opponent to break back to love and level at 5-5.

Having lost 12 of 15 points, he was dragged into a tie-break that lasted almost 15 minutes and proved just as difficult to control. Taylor Fritz (No.11) earned the first set point before the opportunities swung back and forth between the two players. At 11-10, the American finally converted his third chance after yet another unforced error from the seven-time Grand Slam champion. A rare sight.

Then, it was almost as if Carlitos had lost his rhythm. Broken at 3-3, he was the one chasing the score in the second set, under pressure from a player whose fate, and a place at the ATP Finals in Turin, was in his own hands.

On serve, the world No.3 saved a first match point. Was he merely delaying the inevitable? Anyone who knows Alcaraz knows better. At 4-5, he found a second wind, spurred on by a crowd that kept chanting “Carlos! Carlos!” after every point he won. After saving a second match point with one of his trademark spectacular winners, he broke back. The momentum had completely shifted, Alcaraz had found his bearings and he went on to take the set 7-5 after 1 hour and 2 minutes.

“I started the match really well and then I got nervous... Taylor took advantage of that and raised his level. He was playing better and better, especially from the baseline,” he explained in the mixed zone after the match. “I had my chances in the tie-break, but I didn’t take them and I didn’t make the right decisions.”

“At the start of the second set, it was a similar story. But after 5-3, I started to feel a little more relaxed. I just wanted to enjoy myself, and that helped the nerves disappear. Once I started letting my shots go, I found my smile again and fed off the energy from the crowd. That really helped me. Once I rediscovered that feeling, I enjoyed every second on court, and that was the key.”

A stunning turnaround

How do you stop Carlos Alcaraz when he is playing with a huge smile on his face and has rediscovered all his speed and attacking flair? That may be the question Taylor Fritz will be asking himself on Friday night.

The Spaniard won four of the first five games of the deciding set, including two love holds, and narrowly missed the chance to move a double break ahead at 4-1. He remained patient and waited until he was serving for the match to earn his first opportunity to seal victory, doing so with an ace (6-7(10), 7-5, 6-3 in 2 hours and 43 minutes).

Two match points saved and victory secured after a titanic battle... It was a scenario that brought back fond memories for the Spaniard and tennis fans alike. In 2025, he saved three match points against Jannik Sinner before going on to lift his second Coupe des Mousquetaires at Roland-Garros.

“I have to say that without the crowd’s support, I would never have managed it. I was very nervous today and all the energy I felt from the stands really carried me,” he told the crowd on court in his interview with Marc Maury.

“Today’s match reminded me a little of that Roland-Garros final last year. The support I received today was incredible. I had missed playing in Paris, and tonight I really understand why. It’s such a special place! This will probably go down as one of the most special matches I’ve ever played. I’ll remember it for a very long time.”

On Saturday, Alcaraz will have the opportunity to continue his Paris dream against Casper Ruud or Nuno Borges, with a place in the final at stake.