“It reminds me a little bit of the 2025 French Open final”: Alcaraz saves two match points to beat Fritz and reach his first Paris semi-final
Carlos Alcaraz played with the Paris crowd all night, saved two match points and beat Taylor Fritz 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-3 to reach his first semi-final at the Rolex Paris Masters, before pointing at the stands to share the win with them.
Carlos Alcaraz, Rolex Paris Masters 2026 | © AP Photo/Thibault Camus
Carlos Alcaraz made a promise at the start of the week: one day he would do great in Paris, and “sooner than later”, he told us with a smile. The 2026 edition is not over yet, but it seems to be the one. The Spaniard is into the semi-finals of the Rolex Paris Masters for the first time, and he owes it to a performance and an emotional connection with the crowd that he ranks very high in his career. No small thing for someone who already has a career Grand Slam at 23!
The tournament’s second seed saved two match points to beat Taylor Fritz 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-3 in 2 hours and 43 minutes on Court Central at the Plenitude Arena on Friday night. After a long tussle, he closed it out in relaxed fashion on his first match point, with a serve and one of his signature forehands, out of reach for his valiant opponent.
He savoured the moment, pointing at the Paris crowd to share the win with them, then wrote on the camera lens: “Semis, you feel very good Pariiiis”.
“Today’s match reminds me a little bit of the French Open final last year,” Alcaraz said on court, referring to 2025, when he saved three championship points against Jannik Sinner. “The support that I had today was incredible. As I said after the first round, I missed playing in Paris, and I understand why I missed Paris.”
The defeat ends Fritz’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals. The American needed to reach the semi-finals to pass Rafael Jodar in the race to Turin, a day after beating Arthur Fils to stay alive.
Alcaraz, who had never gone beyond the quarter-finals in Paris, will face on Saturday the winner of Nuno Borges and Casper Ruud, whose match started after 11 p.m.
Alcaraz: “With all the support from the crowd, it was possible”
Alcaraz had fun with the Paris crowd all evening, producing moments of brilliance but also ups and downs, twice letting a lead slip (including 12 points lost out of 13 at the end of the first set) before coming close to defeat. From the end of the second set, however, he raised his level and never looked back. Fritz, as determined, aggressive and clinical as he had been against Fils on Thursday, had done almost everything right until the closing stages of the second set.
The Spaniard paid tribute to his opponent, well aware of where his troubles came from. “I think he plays unbelievably well. It’s really tough facing Taylor on this surface, which is pretty fast. He plays really flat, he plays really comfortable, he can be aggressive,” he said. “Every time, I have to run, I have to fight, and still be strong mentally to overcome all the problems that happen in the match. I don’t want to lose myself, because fighting with yourself is really tough. I think I did it well today.”
The Spaniard broke first for 3-2 and served for the opening set at 5-4, but Fritz broke back. In a 22-point tie-break, the American saved three set points and converted his third, 12-10.
Fritz broke for 4-3 in the second set and saved a break point at 5-3. With Alcaraz serving at 3-5, he earned a first match point with a crosscourt forehand return winner off a second serve. Alcaraz saved it by charging the net, then held with a short backhand slice at the end of a sprint that brought the whole Plenitude Arena to its feet.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Fritz earned a second match point after a breathtaking exchange of reflex volleys and passing shots at the net. Alcaraz saved it with a passing-shot winner after a tentative approach from the American, then broke back by pushing him into errors. He won the set 7-5, his fourth game in a row.
With all the support from the crowd, it was possible. That’s for me the first thing and the main reason I came back in the match today.
“With all the support from the crowd, it was possible,” Alcaraz said. “That’s for me the first thing and the main reason I came back in the match today. I was really nervous facing 5-4 on his serve. I didn’t want to lose, but the crowd support, the energy, made me feel comfortable. It’s war, it’s still suffering, it’s still a fight. I’m really proud and grateful for what I felt today.”
Alcaraz broke early in the third set and had chances to lead 5-1, but Fritz held for 4-2. The Spaniard then saved a break point in the next game before moving 5-2 ahead. Serving for the match at 5-3, he opened with a double fault, then won four points in a row, the last two with an ace and a serve followed by a forehand. But the evening was not over: many tributes to the Paris crowd, in gestures and in words, were to follow.
Rolex Paris Masters 2026 quarter-final results
Ben Shelton (3) d. Tommy Paul (12) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Luca Van Assche d. Rinky Hijikata (Q) 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-5
Carlos Alcaraz (2) d. Taylor Fritz (11) 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-3
Nuno Borges (LL) vs Casper Ruud (Friday, not before 8:30 p.m.)
