“At Laver Cup, I was able to beat him to the punch” – Fritz on his chances to compete with Alcaraz
Taylor Fritz reflects on his chance to challenge Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday at the ATP Finals — something he’s rarely managed to do at the highest level, except once.
Taylor Fritz, ATP Finals 2025 | © Ch. Caillaud / PsNewz
Taylor Fritz knows what it takes to trouble Carlos Alcaraz, his opponent at the ATP Finals on Tuesday – he’s done it before. As he prepares to face the world No. 1 (2:00 CET), the American is drawing confidence from the one match that broke the Spaniard’s rhythm: the 2025 Laver Cup (6-3, 6-2 in 71 minutes).
“At Laver Cup, I was able to beat him to the punch,” Fritz said on Sunday. “I played extremely aggressively there and took control of a lot of points. That’s the kind of tennis I need to play again.”
The Spaniard leads their head-to-head 4–1 and has won their last two encounters – in the Tokyo final and at the Six Kings Slam in a non-official match – by dictating play early and “taking the racquet out of my hand,” as Fritz put it, making formidable use of his drop shot at key moments.
“He’s been pretty successful doing that the last couple of matches,” Fritz admitted. “So I’m going to have to serve really well. If I do that, no matter how the rest of the match is going, I can keep myself in it.”
Fritz holds the key : the serve
The statistics bear out his point. Fritz ranks among the tour’s best servers, posting an 8.8 serve quality rating compared to Alcaraz’s 7.8, according to Tennis Data Innovations Insights, introduced by the ATP. But Alcaraz’s defensive instincts – reflected in his 38% steal score, one of the highest on tour – have repeatedly turned the tide in their duels.
For Fritz, confidence lies not in numbers but in feel. “I don’t look at the stats, but I’m keeping track of that stuff mentally during the match,” he said, acknowledging that Alcaraz is superior in most areas apart from the serve. “I usually know my first-serve percentage and how I’m doing out there. It’s more about rhythm than data.”
That rhythm, when flowing, makes Fritz dangerous indoors. His flat, heavy ball and first-strike mentality are ideally suited to the quick courts of Turin, where he reached the final in 2024. Against Alcaraz, the formula is simple: shorten points, attack early, and trust his serve.
“I returned really well today,” Fritz said after his opening win against Lorenzo Musetti. “If I can return aggressively, play on my terms, and beat him to the punch sometimes, I like my chances.” If he can’t make it, he’ll play his chances to qualify for the semis against Alex de Minaur on Thurday.
