Carlos Alcaraz recovered from a set down to defeat Taylor Fritz 6-7 (2-7), 7-5, 6-3 in a gripping ATP Finals round-robin match lasting two hours and 48 minutes. The victory puts the Spaniard in control of the race for the year-end world No 1 ranking.
Fritz dominated the first-set tiebreak and pushed for a break in the second set, but Alcaraz produced a series of stunning points to force a decider. The world No 2 then surged in the third set to seal the win, earning his second victory of the tournament.
Alcaraz now needs just one more win against Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday to secure the year-end No 1 spot ahead of Jannik Sinner. He will also be assured of a semi-final place if Alex de Minaur beats Musetti in the evening match.
Reflecting on the match, Alcaraz said: 'I was really relieved after the win because everything that I went through during the match, physically, I didn't feel the ball as well as the first round, but I'm really happy that I found the way to fight.'
Former British No 1 Tim Henman described the contest as 'one of the top-5 matches of the year', praising the quality and intensity from both players.
Separately, the ATP and Italian tennis federation confirmed that two spectators died at the ATP Finals on Monday due to separate medical emergencies.
