Alcaraz admitted he did not have the best ball feel in the win over Taylor Fritz

Alcaraz breathed a sigh of relief, admitting he did not have the best ball feel in the victory against Taylor Fritz on the evening of November 11.

Alcaraz had a heroic comeback against tennis player Fritz - Photo: REUTERS

Number 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz had a hard-fought and courageous victory over Taylor Fritz with a score of 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3 after nearly 3 hours of fighting (2 hours 48 minutes) in the second round of the ATP Finals group stage.

The victory not only gives the Spanish player a big advantage to advance to the semi-finals but also brings him closer to the title of world number 1 player at the end of the year.

The match was extremely tense, especially in the first two sets. After losing the tie-break of the opening set, Alcaraz found himself in a difficult situation midway through the second set. The highlight was a long service game that lasted 14 minutes, where Alcaraz faced a decisive break point.

In that breathtaking moment, the 22-year-old made a brilliant save before bravely charging to the net and finishing with a neat volley. This move was considered the most important psychological turning point of the match.

"That play was one of many tense situations in the 14-minute service game, and also the turning point that helped Alcaraz regain psychological momentum."

Alcaraz celebrates as if he won the match after winning an important point in set 2 - Photo: REUTERS

After saving the tough game, the young Spaniard celebrated with such emotion that it felt like the match was won. The renewed excitement allowed Alcaraz to put the pressure back on Fritz, who had played near-perfect tennis in the first set and much of the second.

Last season’s runner-up, Taylor Fritz, continued to prove that the fast Turin court was his forte, repeatedly outplaying Alcaraz and putting him on the back foot. However, the American hope could not maintain his composure. He made a fatal error in the final game of the second set and had to accept defeat 5-7.

In the third set, the 28-year-old player's obvious fatigue caused him to lose the game. Alcaraz took full advantage of the opportunity and quickly ended the set with a score of 6-3, securing the overall victory.

Speaking after the match, Alcaraz admitted that this was not an easy match, especially when his ball sense was not at its best.

"The match was very close, I had more difficulties than him in the first set. I did not serve well, and he played very comfortably from the back of the court, almost from every position. I am really relieved after this victory... My ball feeling today was not as good as in the first match, but I am happy because I found a way to come back and exploit his weaknesses," Alcaraz shared.

This victory could send Alcaraz into the semi-finals with one match left if Alex de Minaur beats Lorenzo Musetti in the remaining match. Meanwhile, Fritz still has a chance as he beat Musetti and will face De Minaur in the final round.

More remarkably, Alcaraz now needs just 50 more points to officially become the world number 1 at the end of 2025, regardless of the result of rival Jannik Sinner. He will need to beat Musetti in the final group stage match next Thursday to achieve this prestigious individual title.

When asked about this opportunity, Alcaraz smiled and said: "I will try not to think about it. It will be a very important match for me. I will try not to let the tension affect me, focus on the goal and play better than today."

With 50 wins against Top 10 opponents, Alcaraz became the second player born in the 21st century to reach this milestone. The leader is Jannik Sinner with 55 wins.

Sinner will have his notable match in the Bjorn Borg group, facing Alexander Zverev at 2:30 am on November 13 (Vietnam time).

TUAN LONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/alcaraz-thua-nhan-chua-co-cam-giac-bong-tot-nhat-trong-tran-thang-taylor-fritz-20251112102738753.htm