Spanish tennis giant, Carlos Alcaraz, is only one win away from securing the year-ending No. 1 ranking after rallying past Taylor Fritz on Tuesday at the ATP Finals.
He now needs to either win his final group match against Lorenzo Musetti, or his next match in the semifinals to finish a year No. 1 for the second time in his career.
โIโm trying not to think about it, to be honest,โ Alcaraz said, when asked about regaining the No. 1 spot. โBut itโs really difficult, not to think about the No. 1 spot,โ he added.
The Spanish top seed rallied past Fritz 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-3 on Tuesday in what he described as a โreally, really difficult matchโ.
Alcaraz produced 47 winners to Fritzโs 38 and managed to come back from a set down despite 14 aces from his American opponent.
โReally demanding physically. It was really tight. I saved really difficult and important moments during the match, which Iโm really proud of and really happy about it to show a really good tennis when it matters,โ he said.
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Although Fritz had chances to break Alcarazโs serve early in the second set, he said he โjust wasnโt clinical enough in finishing some points on some really big points.โ
โThe first two sets I think I did an incredible job serving and returning. I gave myself all the chances I could possibly ask for the first two sets,โ Fritz added, and went on to say he lost the chances he had. โMy opportunity to win that match was in the second set, and I didnโt take it. I had the chances.โ
If Alcaraz doesnโt win another match and Jannik Sinner goes undefeated to defend his title, Sinner will finish No. 1.
Alcaraz now tops the Jimmy Connors group ahead of Fritz and Musetti, who are 1-1, while De Minaur trails at 0-2.
Musetti was a late replacement for Novak Djokovic, who withdrew with a shoulder injury.
The top two finishers in each group advance to the semifinals, where Sinner leads his group after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in his opener on Monday.
Fritz has been bothered by knee tendinitis, which seemed to hinder his movements in the third set.
โIt gets a little bit tough to bend my knee on my serve once we get that late into the match,โ Fritz said, adding that heโd had tendinitis all year long.
