Carlos Al Caraz kept his dream of ending the season as world No. 1 alive with a hard‑won comeback against Taylor Fritz at the ATP Finals in Turin.
The five‑time Grand Slam champion rallied from a set down to win 6‑7(2‑7), 7‑5, 6‑3.
With that victory he has won both matches in the Jimmy Connors Group and is now just one win away from clinching the year‑end No. 1 spot for the second time.
Al Caraz said he was pleased to “find my good tennis” after a shaky start. “I just tried to make the most of the opportunities that he gave me,” he added, “and I think we played great tennis, some great points.”
The Spanish star, who lost the world No. 1 ranking to Jannik Sinner at the Paris Masters, can re‑claim the top spot with another group‑stage win. Sinner will have to stay unbeaten in the Finals to keep his bid.
Al Caraz’s record against Fritz is 5‑1, with Fritz’s only win coming at last September’s Laver Cup. Fritz will now take on Alex de Minaur for a chance to make the semifinals.
The match started with a tense opening set. Al Caraz held serve while both players saved break points. After a back‑and‑forth of rallies, Al Caraz broke to lead 3‑2 but Fritz immediately broke back. The set went to a tiebreak, where Fritz’s strong serve and aggressive forehand earned a 7‑2 win.
In the second set the two traded powerful groundstrokes. At 5‑5, Fritz stumbled on a few unforced errors and Al Caraz turned two set points into a rallying break. The Spanish player then broke again to take the set 7‑5.
The decisive third set saw Al Caraz dominate. Fritz saved three match points at 3‑5, but Al Caraz held the next serve and finished the match with a love‑hold while Fritz expressed disappointment on a wide backhand.
If Al Caraz beats Lorenzo Musetti in his last group match on Thursday, he will cement the 2025 year‑end No. 1 ranking. The win also places him in position for a semifinal spot, alongside the hopes of Alex de Minaur who will need a victory over Musetti in the same evening.
### Key takeaways
– Carlos Al Caraz wins 6‑7(2‑7), 7‑5, 6‑3 over Taylor Fritz to stay on track for the year‑end No. 1 title.
– The ATP Finals in Turin sees Al Caraz unbeaten in the Jimmy Connors Group.
– Jannik Sinner still has a chance to stay No. 1 only if he remains undefeated in the Finals.
– A win against Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday will secure the 2025 top spot for Al Caraz.
With this win, Al Caraz is one step closer to ending the season as the world’s best male tennis player.
Source: ianslive
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