He enjoyed the moment, pointing to the Parisian crowd to share the victory with them, then wrote on the camera lens:
“Today’s match reminds me a bit of last year’s French Open final,” Alcaraz said on court, referring to 2025, when he saved three championship points against Yannick Ciner. “The support I had today was incredible. As I said after the first round, I missed playing in Paris and I understand why I missed Paris.”
The loss ends Fritz’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals. The American needed to reach the semifinals to overtake Rafael Jodar race to turina day later beating Arthur Fils to stay alive.
Alcaraz, who had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in Paris, will face Norway’s Kasper Ruud on Saturday. On Friday evening, Rood defeated the lucky Portuguese Nuno Borges 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Alcaraz. “It was possible with all the support of the crowd”
Alcaraz had fun with the Parisian crowd all evening, creating moments of brilliance but also ups and downs, twice letting the lead slip (including 12 out of 13 at the end of the first set) before coming close to defeat. From the end of the second set, however, she raised her level and never looked back. Fritz, as determined, aggressive and clinical as he was against the Phils on Thursday, did almost everything right until the closing stages of the second set.
The Spaniard paid tribute to his opponent, well aware of where his troubles came from. “I think he’s playing incredibly well. Taylor is really hard to tackle on this surface which is quite fast. He plays really smooth, he plays really comfortable, he can be aggressive,” he said. “Every time I have to run, I have to fight and still be mentally strong to overcome all the problems that happen during the match. I don’t want to lose myself because fighting yourself is really hard. I think I did that well today.”
The Spaniard broke first for 3-2 and served for 5-4 in the opening set, but Fritz broke back. In the 22-point tiebreak, the American saved three set points and converted his third, 12-10.
In the second set, Fritz broke at 4-3 and saved the break point at 5-3. With Alcaraz serving at 3-5, he earned the first match point with a cross-court forehand with a second-serve winner. Alcaraz saved it by charging the net, then saved with a short backhand slice at the end of a sprint that brought the entire Plenitude Arena to its feet.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Fritz earned the second point after reflex shots and net shots. Alcaraz, after the American’s tentative approach, saved it after a winning pass, then pushed him back into the errors. He won the set 7-5, his fourth game in a row.
It was possible with all the support of the crowd. That’s the first for me and the main reason I came back to the meeting today.
“With all the support from the crowd, it was possible,” Alcaraz said. “That was a first for me and the main reason I came back to the match today. I was really nervous on his serve at 5-4. I didn’t want to lose, but the support of the crowd, the energy made me feel comfortable. It’s a war, it’s still suffering, it’s still a fight. I’m really proud and grateful for what I experienced today.”
Alcaraz broke in the third set and had opportunities to take a 5-1 lead, but Fritz held for 4-2. The Spaniard then saved a break point in the next game to take a 5-2 lead. Serving for the match at 5-3, she opened with a double fault, then scored four points in a row, the last two with an ace and serve, followed by a forehand. But the evening was not over. many tributes to the Parisian crowd, in gestures and words, were to follow.
Rolex Paris Masters 2026 quarter-final results
Ben Shelton (3) d. Tommy Paul (12) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Luca Van Aschen d. Rinki Hijikata (Q) 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-5
Carlos Alcaraz (2) d. Taylor Fritz (11) 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-3
Casper Rood d. Nuno Borges (LL) 7-6 (5), 6-4