Fritz displays on close to upset over Alcaraz: ‘I had all I may ask for’

Nitto ATP Finals

Fritz displays on close to upset over Alcaraz: ‘I had all I may ask for’

American rues missed alternatives 

November 11, 2025

A assured, heavy-hitting Taylor Fritz carried the momentum for a lot of the primary 90 minutes towards Carlos Alcaraz on the Nitto ATP Finals on Tuesday. However the Spaniard displayed his trademark resilience and escaped with a 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3 victory.

Final 12 months’s finalist dissected his three-set defeat in his post-match press convention, particularly highlighting his missed alternatives, none extra notable than when he let slip two break factors at 2-2 within the second set.

“My alternative to win that match was within the second set, and I did not take it,” Fritz mentioned. “I had the probabilities. I had all I may ask for.”

Whereas holding his first break level of the second set, Fritz had the higher hand in an exciting 19-shot rally, however Alcaraz rapidly turned the tables and moved ahead to place away a backhand volley. Fritz had an opportunity for an overhead however he elected to let the ball bounce, a call he later admitted, “I most likely ought to have
despatched it out of the air.”

It was a uncommon lapse in aggression from Fritz, who in any other case pulled no punches towards the World No. 1.

“I might say the factor that is irritating is many of the alternatives that come to my thoughts have been all on me truly having the ball that I need to actually assault on, simply not hitting it nicely sufficient,” mentioned Fritz, who’s 1-1 within the Jimmy Connors group.

“The primary two units of this match I felt like I used to be getting a whole lot of alternatives. That was as a result of I used to be returning very well, returning actually aggressive.”

Fritz is now 1-5 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head collection with Alcaraz, with 4 of their conferences coming this 12 months. The American earned his maiden win towards Alcaraz on the Laver Cup in September. Reflecting on his encounters with the Spaniard, Fritz had excessive reward for the 22-year-old.

“He’s at all times on offence,” Fritz mentioned of Alcaraz. “I do not even get an opportunity to get the balls to assault. Immediately I did, I simply wasn’t medical sufficient in ending some factors on some actually huge factors.”

Up subsequent for Fritz is Australian Alex de Minaur, whom the American is tied with at 5-5 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head collection. It is going to mark their first assembly of 2025.

Requested about his knee tendinitis, Fritz acknowledged that he’ll proceed taking part in by means of the ache.

“I begin to really feel it after I’m bending, loading, form of stomping,” mentioned the 10-time tour-level titlist. “I believe a giant a part of why it obtained going immediately is, one, the match yesterday, and two, I used to be returning very explosive on this match. It is among the best matches I’ve returned for 2 units. The pushing off, the touchdown after I’m returning, that places a whole lot of power by means of it. It is simply tendinitis. It is simply gotten worse.

“You possibly can most likely line up a video and examine aspect by aspect and see that within the third set, my again leg is simply not bending as a lot, not loading as a lot because it was earlier within the match.”

Watch Highlights from Alcaraz vs. Fritz in Turin: