Carlos Alcaraz beats Taylor Fritz at Paris Masters to help Rafael Jodar reach ATP Finals

Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points to beat Taylor Fritz in the Paris Masters quarter-finals on Friday, a result which helped Spanish compatriot Rafael Jodar qualify for the ATP Finals, according to BBC Sport.

Alcaraz claimed a 6-7 (10-12) 7-5 6-3 win over Fritz, which also ended the American's hopes of reaching the season-ending event in Turin, Italy. Fritz edged a tight opening set, winning the tie-break after both players had chances to take it.

He then moved a break ahead in the second set, but Alcaraz rallied to level the match after saving two match points and breaking his opponent twice. The 24-year-old Spaniard dominated the decider after moving 3-1 ahead before closing out the contest with a powerful forehand.

Alcaraz's victory secured 20-year-old Jodar's place at the finals, which will be held at Turin's Inalpi Arena from 15 to 22 November.

Earlier, Tommy Paul's hopes were dashed after he suffered a 6-4 4-6 6-3 defeat to fellow American Ben Shelton, which propelled Frances Tiafoe into the finals.

American Tiafoe, 28, and Spain's Jodar will both make their debuts at the event, which features the top eight men's singles players in the world. The eight qualifiers are Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Arthur Fils, Alcaraz, Shelton, Tiafoe and Jodar.

Jodar only became a full-time professional at the beginning of 2026, but his debut season has drawn major attention and widespread excitement. The Madrid-born youngster won three ATP Challenger titles in 2025 before he claimed his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech in April 2026.

Jodar, dubbed the new Rafa Nadal, also reached the quarter-finals of this year's French Open and climbed into the world's top 10 for the first time.

At 6ft 3in, he hits heavy, high-speed shots loaded with topspin from the baseline that are designed to force opponents into submission.

His serve is several miles per hour faster than the tour average and his attacking style means he is prone to taking risks on big points and in rallies.

Tiafoe, meanwhile, is a three-time ATP Tour title winner who reached a career-high ranking of 10th in the world in 2023. He reached the US Open semi-finals in 2022 and 2024, knocking out Nadal en route to the last four in 2022.

Alcaraz, who will face either Casper Ruud or Nuno Borges in the semi-finals, said: "I tried not to let myself down in those difficult moments - to stay strong mentally.

We played incredible tennis, both of us, and I used the energy of the people to give them what they wanted to watch. " Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is a Spanish professional tennis player. He has been ranked world No.

1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 66 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 in 2022 and 2025. Alcaraz has won 28 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including seven majors and eight ATP Masters 1000 titles.

He is the ninth and youngest man in history to complete the career Grand Slam in singles. Taylor Harry Fritz is an American professional tennis player. He has been ranked by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) as high as world No.

4 in singles, which he achieved on November 18, 2024, and No. 104 in doubles, attained on July 26, 2021. He is the current No. 3 American singles player.

ATP Finals qualifiers

Related on Apex Sports News

• Lorenzo Musetti beats Alexander Zverev 7-6(5), 6-2 at ATP Paris Masters

• Djokovic to miss ATP Finals after early Paris exit

• Ben Shelton beats Tommy Paul to reach Paris Masters semifinal

Sources

• Yahoo Sports

• BBC Sport

• Photo: Rickmunroe01, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)