Tennis-Alcaraz saves match points, battles back to topple Fritz in Paris

World number two Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points as he clawed his way back to beat Taylor Fritz 6-7(10) 7-5 6-3 on Friday to reach the Paris Masters ‌semi-finals for the first time and deny the American a spot in the season-ending ATP Finals.

The world number 12 was on the brink of his second win in eight meetings against the Spaniard but could not close it out, missing out on the last ATP Finals spot which now will ‌go to Spain's Rafael Jodar. Alcaraz will next face either Casper Ruud or Nuno Borges. Alcaraz was also wasteful at times, squandering three ‌set points in the first set before dashing Fritz's chances of a presence in the season-ending tournament starting on November 15.

The Spaniard, who had received a walkover in the previous round after Matteo Berrettini withdrew with an arm injury, earned an early break and looked to be cruising through the first set before Fritz broke back to force ⁠a tiebreak. Alcaraz ​then wasted three set points, allowing ⁠Fritz to bag it on his second.

Alcaraz's errors were piling up and he found himself 0-40 down at 1-1 on his serve. He saved four consecutive break points to ⁠hold but was broken a little later as Fritz moved 4-3 up. The American carved out two match points a little later but could not finish the job ​as Alcaraz dug deep to crawl his way back into the match.

Wi.th the Paris crowd firmly behind him, Alcaraz grabbed the ⁠second set and raced into a 4-1 lead before sealing victory on his first match point. Earlier third seed Ben Shelton battled past fellow American Tommy Paul 6-4 4-6 6-3 to ⁠reach ​the last four, where he will face France's Luca van Assche.

His win meant Paul missed out on securing an ATP Finals spot, while Frances Tiafoe qualified. Neither player had a break point in a tight first set until US Open finalist Shelton earned two at 5-4 up ⁠courtesy of two Paul double faults.

He clinched it on the second one, firing a return winner down the line but was broken back ⁠in the very first game of the ⁠second set. That was enough for Paul to level the contest and force a decider. Shelton could not convert an early break point to go 2-0 up in the third set but kept up the pressure, ‌breaking Paul before moving ‌4-1 clear and sealing victory a little later.