Key points

• Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points to beat Taylor Fritz 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-3 in the Paris Masters quarter-finals.
• The win took Alcaraz into his first Paris Masters semifinal, where he faces Casper Ruud on Saturday.
• Ben Shelton beat Tommy Paul and meets French hope Luca van Assche in the other semifinal.
• Fritz's defeat ended his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals and confirmed Rafael Jodar as the eighth qualifier.
• The ATP Finals field for Turin is now settled, with the event running from 15–22 November.

Carlos Alcaraz produced another escape act in the French capital on Friday, saving two match points to beat Taylor Fritz 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-3 and reach the Paris Masters semifinals for the first time in his career.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion was a set and a break down and faced match points at 5-3 and 5-4 in the second set, saving the second with a forehand pass, before taking the two-hour-45-minute quarter-final in three sets.

A comeback built on nerve

Fritz had Alcaraz on the ropes after edging a marathon first-set tiebreak 12-10, and when the American moved to 5-3 in the second set, the match looked his. But Alcaraz overturned the deficit, broke back, and never looked back after levelling the match.

The win was Alcaraz's first appearance in the last four in Paris, and he will face Casper Ruud in Saturday's semifinal. Ruud, a former world number two, beat Portuguese lucky loser Nuno Borges 7-6 (5), 6-4 to reverse their result from last week in Basel. Alcaraz has beaten Ruud in six of their seven meetings.

The other semifinal

In the other half of the draw, Ben Shelton reached his first Paris semifinal with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over fellow American Tommy Paul. Shelton will meet French hope Luca van Assche, who took almost three hours to defeat Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-5.

Shelton against Van Assche is the first semifinal of the day, starting at 2:30 PM CET, with Alcaraz against Ruud not before 5:00 PM CET. The final is on Sunday, closing the last Masters 1000 event of the season before the ATP Finals in Turin.

ATP Finals field settled

Friday's results also settled the field for the season-ending ATP Finals. Fritz's loss ended his chance of qualifying and delivered the eighth and final spot to Spain's Rafael Jodar. Paul, who needed to reach the final to qualify, was eliminated by Shelton, which also confirmed a Turin place for Frances Tiafoe.

The eight qualifiers are Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Arthur Fils, Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar. The ATP Finals run from 15–22 November in Turin.

FAQ

How did Alcaraz beat Fritz at the Paris Masters?

Alcaraz saved two match points and won 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-3 in a two-hour-45-minute quarter-final on Friday.

Who does Alcaraz play in the semifinal?

Casper Ruud, who beat Nuno Borges 7-6 (5), 6-4 in his quarter-final.

Who is in the other Paris Masters semifinal?

Ben Shelton plays Frenchman Luca van Assche, after Shelton beat Tommy Paul and Van Assche beat Rinky Hijikata.

Who qualified for the ATP Finals?

Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Arthur Fils, Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar.