Taylor Fritz did not face a break point against Arthur Fils on Thursday night in Paris. He hit 14 aces, broke at 3-2 in the first set and again at 1-1 in the second, and was through 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 11 minutes, ending Fils’s bid for a first quarterfinal at his home Masters 1000. “I was returning really well and serving really well,” Fritz said. “That kind of takes care of itself when I am serving well and playing aggressively. It was fast conditions, and it really enabled me when I stepped in and went for the shots.”
Tommy Paul had opened the day on Court Central by ending Quentin Halys’s run 7-6(3), 6-4 in an hour and 35 minutes, a day after Halys saved four match points in a deciding tiebreak to beat Frances Tiafoe. Both Americans are now in Friday’s quarterfinals, and both are still alive for the last two places at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, 15-22 November.
The field. Six players have qualified: Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli and Arthur Fils, who secured his place on Wednesday. Jannik Sinner, second in the Race, ended his season with a knee injury, so ninth place is enough for the last spot. Tiafoe holds eighth on 3,390 points and Rafael Jodar ninth on 3,234. Both lost early in Paris, the last event that counts toward the Race, and can only wait.
The chasers. Fritz is 11th on 3,050 and Paul 13th on 2,925. Paul plays Shelton, who has already qualified, at 2 p.m. Paris time. Fritz plays Alcaraz, who leads their head-to-head 6-1, not before 7 p.m.
“I am excited for it,” Fritz said of the Alcaraz match. “Excited for the opportunity. That’s why I have gotten to this point in the tournament. I knew I was probably gonna have to go through him if I wanted to [have the chance] to make Turin. So, I’m ready to play.”
What each result does. A Masters 1000 semifinal is worth 400 points, a final 650 and the title 1,000, and both Americans already have the 200 for the quarterfinals.
- Fritz: a semifinal lifts him to 3,250, past Jodar. The final lifts him to 3,500, past Tiafoe. He qualifies by reaching the final, or by reaching the semifinals if Paul does not reach the final. It would be his fourth appearance in the event.
- Paul: a semifinal lifts him to 3,125, still short of Jodar. The final lifts him to 3,375, past Jodar but 15 points short of Tiafoe, and the title to 3,725. He qualifies by winning the title, or by reaching the final if Fritz does not. It would be his debut.
- Tiafoe: qualifies unless Paul beats Fritz in Sunday’s final, the only result that puts two men above him.
- Jodar: qualifies only if Alcaraz beats Fritz on Friday and Paul does not reach the final.
What Friday decides. A win for Alcaraz puts Tiafoe through and leaves the last place to Jodar unless Paul reaches the final. A win for Shelton also puts Tiafoe through and leaves the last place between Fritz and Jodar, settled by whether Fritz reaches the semifinals. If Fritz and Paul both win, Jodar is out, because a semifinal already lifts Fritz above him. Tiafoe and Fritz would then hold the places unless Paul reaches Sunday’s final, and Tiafoe would miss out only if Paul beat Fritz for the title.
Elsewhere in Paris. Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals without playing on Thursday when Matteo Berrettini withdrew from their match with an elbow injury. Shelton came from a set down to beat Arthur Rinderknech 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5), winning five of the last six points from 2-4 in the tiebreak, his 43rd tour-level win of the season and a personal best.
What’s next. The Race closes with the Paris final on Sunday. The player outside the eight who heads the queue is covered by the rules on Turin alternates, and the standings update in our Race to Turin tracker. The date of the group draw has not been announced.
