ATP Race Update: Taylor Fritz qualifies for Turin after rival succumbs to unfortunate defeat in Paris Masters

After almost going the distance in last year's event, Taylor Fritz has the chance to go one better this year after qualifying for the ATP Finals. He is now the fifth player to qualify, joining Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev in the culminating event on the ATP calendar in 2025.

The American number one confirmed his place after Lorenzo Musetti was pegged back by fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the Paris Masters. This not only puts Musetti under considerable pressure but offers enough of a gap to confirm what seemed like an inevitable qualification for Fritz. He is also competing in the Paris Masters, targeting a first Masters 1000 title since 2022 and third title of 2025. He faces Alexander Bublik in the round-of-16, with the pressure off from confirming his place for Turin.

It feels like Fritz has competed in pretty much everything this year. It feels like a surprise that he has not already confirmed his spot. He started the year in the perfect fashion, teaming up with fellow countrywoman Coco Gauff to win the United Cup for their country, defeating Iga Swiatek's Poland in the final. Fritz could not keep up that positive form Down Under, suffering a shock defeat to Gael Monfils in the third-round of the Australian Open. It was an event that he made the quarter-finals of last year but was not able to build on.

Early exits in Dallas and Delray Beach compounded his misery as he headed to the first Masters 1000 event of the year at Indian Wells, just to lose against eventual champion Jack Draper in the round-of-16. A much-improved display in Miami saw him storm to what would be the first of two Masters 1000 semi-finals in 2025. He had a golden opportunity to make the final but was defeated in three-sets by a 19-year-old Jakub Mensik, who similar to Draper went on to win the title.

Never known as a clay player, Fritz only recorded a brace of wins on the surface before a first-round exit at Roland Garros. However, on grass he is a completely different animal, utilising his big serve and aggressive style of play to storm to the title in Stuttgart, defeating home-hero Zverev in straight sets to pick up a first title in 2025. He followed that up with another triumph, this time at Eastbourne. The Sussex seaside town had been happy hunting ground for him before, being the most successful player in the event with three titles. He added a fourth after defeating lucky loser Jenson Brooksby in the final with a commanding second set to finish off proceedings. This gave him the perfect momentum heading into Wimbledon, which he utilised to the max. He overcame remarkably tight matches against Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard and Gabriel Diallo before racing through to the semi-finals where a stubborn Alcaraz halted the 28-year-old's progress.

While many of the top players were taking a well-earned rest, Fritz was straight back out on the court, reaching the quarter-finals in Washington before going down in straight sets to Ben Shelton in the semi-final of the Canadian Open. He was dealt a surprising defeat by French qualifier Terence Atmane before traversing to Flushing Meadows to defend his 2024 US Open final. Unfortunately, he faced Djokovic in the quarter-final, who dealt yet another defeat to the American.

He played his part in Team World winning the Laver Cup, including getting a huge win over Carlos Alcaraz. The fortunes were swiftly overturned in the final of the Japan Open, where the Spaniard claimed his revenge. Qualification for the ATP Finals was on the brink, but he could not quite get over the line in Shanghai or Basel. In the end, he needed a bit of fortune to get over the line. Fritz is set to compete in a fourth ATP Finals. He first reached the semi-finals in 2022 before entering as an alternate the next year. In 2024, he was defeated by Sinner twice, once in the group stage and again in the final. It is yet to be seen whether Fritz can end a thrilling season with his biggest title to date.