Taylor Fritz secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Benjamin Bonzi at the Paris Masters, keeping his hopes of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Finals alive.
The 11th-seeded American defeated France’s Bonzi 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a match that lasted 1시간 41분 (1 hour and 41 minutes) on Nov. 3 at the Plénitude Arena in Nanterre, on the outskirts of Paris.
Fritz Drops Opening Set to Bonzi
Fritz faced immediate trouble in the opening set as Bonzi applied sustained pressure. Trailing 1-3, Fritz dropped his service game to fall behind 1-4. Despite saving three break points later in the set, Fritz failed to bridge the gap and surrendered the opener 3-6.
Momentum Shift in the Second Set
The dynamic changed significantly in the second set as Fritz used his heavy serve and aggressive baseline strokes to seize control. He broke Bonzi in the second game and protected his own serves with precision, locking down a 6-3 frame to level the match at one set apiece.
Fritz Wins Final Set with Twenty Aces
Fritz carried that momentum directly into the final set, breaking Bonzi’s serve in the opening game. He then faved off a break threat in the second game to cement his lead, maintaining composure on his service games to close out the set 6-4 and seal the match.
Fritz finished the contest with 20 aces and successfully defended five out of six break points faced during crucial stretches.
Fritz Advances to Face Alex Molčan
Entering the tournament ranked 12th in the ATP Finals race with 2,860 points, Fritz requires a minimum finish of the semifinals or better at the Paris Masters to secure a berth in the year-end tournament. The ATP Finals are scheduled for Nov. 15–22 in Turin, Italy, featuring the top eight singles players of the season. Fritz previously finished as the runner-up at the 2024 edition of the event.
Fritz advances to the second round to face Slovakia’s Alex Molčan, who defeated France’s Titouan Droguet 2-1 (4-6, 6-4, 6-4) in his opening match.
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