Carlos Alcaraz was the big name missing when the last two semifinal spots were filled at the ATP Finals on Friday. Alcaraz's 7-6 (5), 6-4 loss to Alexander Zverev meant the French Open and Wimbledon champion — who has been sick this week — was eliminated from the elite,

During the past two years, Alcaraz has the advantage over Zverev, 4-2 in six head-to-head matchups. Their last one, at the Roland Garros on June 9, 2024, went to Alcaraz 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

Taylor Fritz will play for the ATP Finals title after beating Alexander Zverev in three sets in the semi-finals.

Alexander Zverev surged into the semi-finals of the ATP Finals after eliminating French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz with a 7-6(5) 6-4 defeat, while Casper Ruud also advanced with a 6-4 5-7 6-2 win over Andrey Rublev on Friday.

Zverev – who has yet to suffer a single break in the entire tournament – won the best match of the ATP Finals so far proving that he is a serious candidate to lift the trophy on Sunday. A final between Zverev and Jannik Sinner would be the best possible right now.

Carlos Alcaraz is on the verge of exiting the 2024 ATP Finals following a straight-set defeat by Alexander Zverev in Turin.

Taylor Fritz edged past Alexander Zverev to become the first American to reach the title match at the ATP Finals for nearly 20 years. American players were regular champions in the first 30 years of the tournament’s history, but Pete Sampras in 1999 was the last to lift the trophy.

Zverev is coming off a defeat to No. 12-ranked Fritz, 6-7, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7, in the quarterfinals at the US Open. In his last match on September 26, 2024, Fritz came up short 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 against Arthur Fils in the Round of 32 of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships.

Carlos Alcaraz was the big name missing when the last two semifinal spots at the ATP Finals were filled by Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud.