Taylor Fritz is riding a wave of momentum as the Shanghai Masters kicks off today! Fresh from the Japan Open finals, where he lost in straight sets to Carlos Alcaraz, but Fritz held his head high. He’s coming into the Shanghai Masters with his eye on the prize. Last year, he reached the semifinals but fell in a tight battle to Novak Djokovic. This year, Djokovic is back to take the title again after sitting out the China Open. Meanwhile, Fritz’s main challenger, Alcaraz, is absent from Shanghai due to an injury suffered in Japan. But is the Spaniard’s absence casting a shadow over Fritz’s play?

On Friday, Fritz faced Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in the opening round. The match started tough for Fritz, who lost the first set 2-6. But the World No. 5 wasn’t backing down. He fought back hard, winning the next two sets 7-6, 7-6 in thrilling tiebreaks. It was a stellar display of resilience, showing Fritz is not to be underestimated. Yet, during the match, the camera caught something unusual!

A fan in the stands holding a poster for the World No.1! It read, “alcaraz please come next year.” If Carlos is watching, that message surely brightened his day. Especially since he’s sidelined for weeks! But why?

Well, despite his heroics, Carlos Alcaraz injured his left ankle during his opening round match against Sebastian Baez at the 2025 Japan Open. Despite the injury, he kept playing, thanking his physiotherapist for a quick recovery. Alcaraz barely showed signs of pain in later rounds, including a smooth win over Zizou Bergs. However, the ankle issue lingered enough that he withdrew from the Shanghai Masters after clinching the Japan Open title. His priority? Recovery to avoid making it worse.

Fritz wasn’t unscathed either. During the Tokyo final, the 27-year-old struggled with a left thigh injury. He took a medical timeout twice during the match after the first set. His thigh was heavily strapped, limiting his movement in the second set. Despite the pain, the 27-year-old battled fiercely to keep the match close. Ultimately, Alcaraz’s steady play won out, but the Spaniard noticed Taylor’s grit.

Taylor Fritz earns Alcaraz’s respect following defeat

Just a week ago, Fritz finally broke through at the Laver Cup, scoring his very first win over World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. Their head-to-head now sits at 1-4, but any win over the top-ranked player is a confidence booster.

Fast forward to Tokyo, at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, and it was Alcaraz who flipped the script. The Spaniard dispatched Fritz in straight sets to lift his eighth title of the season. “First of all, I want to congratulate Taylor for the great final he played. You’ve done a great job and demonstrated the position you’re in. I wish you all the best for the rest of the season,” Alcaraz said in his victory speech.

The World No. 1 wasn’t messing around in that final. Just nine days after his Laver Cup setback, Alcaraz stepped on court in Tokyo and stamped his authority with a clean 6-4, 6-4 win. It capped off a flawless debut run at the ATP 500 event.

The good vibes didn’t end on court either. Both players quickly took their sportsmanship online with a classy exchange on social media. Fritz, ever gracious, shared his pride in the week. “Thank you, Tokyo and all the fans in Japan, for an incredible week. Congrats to Carlos Alcaraz on another title. Solid week for me here, and happy to make another final. Until next time,” he posted. Not long after, Carlos chimed in with equal warmth: “Great week Taylor.” A small touch, but a fun glimpse of the mutual respect brewing between two competitors.

Now, for Taylor Fritz’s next opponent, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard awaits in the round of 32. The two met earlier this summer at Wimbledon, with Fritz getting the nod in straight sets. Can he repeat that result and spark a deep run in China? That’s the question, and fans are eager to find out. What do you think? Does Taylor’s form in Tokyo hint at a breakthrough stretch ahead?