Taylor Fritz has a lot still to play for ahead of his Paris Masters quarter-final against Carlos Alcaraz.

Fritz has endured a difficult 2026 season, as he has been dealing with tendonitis in his right knee, which has disrupted him at points this year.

Despite this, Fritz has still found some success this year, with the American winning his 11th career title at the Washington Open and also reaching the finals of two other ATP tournaments.

This means that Fritz still has an outside chance to qualify for the ATP Finals this year, but he has admitted he is annoyed with himself about something after reaching the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters.

What is preventing Taylor Fritz from winning a Grand Slam?

Taylor Fritz admits he will be ‘upset’ about missed opportunities if he does not qualify for the ATP Finals

Shock results have taken place at the Paris Masters this year, including Novak Djokovic losing to Rinky Hijikata in the second round, meaning that Fritz knows that he will qualify for the ATP Finals if he reaches the semi-finals in the French capital and Tommy Paul does not better his result.

Despite having his own fate in his hands, Fritz told Tennis Channel after his latest win over sixth seed Arthur Fils that he will be kicking himself over other missed opportunities from earlier on in the year if he does not qualify for the ATP Finals.

“I can get pumped up to play when there is something on the line and this week I have been thinking a lot about all these weeks where the draw has opened up and I lost,” said Fritz. “If I had won just one more match here or here I would be in.

“I am really kicking myself at all the opportunities I have squandered this year. I feel like I did a pretty poor job this year of just going out in some tournaments where the draw has opened up and I really had opportunities.

“I know I am going to be more upset about it if I don’t qualify, so it’s like my opportunity to make it right. I think that fires me up.”

Taylor Fritz says what he needs to do to have a chance vs Carlos Alcaraz

Fritz has never reached the Paris Masters semi-finals before and it will certainly not be easy for him to do it this year, as he now faces seven-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz.

Alcaraz has also never reached the semi-finals at the Paris Masters, but he does have a dominant head-to-head against Fritz, having won six of their seven previous meetings, including their only match this year at the Laver Cup.

Fritz’s one previous win over Alcaraz came at the Laver Cup in 2025, and he appears to be holding on to this as belief ahead of their eighth meeting in Paris.

“Just the fact that I know I possess the level to win,” explained Fritz. “We had a crazy match at Laver Cup this year and I had match point. We played last year in Turin and I was up a set and had opportunities for sure, with good looks at going up a break in the second.

“But it’s Carlos, he is going to do some crazy things and steal some points that nobody else would win against you. But if I serve and return the way I did today I know I am going to have a chance.”

Fritz will hope to get his second win over Alcaraz in the Paris Masters quarter-finals, which could book his place into the ATP Finals depending on Paul’s result against Ben Shelton.