Alexander Bublik kept his faint hopes of reaching the ATP Finals alive as he progressed to the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters with a straight-sets win over Taylor Fritz. 

After saving four set points in the opening set, Bublik produced a sensational showing in the second to clinch a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 victory in one hour and 26 minutes on Thursday. 

Both players traded blows early in the contest as they tried to gain the early advantage, though it was Fritz who had two opportunities to take the lead in the match. 

The fourth seed squandered two set points in both the 10th and 12th game, with Bublik making the most of that reprieve as he got the better of Fritz in the tie-break. 

And Bublik showed no signs of letting his lead slip in the second, breaking to love in the sixth game, which proved the beginning of the end for his American opponent. 

It was then Bublik's turn to miss opportunities to seal the match, missing three in total, but he got himself over the line with a rasping forehand down the right baseline. 

Powering his way through to the QF's

Bublik dispatches Fritz 7-6(5) 6-2.@RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/TOgTlSpxR8

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 30, 2025

Elsewhere in the French capital, Ben Shelton's 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 victory over Andrey Rublev secured his spot in the season-ending ATP Finals for the very first time. 

He joins Fritz at the tournament, the first time two American singles players will compete for the title since 2006, when James Blake and Andy Roddick took part. 

And at 23 years and 18 days old, Shelton became the youngest American to reach a men's singles quarter-final at the Paris Masters since Roddick (21 years 58 days) in 2003. 

Alex de Minaur also qualified for the ATP Finals after easing to a 6-2 6-2 victory over 10th seed Karen Khachanov. 

Felix Auger-Aliassime is also in contention for the tournament in Turin, and he did his chances a huge favour with a 3-6 6-3 6-2 triumph over Daniel Altmaier. 

The Canadian is just the third player born since 2000 to claim 100+ combined match wins at ATP Masters 1000 and grand slam events, after Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. 

But there was no such luck for Cameron Norrie. After stunning Alcaraz, his campaign in Paris came to an end at the hands of rising star Valentin Vacherot. 

Vacherot earned a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 win, meaning that since the format's introduction in 1990, the Monegasque (78.6%) trails only Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for winning percentage at ATP Masters 1000 events among players who have played a minimum of 10 matches. 

78.6 - Since the format's introduction in 1990, Valentin Vacherot (78.6%, 11-3) trails only Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for winning percentage at ATP Masters 1000 events - minimum 10 matches. Unexpected.#RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters @atptour pic.twitter.com/bG5KFvGtSq

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) October 30, 2025

Data Debrief: Bublik bursts Fritz's bubble

Only Alcaraz and De Minaur had managed more wins at ATP level in 2025 than Fritz (52), but Bublik ripped up the script to continue his own fine season this year.

Indeed, the 13th seed registered his 36th win at ATP level in 2025, his most victories in a single season, eclipsing his previous best of 35 triumphs back in 2021. 

It is also his third quarter-final at an ATP-1000 event after Miami and Madrid four years ago, and he will now have his eyes set on the top prize in Paris.