Alcaraz downs Shelton to win Paris Masters for first time
Carlos Alcaraz beat Ben Shelton 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 at the Plenitude Arena to claim his ninth ATP Masters 1000 title.
Carlos Alcaraz won his first Paris Masters title by defeating Ben Shelton in the final. The victory gave him a fifth tour-level title of the year and his ninth Masters 1000 crown.
Key takeaways
- Carlos Alcaraz defeated Ben Shelton 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 in the Paris Masters final.
- It was Alcaraz's first Paris Masters title and fifth tour-level title of the calendar year.
- The win marked his ninth ATP Masters 1000 title overall.
- Alcaraz saved all six break points he faced in the opening set.
- He heads to the ATP Finals in Turin seeking his first season-ending title.
Carlos Alcaraz beat Ben Shelton 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 in the Paris Masters final on Sunday, winning the tournament for the first time in his career.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion claimed his ninth ATP Masters 1000 title at the indoor Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, on the outskirts of Paris. m.
Alcaraz saved six break points in the first set and overcame a break of serve in the second set by breaking the third-seeded Shelton straight back.
He clinched victory on his second match point with a two-handed backhand winner down the line, threw his arms out wide in celebration, cracked a broad smile, and briefly appeared to cry.
Alcaraz then walked around the net to hug Shelton and pat him on the chest.
Why it matters
The victory made it five title wins in the calendar year for Alcaraz and took his career total to 29 titles. It followed his victory in the 500-level event in Vienna last Sunday and his Japan Open title last month.
Alcaraz has now won seven of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events, leaving him two short of winning all nine in the category. He was the second Spaniard to win the Paris title, following David Ferrer in 2012.
The win came after he saved two match points against Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals, the fourth time in his career he has won a title after being match points down at a tournament.
Alcaraz returned from a right wrist injury that caused him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon, and he has won his last nine matches since coming into Paris on the back of Vienna.
What happens next
Alcaraz will head to Turin for the ATP Finals, which run November 15-22, seeking his first coronation at the season-ending event. He enters on a nine-match win streak.
For world number four Shelton, it was a first defeat in a Masters final after winning his two previous appearances in showpiece matches at that level, both coming in the last two editions of the Canadian Open.
Shelton was seeking his eighth title overall and third Masters, having twice won the Montreal title. Shelton recently added Juan Carlos Ferrero to his coaching staff, following on from Alcaraz's split with long-time coach Ferrero last year. Both players congratulated each other's shots in the final.
Key figures from the Paris Masters final and Alcaraz's season
Figure | Detail |
|---|---|
Final score | 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 |
Titles in 2026 | 5 |
Career titles | 29 |
ATP Masters 1000 titles | 9 |
Win streak entering Turin | 9 matches |
Related on Apex Sports News
Carlos Alcaraz beats Taylor Fritz at Paris Masters to help Rafael Jodar reach ATP Finals
Ben Shelton beats Tommy Paul to reach Paris Masters semifinal
Lorenzo Musetti beats Alexander Zverev 7-6(5), 6-2 at ATP Paris Masters
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