Carlos Alcaraz claimed his first Paris Masters title on Sunday, defeating American Ben Shelton in straight sets with a 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 victory. This win marks the 23-year-old’s ninth 1000-level trophy and serves as a measure of revenge against the opponent who eliminated him during his US Open title defense earlier this season. The match, which lasted just under two hours, was a much swifter affair than their dramatic five-set quarterfinal encounter in New York two months prior.
Reflecting on his triumph, the Spaniard noted his persistence in a tournament that has historically challenged him. “Coming here every year, not finding my best tennis but we never gave up,” Alcaraz said after receiving the trophy from former champion Boris Becker. “We had really painful losses here and we always said try again.”
The world number three enters the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin, scheduled for November 15-22, carrying significant momentum with a nine-match winning streak. Having already captured a 500-level title in Vienna recently, Alcaraz has now secured five tour-level titles this year, placing him just behind the injured Jannik Sinner, who holds six. In Italy, he will aim for his first season-ender coronation.
Alcaraz maintains a flawless record in title matches within Paris, adding this trophy to his two French Open titles.
His path to victory was not without difficulty, however, as he was forced to save match points against Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals, echoing his resilient performance in last year’s Roland Garros final against Sinner. For world number four Shelton, Sunday’s result marked his first loss in a Masters-level final, ending a streak that included his previous two championship appearances at the Canadian Open.
