Carlos Alcaraz defeats Ben Shelton to claim first Paris Masters title

Carlos Alcaraz secured his first Paris Masters trophy with a 7-6 (7-5) 7-5 victory over Ben Shelton, marking his ninth consecutive match win.

The 23-year-old Spaniard claimed the maiden title in straight sets, avenging a previous loss to Shelton at the US Open. During the opening set, which lasted 65 minutes, Alcaraz saved six break points before taking the tie-break. BBC Sport noted that the win represents Alcaraz's seventh triumph out of nine ATP Masters 1000 events.

In the second set, Shelton briefly took the lead with a break at 3-2, but Alcaraz responded by leveling the score at 4-4. Sky Sports reported that the world number three eventually secured the decisive break following a winner off a Shelton drop shot. The victory in Paris follows another recent tournament win for Alcaraz in Vienna.

Following the match, Alcaraz described the title as something he had been chasing for a long time after several difficult losses in the tournament's history. Shelton praised his opponent's stamina, noting that Alcaraz had won ten matches in 14 days across two different cities. According to Reuters, the victory has left Alcaraz high on confidence as he prepares for the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin.

The win also serves as a return to form for Alcaraz after a four-month absence due to a wrist injury earlier this year. BBC Sport reported that he saved two match points in his quarter-final match against Taylor Fritz earlier in the week to stay in the competition.

Background

Earlier in 2026, Alcaraz became the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open. However, his season was interrupted by a wrist injury that sidelined him for four months before his return in September.