Carlos Alcaraz has secured his first-ever Paris Masters title, defeating Ben Shelton 7-6 (7-5) 7-5 in a high-stakes final on Sunday. The victory marks a significant milestone for the 23-year-old, who has now claimed seven of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events throughout his career. Who has now won seven of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events, will once again be ready to compete for the sport’s major prizes in 2027, it also confirmed a fully-fit Alcaraz. Facing Ben, today was one of the toughest challenges we have in tennis right now. From here, it is going to be even tougher facing him. Alcaraz will now seek to end a challenging year – which he began by becoming the youngest man in history to complete the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open – with a statement victory at the ATP Finals in Turin.
This triumph arrives just 60 days after Shelton eliminated the Spaniard during an intense, late-night encounter at the US Open. Since that September exit in New York, Alcaraz has been in remarkable form, winning three titles and suffering only a single defeat across 17 matches. In doing so, the Spaniard offered the latest indication that his ascension back to the top of the men’s game is nearing completion. I’m just really happy that I finally got it. Shelton finally capitalised when Alcaraz opened the door in an error-strewn third service game in the second set.
Reflecting on his breakthrough in the French capital, Alcaraz noted the significance of the achievement, stating, “It’s something I’ve been chasing for a long time.
I had some of the toughest losses of my career here. He also praised his opponent, describing the world number four as a “great champion” and a challenging rival whom he expects to face frequently in future tournaments.
The match itself proved to be a test of mental fortitude. Alcaraz successfully fended off all six break points he faced in the opening set, eventually clinching the tie-break by securing four of the final five points. While Shelton managed to gain momentum in the second set, leading 5-3, the Spaniard rallied to win five of the final six games to seal the victory. With Shelton also seeing off two break points, but it was Alcaraz who held his nerve to take the first-set tie-break by winning four of the final five points from 4-3 down, both players demonstrated admirable poise under pressure. His confidence clear as he danced to the music inside the stadium during the change, the Spaniard pointed to his ear in a call for more noise from the crowd after edging a breathless exchange to hold for a 5-4 advantage.
The victory serves as a strong indicator that the seven-time major champion has returned to full fitness. Following a four-month absence earlier this year due to a wrist injury, Alcaraz has regained his competitive edge, signaling his readiness to contend for major prizes throughout 2027.
Alcaraz’s path to the trophy was not without difficulty. Just two days prior to the final, he saved two match points against Taylor Fritz to survive a tense quarter-final. This marks the fourth time in his professional career that he has rallied from match points down to eventually lift a tournament trophy.
With this ninth ATP Masters 1000 crown, Alcaraz now turns his attention toward the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin. He enters the event on a nine-match winning streak, having captured the title in Vienna immediately before his success in Paris.
The Spaniard currently needs only to win the events in Canada and Shanghai to complete a full set of all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, a feat previously accomplished only by Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.
