Paris (France) (AFP) - Finally happy indoors, Carlos Alcaraz (3rd) won his first title this Sunday at the Paris Masters 1000, a tournament in which he had found it difficult to smile, by beating the American Ben Shelton (4th) in the final, 7-6 (7/5) and 7-5.

First modification: 11/08/2026 - 18:19

With discreet results in the Parisian tournament since his debut in 2021, never surpassing the quarterfinals, the 23-year-old from Murcia wins his fifth title of the season, the second consecutive indoor title after the ATP 500 in Vienna at the end of October.

"For a long time it was difficult to come here, there were painful defeats, but we moved forward, all together, step by step, thanks to my team for supporting me," said Alcaraz after lifting the trophy from German legend Boris Becker.

In his five years at the highest level, Alcaraz had shown a certain allergy to 'indoor' conditions, a fast indoor court, the usual ecosystem of the end of the season in the ATP.

Hungry in a year in which he was out for four months, from April to August, due to an injury to his right wrist, Alcaraz is taking revenge in 2026.

"I don't think people realize how difficult it is to win here and in Vienna, to win ten games in two weeks. I'm very happy that you're back and healthy," Shelton told the Spaniard at the trophy presentation.

US Open Revenge

The seven-time Grand Slam winner wins his ninth title in the Masters 1000 category since the beginning of his career, the first since Cincinnati, in August 2025.

With this 29th title of his career, Alcaraz is just one away from equaling his great rival Jannik Sinner (30), injured until the end of the season.

And he is close to the legends Mats Wilander and Roger Federer, who had won 30 titles before turning 24.

The Spaniard was coming off a defeat against Ben Shelton that went down in the history of the US Open, as it was decided at 3:33 in the morning with the American's five-set victory, after 4 hours and 28 minutes of play, in the return tournament in Alcaraz.

Tennis at full speed

This Sunday the match started at full speed, with a lot of intensity on the part of both from the first set: six break points for the American, two for Alcaraz.

But neither managed to take the other's serve. There were very powerful serves from Shelton (6 aces in the first set), some spectacular rallies and magical hits from Alcaraz, such as a backhand volley after a lob attempt by the American to tie it at 3-3.

As in New York in September, the first set was decided in a tie-break. And they both went all out, until a too-long right hand from Shelton gave Alcaraz the first set after 1h05 of play.

The American came out very aggressive from the beginning of the second, while Alcaraz had problems with the serve, to the point of giving up the first break of the match at 3-2 after two double faults.

With a view on Turin

But the Spaniard raised the level thanks to two passings before Shelton's too-fair climbs to the net to overcome the disadvantage and tie it again at four games.

Then, when he served at 6-5 to force the tie-break, the American lacked precision and conceded two match points, which Alcaraz did not waste.

"I know you're coming back and I'm going to be a little scared at the ATP Finals," Alcaraz told Shelton about the Masters Tournament, which brings together the eight best players in the world in Turin from Nov. 15-22.

"I feel comfortable, I am improving on indoor courts. I will try to do the same things in Turin and we will see, I will play my tennis and enjoy myself," he added at a press conference about a tournament that eludes him.

© 2026 AFP

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