Carlos Alcaraz claimed his first Paris Masters title by defeating Ben Shelton in a hard-fought final on Sunday. The 23-year-old Spaniard, returning from a four-month wrist injury, had reached the US Open quarter-finals in September before the epic five-set battle against rising American star Shelton. In the two months since, Alcaraz has won three titles and lost once in 17 matches.
Victory over world number four Shelton sealed his first triumph at the prestigious Paris Masters 1000 tournament. Alcaraz saved all six break points against Shelton, who himself had been fearless after a stellar year with four titles and a first major final. The Spaniard celebrated by raising his arms after winning five of the final six games. This result gives Alcaraz seven of nine ATP Masters 1000 crowns, positioning him to compete for major prizes in 2027.
Meanwhile, doubles partners Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara have secured the year-end world number one ranking for the first time.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing