A wrist injury kept the Spaniard off the tour for four-and-a-half months this season, causing him to miss Roland Garros and Wimbledon before returning to the US Open. In Paris, he didn’t miss his chance to win the Masters 1000, coming up short in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Shanghai.
As in last year’s final, won by Yannick Siner against Félix Auger-Aliasime, the opponent put up a great resistance, but the favorite allowed his slight advantage at important moments. A week after his title in Vienna, Alcaraz is winning in the same way in a tournament where he had never reached the quarterfinals until this week.
It was Shelton’s match for most of the first set. Alcaraz was erratic on the forehand, with six unforced errors in her first 24 points, and had to save three break points at 1-2, then the fourth with a forehand winner. After five games, the American had already served five aces, won 73 percent of his first serve points and faced no break points, while the Spaniard lost 19 of 34 points.
Then it was Shelton’s turn to go 0-40. He came out of it with an astonishing four straight winners. These break points brought out the best in both players. when it came to defending their serve, both bared their teeth like big cats guarding their territory. Alcaraz saved two more at 4-4, six in the set, to tie the score. At 5-4, both were winning 67 percent of their first serve points and only two points separated them.
From there, Alcaraz really got into his match. He held to love at 5-5, pushed Shelton in the next game without breaking him, then loved again at 6-6. Between 5-4 and the tiebreak, she won 10 of 14 points played, ran out winners and won 79 percent of her first serve points.
A tiebreaker that swung both ways
Alcaraz took a 3-1 lead but Shelton’s excellent attack and a forehand error from the Spaniard made it 3-3. Alcaraz then built a good attack of his own, only to send a long forehand dribble; 4-3 Shelton, who had a great chance to earn three set points. Under pressure in the next rally, Alcaraz found a forehand winner to level the score at 4-4.
Shelton followed her serve with a long forehand and a two-handed backhand volley that hit in the air gave Alcaraz two set points at 6-4. In the first, his backhand clipped the net cord, hung there and fell back to the side. In the second, Shelton stepped up on the forehand but missed the final forehand. After 66 minutes, Alcaraz took the set, winning 21 to 14 and saving all six break points.
From disconnection to rank
In the second set, Alcaraz broke even at 2-2. Two double faults and an unforced error at 30-40 on break point gave Shelton the first break of the match. Saving the first six break points he faced, the Spaniard finished seventh. The American rallied to love at 4-2. A disappointed Alcaraz stayed for the match anyway.
The reaction came immediately. Alcaraz held the 3-4 and pushed the pace. Shelton sensed it and took the lead, but was passed over twice to fall behind 15-40. At the end of the forehand exchange, it was the American who sent his long for 4-4.
From there, Alcaraz played looser and faster. He held for 5-4, Shelton for 5-5, and the Spaniard held again for 6-5. She earned two match points at 15-40 on Shelton’s serve. The American saved the first, but Alcaraz converted the second with a shot from a deflected pass.
Shelton served 12 aces to Alcaraz’s six, but the Spaniard won the battle from the back of the court and at the net. He won 33 to 25, won 71 percent of his first serve points to Shelton’s 63 percent, won 10 of his 13 points at the net and 54 percent of his total points. He saved six of seven break points he faced and converted two of five.
Alcaraz now leads them 4-1.
This is the fifth title for Alcaraz this season, after the Australian Open, Doha, Tokyo and Vienna. He is unbeaten since Shanghai and leads Kazakhstan ATP Finals in Turinwhere Shelton will also play with back-to-back indoor titles, aiming to complete the same hat trick as The Sinner in 2025.
Shelton, who beat Cameron Norrie, Arthur Rinderknecht, Tommy Paul and Luca Van Assche to reach his sixth final of the season, missed out on a third Masters 1000 title after Toronto in 2025 and Montreal this year.
Final result of Rolex Paris Masters 2026
Carlos Alcaraz (2) d. Ben Shelton (3) 7-6 (5), 7-5