Alcaraz beats Shelton in the final to win his first Paris Masters 1000

Carlos Alcaraz won the Paris Masters 1000 on Sunday, beating American Ben Shelton in the final, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5. The Spaniard, ranked world No. 3, claims his first title at this tournament against the fourth-ranked American. He now has 29 career titles and is just one trophy behind his rival Jannik Sinner, who has 30.

A tight final in two sets

According to TV5Monde, the match started at a fast pace: Shelton had six break points in the first set and Alcaraz two, but neither managed to break the other's serve. Shelton hit six aces in that set, which went to a tiebreak. An overhit forehand from the American handed Alcaraz the set after 1 hour 5 minutes of play.

In the second set, Shelton was very aggressive from the start. Alcaraz gave up the first break of the match at 3-2, after two double faults, then levelled at 4-4 with two passing shots against his opponent's approaches to the net. With Shelton serving at 5-6, he gave Alcaraz two match points, and the Spaniard converted the second with a backhand.

A tournament he had never won before

It is his fifth title of the season and his second in a row indoors, after the ATP 500 tournament in Vienna at the end of October.

According to Metro Puerto Rico, citing the EFE agency, he becomes the second Spaniard to win this tournament after David Ferrer. The outlet notes that he saved two match points against Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals, and that he has now won nine matches in a row.

The US Open defeat and the return from injury

The two men had already met in September at the US Open, where Shelton won in five sets, after 4 hours 28 minutes of play, at 3:33 in the morning, according to TV5Monde. It was Alcaraz's comeback tournament, after four months out with a right wrist injury.

TV5Monde adds that with this 29th trophy, Alcaraz is well placed to overtake Mats Wilander and Roger Federer, who had won 30 titles before turning 24. Sinner is injured and out for the rest of the season.

ATP rankings

According to RFI, Alcaraz consolidates his world No. 3 ranking, behind Germany's Alexander Zverev at the top and Sinner. He is within 2,500 points of his two rivals and has nearly 2,000 points on Shelton, who is fourth.