Alcaraz Beats Shelton in Straight Sets to Win First Paris Masters Title

Carlos Alcaraz won the Paris Masters for the first time on Sunday, beating American Ben Shelton 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 in a final that lasted just under two hours, according to Al Jazeera. The victory was the ninth 1000-level title of the Spaniard's career.

It also gave the 23-year-old a measure of revenge. Shelton was the player who ended Alcaraz's U.S. Open title defense earlier this season.

What happened in the final?

Alcaraz took both sets by narrow margins, winning the first on a tiebreak and the second by breaking through late. Al Jazeera noted that the match was far shorter than their five-set quarterfinal at the U.S. Open two months ago.

Former Paris Masters winner Boris Becker presented Alcaraz with the trophy. The winner said he had come to the tournament every year without finding his best tennis, but that he and his team never gave up. He added with a smile, “We had really painful losses here and we always said try again.”

How close did Alcaraz come to losing along the way?

Alcaraz saved match points in the quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet said the comeback echoed his Roland Garros final win over Italy's Jannik Sinner last year, another occasion when he survived match points in the French capital. The report did not say how many match points he faced against Fritz.

He arrived in Paris after winning the 500-level title in Vienna and has now won his last nine matches.

What did the result mean for Shelton?

Shelton, the world number four, lost a Masters final for the first time. He had won both of his previous appearances in a final at that level, in the last two editions of the Canadian Open.

Why does it matter?

For tennis fans, the result adds to Alcaraz's record in the French capital. Having won two French Opens and now the Paris Masters, he is undefeated in title matches there, Al Jazeera reported.

It also sharpens the picture at the top of the men's game this season. Alcaraz, the world number three, now has five tour-level titles this year. Only Sinner has more, with six, and Al Jazeera described Sinner as injured. The win also adds to Alcaraz's total of seven Grand Slam titles and 1000-level titles, which together mark him as one of the sport's leading players.

What comes next for Alcaraz?

The ATP Finals run from Nov. 15-22 in Turin, Italy. Alcaraz will be seeking his first title at the season-ending event, according to Al Jazeera. He enters on a nine-match winning streak.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by Al Jazeera