Carlos Alcaraz wins the Paris Masters 1000 for the first time thanks to his success against Ben Shelton in the final

“I have been struggling for a long time to do well in this tournament, I have been waiting for this final for a long time,” confided Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the final of the Masters 1000 in Paris. The Spaniard now no longer has to wait. He won on Sunday November 8, against Ben Shelton (7-6[5], 7-5), in 1h57 of play), which rewards the great week of the world number three.

Recent winner of the Vienna tournament, the 21-year-old pockets a 35th career title - his 9th in Masters 1000 - at the end of a sometimes disjointed game, with many unforced errors on his part. But his better control of key moments of the match made the difference.

Alcaraz gets his revenge against Shelton

We left him with his head down during their last confrontation, defeated at the end of the 5th set and the super tie-break in the quarter-finals of the US Open at the beginning of September against Ben Shelton (6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6), after a titanic fight lasting almost 4h30. When he entered the court in Nanterre this Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz perhaps still had this painful memory in mind and a burning desire to erase it with this opportunity in the final in Paris.

However, for a good part of the first round, the Spaniard seemed to find his rhythm against the American, who for his part chained serves, each more powerful than the other. Despite everything, managing to stay in the game, "Carlitos" saved no less than six break points to sting at the decisive moment, in the tie-break, and pocket the first set (7-6[5] in 1h05 of play).

His game regained and his legs still light to defend against Shelton's warning shots, we wondered what could derail Alcaraz in the second round. The response came after a few games, when the Spaniard consecutively conceded 10 points (out of 13) to his opponent, letting his service game slip away at 4-2. In the tough on the mental level, the world number three quickly found the resources to recover his break from behind and regain the race in the lead, at 5-4. By accelerating one last time, he avoided the scenario of a third inning by ending the match.

Coming very close to elimination against Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals, where he saved two match points, Carlos Alcaraz has his first indoor success in the capital after showing that his three months of absence to treat an injury to his right wrist were well and truly behind him. He finished the season strong and will be one to watch closely in a week at the end of season Masters in Turin where he will meet his American opponent, but also Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Arthur Fils, Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar.