PARIS (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz continued his late-season surge by beating Ben Shelton 7-6 (5), 7-5 in the Paris Masters final on Sunday for his second straight title and fifth of the year.
It was Alcaraz’s 29th title of his career and followed his victory in Vienna last Sunday. Last month he won the Japan Open, having only returned from a right wrist injury in late August.
The second-seeded Spaniard threw his arms out wide in celebration after clinching victory on his second match point with a two-handed backhand winner down the line at the indoor Plenitude Arena. The seven-time Grand Slam champion cracked a broad smile and briefly appeared to cry after earning a ninth Masters title and first in Paris.
“It is something I have been chasing for a long time. Some of the toughest defeats I ever had in my career I have had here," Alcaraz said. "Finally I got my level here. I found the right path and the right way to do things.”
He won for the fourth time in five meetings with Shelton, who had beaten Alcaraz two months ago in a late-night quarterfinal marathon at the U.S. Open ending at 3:33 a.m. Shelton went on to reach the final, where he lost to Alexander Zverev.
Alcaraz saved six break points in the first set and overcame a break of serve in the second set by breaking the third-seeded Shelton straight back.
The 23-year-old Alcaraz did not drop a set in Vienna. But it was harder work in Paris and he almost went out on Friday, saving two match points against Taylor Fritz in their quarterfinal.
The 24-year-old Shelton was seeking his eighth title overall and third Masters, having twice won the Montreal title.
The American recently added Juan Carlos Ferrero to his coaching staff, following on from Alcaraz's split with long-time coach Ferrero last year.
There is clearly no animosity between the players over that. Both congratulated each other's shots in Sunday's final, and Alcaraz made a point of walking around the net to hug Shelton and pat him on the chest after winning.
With both players blessed with speed and agility, Alcaraz and Shelton drew each other to the net throughout.
They regularly traded low, angled volleys at the net.
Pushing the other to the extremities of the court, there were some improbable retrieves, including one by Shelton in the ninth game when the American almost did the splits.
Shelton had an early advantage when he had Alcaraz 0-40 down in the fourth game. The Spaniard went on to save four break points before finally holding.
Alcaraz clinched the tiebreaker when Shelton hit a forehand wide.
Shelton had another chance in the second set, when he broke Alcaraz's serve for the first time and held for a 4-2 lead. But Alcaraz broke back straight when Shelton hit a forehand long from the back of the court to make it 4-4.
After that he definitively changed the momentum.
“I am really proud of myself and the team, the way they have pushed me forward,” Alcaraz said. "This one means a lot to me.”
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