Carlos Alcaraz said that he is eyeing revenge against Ben Shelton at the Paris Masters final. Alcaraz and Shelton last met at the 2026 US Open, where the American knocked out the defending champion in a five-set thriller. As the two were pitted against each other for the Paris Masters title, Alcaraz warned Shelton that he hadn’t forgotten the US Open defeat.
“I really want my revenge. The last time I played Ben was an incredible and difficult match,” Alcaraz said after he beat Casper Ruud to qualify for the Paris Masters title.
Shelton, meanwhile, defeated home favourite Luca van Assche in three sets to book a place in the final.
Alcaraz Favourite Against Shelton
Alcaraz will enter the final as the big favourite. He has had a difficult year, but his recent performances show that he is well and truly back to his best. Alcaraz missed four months of action due to a wrist injury, which saw him miss the Roland Garros and Wimbledon. He returned at the US Open, where he reached the quarter-finals but lost to Shelton.
However, as he played more games, he got his rhythm back. The Paris Masters final is Alcaraz’s third final in four tournaments after the US Open. He won the title in Tokyo and Vienna before reaching the final in Paris. He, however, suffered an early exit at the Shanghai Masters, losing to Zizou Bergs.
At the Paris Masters, he has mostly been flawless but he was in big trouble against Taylor Fritz when he was a set and break down, but he saved two match points and pulled off a remarkable comeback to win the game. That win helped him hit the top gear and he came out all guns blazing against Ruud, defeating him in straight sets, without facing a single break point.
