Alcaraz Seeks Revenge Against Shelton After Reaching First Paris Masters Final
“I really want to take revenge, last time was a really tough match,” Carlos Alcaraz said, previewing his final against Ben Shelton, according to puntodebreak.com. The Spaniard defeated Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 on November 7, 2026, to reach his first Rolex Paris Masters final, setting up a title match against the American two months after their US Open quarterfinal. It will be the second Masters 1000 final of the season for Shelton, following his victory in Montreal.
Alcaraz Dominates Ruud With Serve and Precision
Alcaraz controlled the semifinal from start to finish, breaking once per set and never allowing Ruud to reopen the contest, gazzetta.it reported. The Spaniard produced 27 winners and landed nearly 90 percent of his first serves, numbers that marked him as a title contender. He held Ruud at bay with his opening shots and attacked the Norwegian’s backhand—described by puntodebreak.com as Ruud’s “timid” weakness—particularly after the serve. The victory marked Alcaraz’s seventh win in eight meetings against Ruud. Ruud lacked the energy to enter the rallies, while Alcaraz produced a drop-volley winner from the baseline among his highlights.
Shelton Overcomes Van Assche After Losing First Set
On the other side of the draw, fourth-ranked Shelton needed three sets to defeat tournament surprise Luca Van Assche, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, gazzetta.it reported. The Frenchman, ranked No. 47, played a near-perfect first set and capitalized on 11 unforced errors from Shelton to take it. But Shelton changed gears in the second, breaking at 4-2 to level the match, then survived a counter-break in the third to close out the win on the fast court at the Défense Arena. “I liked the way I fought and found solutions,” Shelton told Tennis Channel, according to ubitennis.com.
Van Assche was contesting the first Masters 1000 semifinal of his career and held the court with personality while Shelton struggled for continuity. In the third set, Shelton punished his opponent’s serving uncertainties in the decisive moments to seal the win.
“I really want to take revenge, last time was a really tough match” 🍿 @carlosalcaraz previews his final clash with Shelton, two months after their epic US Open QF!#RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/3yaneiInQh
Shelton explained his turnaround at the Tennis Channel desk. “To be honest, I was quite disappointed with how the first set went,” he said. “I was making an absurd amount of errors, missing a lot with the forehand and trying to overdo it.” He added that his patience increased as the match went on and that he let the fast court work in his favor rather than fighting it. After moving ahead 4-3, his coach Brian urged him: “Pressure, keep putting pressure on him.”
“It was a high-level match and I want to compliment Lucas, because he is playing extraordinary tennis,” Shelton said. “He has improved a lot, especially on the serve, and in 2027 he will be a formidable opponent.”
US Open Rematch Looms in Paris Final
The final carries extra weight for Alcaraz, who lost to Shelton in the US Open quarterfinals. The Spaniard leads their head-to-head 3-1, but the most recent meeting remains fresh, gazzetta.it noted. “I want to take revenge against Ben,” Alcaraz said, per puntodebreak.com. “It’s all about my tennis, and I’ll try to do some things differently in those small moments, especially the important ones where I didn’t go very well in our last match.”
“Tomorrow will be a big day, I really want to get on court,” Alcaraz said, adding that he was convinced he would one day change the bad feelings in the last Masters 1000 of the year.
Drop volley winner from the baseline 🥶@carlosalcaraz #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/00PCVDj11Y
Alcaraz also expressed pride at reaching a final in Paris for the first time, having never advanced past the quarterfinals at this event. “I’ve always wanted to play the final here, but competing here has always cost me,” he said. “Coming this year with the ambition to improve was fundamental.”
What a Paris Title Would Mean for Alcaraz
A victory would mark Alcaraz’s 11th Masters 1000 final and his sixth of the 2026 season, with eight titles already in this category, gazzetta.it reported. Only Montreal/Toronto and Shanghai would remain missing from his collection of Masters 1000 crowns.
Clarifying Match Timeline and Head-To-Head Records
Alcaraz leads the head-to-head record against Shelton 3-1. Alcaraz leads 3-1 in their meetings, according to gazzetta.it, but Shelton won the most recent encounter at the US Open.
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