PARIS (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz feels proud of taking “one step forward mentally” after following up his Vienna title last week with a 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory over Ben Shelton in the Paris Masters final on Sunday.
The Spanish showman, who missed more than four months of the season because of an injured right wrist, continued his late-season surge in style. He has won all three finals he has reached since the U.S. Open two months ago.
Alcaraz took his total to five titles for the year and 29 overall, including the Japan Open last month.
Second-seeded Alcaraz 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.”
With the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin starting next Sunday he feels in a good position to win that trophy for the first time, too.
“I would say this week I made one step forward mentally," Alcaraz said. “Trying to be positive, trying to stay strong mentally. I’m happy I controlled my emotions every single match.”
Alcaraz won for the fourth time in five meetings with Shelton, who had beaten Alcaraz in a 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 of Sunday's final and overcame a break of serve in the second set by breaking the third-seeded Shelton straight back — no mean feat considering Shelton had 12 aces compared to six for Alacaraz.
“He is always in a position to attack after that serve,” Alcaraz explained. “It is really difficult to dominate that ball. It is not only coming fast, it is coming with a lot of power.”
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, and Alcaraz made a point of walking around the net to hug Shelton and pat him on the chest after winning.
Both blessed with speed and agility, Alcaraz and Shelton drew each other to the net throughout, trading low, angled volleys.
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.
In the second set, Alcaraz was 4-2 down but broke Shelton back when he hit a forehand long from the back of the court.
After that he definitively changed the momentum.
Shelton was “frustrated” at the missed opportunities, especially against someone like Alcaraz.
“The window is small. If you miss your chance, it’s likely that another isn’t going to come,” he said. "It also speaks to his level, his ability to be clutch."
That's the next step for Shelton, who believes this defeat and the U.S. Open final loss to Zverev will serve him well.
“When you get to play against the best consistently in big matches, I think that you learn so much,” he said. “Now going to Turin against the eight best players in the world, that’s the positions that I want to be in.”
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