PARIS, Nov 8 (Reuters) – Carlos Alcaraz avenged his loss to Ben Shelton in the US Open last eight as he edged the American 7-6(5) 7-5 to win the Paris Masters on Sunday, clinching his ninth ATP 1000 title.
World number three Alcaraz controlled the contest from the baseline to become the first Spaniard to win the tournament since David Ferrer in 2012, while Shelton was left frustrated by an erratic forehand.
Alcaraz saved six break points and failed to convert two, as the first set remained deadlocked until the tiebreak, where Shelton overshot the baseline three times on his forehand, allowing the Spaniard to take the set.
World number four Shelton capitalised on two double faults and wayward topspins from Alcaraz to go 3-2 up in the second, and extended the lead with two aces in the following game.
But Alcaraz fought back with a break of his own to make it 4-4, landing two cross-court winners as Shelton netted a forehand and went long with another.
With Alcaraz leading 6-5, Shelton stumbled again while serving to stay in the match, overshooting two forehands before the seven-times Grand Slam winner clinched victory with a perfectly timed backhand down the line.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ken Ferris)
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