The Spaniard will head to the ATP Finals with wind in his sails.
Chris OddoNovember 8, 20262 minute read
Carlos Alcaraz will head to the ATP Finals with wind in his sails after claiming his maiden Paris Masters title on Sunday.
Alcaraz, who returned to competition at the US Open after missing four and a half months with a serious wrist injury, says he is finally playing close to his peak two months after making his return to the court.
Vienna, where he defeated Tommy Paul, Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur in his final three rounds, was great. Paris, where he saved a match point to defeat Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals before winning his 29th career ATP title? Even better.
“Probably my best week,” Alcaraz said when asked if Paris represented his highest level since returning. “In terms of tennis, I can match it with Vienna, that I feel really comfortable in terms of tennis. But I would say this week, I made one step forward mentally.”
Alcaraz said his ability to manage difficult moments and keep negative thoughts at bay was particularly satisfying.
“I had a lot of really tough moments,” he said. “During the matches, I faced important and really tough moments internally, fighting with myself, trying to be positive, trying to stay strong mentally.”
The Spaniard has now won 29 of his 38 ATP finals (including nine of 11 at the Masters level), and claimed five titles 2026. Not bad for a guy who has basically played half a season.
The 23-year-old will ride a nine-match winning streak into the ATP Finals in Turin.
Sunday’s triumph makes the seven-time major champion just the third man in Masters series history to win at least one Masters crown in five consecutive seasons, joining Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz has now captured five titles in a season for the fourth time.
Next up is the ATP Finals, a title that has thus far eluded him. With confidence percolating, and relatively fresh legs compared to others in the field, Alcaraz is eager to complete another first.
“This is a tournament that I really want to win one day,” he said. “I’m going to go this year with a lot of confidence, with a lot of information in my bag … and I’m going to go for it, for sure.”
