Carlos Alcaraz will renew his rivalry with Ben Shelton in the Paris Masters final on Sunday, after the second seed comfortably got past Casper Ruud in straight sets. 

Alcaraz was dumped out of the US Open quarter-finals by Shelton in September, but he will get his shot at revenge after beating Ruud 6-4 6-4 in the French capital. 

The Spaniard had been on the brink of a quarter-final exit to Taylor Fritz in the previous round, but he showed no signs of exhaustion as he created the first opportunity to break.

Despite failing to take that chance, Alcaraz did get the better of Ruud's serve in the seventh game and went on to take the opening set at the end of a love service game.

Ruud offered some resistance in the second as he aimed to force a decider, but a lapse in concentration late in the set saw Alcaraz pounce, with the second seed sealing his spot in the showpiece match with a blistering ace.

"I'm really happy and proud of myself," Alcaraz said after his victory. "This tournament has always been really tough for me. I've struggled every time I come here.

"The farthest I have gone [before] was the quarter-finals. I've come into this part of the season much fresher, hungry, ambitious, excited about coming to the tournaments and stepping on the court, playing matches and competing. I'm just really happy that I made the final."

MAIDEN PARIS FINAL! Carlos Alcaraz puts on a dominating performance to overcome Ruud (6-4, 6-4) and secure a spot in his first Paris final @RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters | @carlosalcaraz https://t.co/uLf4KFtJra

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 7, 2026

Shelton's progression to the final, however, was far from straightforward as he was pushed the distance in a three-set thriller against home hopeful Luca Van Assche. 

Van Assche was looking to become the first Frenchman to win the Paris Masters since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008, but Shelton shattered that dream with a 5-7 6-3 6-4 triumph.

Comeback kid Shelton has his eyes set on Alcaraz

The year of 2026 has been one of many highs for Shelton, who reached his first grand slam final at the US Open, only to lose to Alexander Zverev, and the third seed will fancy his chance of taking the crown in Paris.

But it has not been an easy ride for Shelton, who has been taken to three sets three times at the tournament. His victory over Ruud was his 11th comeback win at ATP level so far in 2026, the most of any player this season.

Equalling Jannik Sinner (six) for the most of any player this season, Shelton is also the only player to reach finals at all four levels on the ATP Tour so far in 2026 (grand slam, Masters 1000, 500, 250), while he is the first American to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final outside of North America since Jack Sock, who won in Paris in 2017.

However, standing in his way is a player in Alcaraz, who has become the fifth player to reach the final at all four of the European ATP Masters 1000 events, along with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Sinner.