Tennis-After winning Paris Masters, Alcaraz high on confidence ahead of ATP Finals

World number three Carlos Alcaraz said his Paris ​Masters victory on Sunday was the ideal ​platform to launch his campaign ‌for a ​first ATP Finals title and that he had played his best tennis since returning from a wrist injury in August. Alcaraz defeated ‌American Ben Shelton 7-6(5) 7-5 in Paris to seal his fifth title of the year and his third since returning to the tour at the US Open after a break of nearly ‌five months.

"This was probably my best week in terms of tennis (since returning)," the seven-time ‌Grand Slam champion told reporters. "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. I had a lot of really tough ⁠moments. "During the ​matches, I faced important ⁠and really tough moments internally, fighting with myself, trying to be positive, trying to stay strong mentally, and ⁠not letting those negative thoughts into the game."

Alcaraz has yet to win the ATP Tour's season-ending tournament, finishing ​runner-up in 2025 after losing to rival Jannik Sinner. "As I said openly, this is ⁠a tournament that I really want to win one day," Alcaraz said.

"I don't know if it's going be this ⁠year, ​next year, if I'm ever going be able to win this tournament, but I'm going to work hard. "I'm going to believe that I can do that, and I'm going ⁠to go this year with a lot of confidence, with a lot of information in my ⁠bag, on the ⁠things that I really want to improve and be better at in that tournament. I'm going to go for it, for sure."

The ATP Finals ‌begins on ‌Sunday in Turin.