Carlos Alcaraz claimed his ninth ATP 1000 title and second straight trophy this season by defeating Ben Shelton 7-6 (5), 7-5 in the Paris Masters final on Sunday, continuing his remarkable late-season comeback from injury. The world No. 3 avenged his loss to Shelton at the US Open and found the right path to overcome the error-prone American in a straight-sets contest that underscored Alcaraz's growing command of indoor tennis. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Elena Rybakina withdrew from the WTA Finals before the season-ending championships began, saying she is not "physically ready to compete", depriving the event of its top seed at a critical juncture. In the WTA Finals, Coco Gauff defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in her opening match, launching her campaign to regain the title she first won in 2024.
Gauff has been copying Alcaraz in practice as she seeks to sharpen her indoor game. In a separate 250-tier final, American Claire Liu claimed her first career WTA title, sweeping Alexandra Eala 6-3, 6-0 in the Hong Kong Tennis Open, while Eala had a bit of pain in her knee during the loss and sent a heartfelt message about how the 2026 season has changed her life. Off the court, Billie Jean King, at 82, reflected on her legacy, discussing her fight for equal prize money and her recent college graduation in a candid interview.