Shelton fights back past Van Assche to reach Paris Masters final

Ben Shelton is into the final of the Rolex Paris Masters. The world No. 4 came from a set down – and from a break down in the decider – to beat Luca Van Assche 5-7 6-3 6-4 on Saturday, ending the run of the last Frenchman in the draw after two hours and 16 minutes at the Plenitude Arena.

Shelton is the first American to reach the Paris final since Jack Sock in 2017. According to Tennis Majors, he is also the first American man to reach more than one Masters 1000 final in a single season since Andy Roddick in 2010.

Van Assche makes the early running

The home crowd had plenty to cheer in the opening set. Van Assche moved superbly from the baseline and saved a break point at 2-1, then earned two break chances of his own at 3-3 without converting. The decisive moment came at 5-5, when the 22-year-old finally broke the American's serve and held to take the set 7-5.

Shelton responded by lifting his serving level. He won 83 per cent of his first-serve points across the match and, at 3-2 in the second set, converted his first break point of the afternoon to move 4-2 ahead. He did not look back in that set, levelling the match at 6-3.

Four games in a row to turn the decider

Van Assche struck first in the third set, breaking at 2-1 to lead 3-1 and moving within three games of a first Masters 1000 final. Shelton then reeled off four straight games, breaking twice, to go 5-3 up before closing out the match.

The numbers underline how the American wore his opponent down. Shelton landed 75 per cent of his first serves to Van Assche's 55 per cent, hit 25 winners to the Frenchman's 15 and converted three of seven break points, while Van Assche took two of his six.

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A breakthrough week for Van Assche

Defeat should not take the gloss off a remarkable week for Van Assche. Entering the main draw as a lucky loser, he beat Learner Tien, Lorenzo Musetti and qualifier Rinky Hijikata to reach his first Masters 1000 semi-final. French site Univers Tennis notes that he finished 2025 ranked 238th and started this season at No. 164; his Paris run is reported to lift him to around the top 40.

Shelton, by contrast, has had to work hard all week. He beat Cameron Norrie 6-3 6-4, survived Arthur Rinderknech 3-6 6-4 7-6(5) and edged Tommy Paul 6-4 4-6 6-3 in the quarter-finals before Saturday's comeback.

Third Masters 1000 final awaits

Sunday's match will be the 11th tour-level final of Shelton's career and his sixth of 2026 – a tally that, per Univers Tennis, matches Jannik Sinner's this season. It is his third Masters 1000 final after winning titles in Toronto in 2025 and Montreal this summer. Already qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin, he will take on the winner of Saturday evening's second semi-final between Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud.