The Paris Masters final has a score to settle.

Second seed Carlos Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud 6-4 6-4 on Saturday to reach his third final since the US Open. He will face third seed Ben Shelton after the American came from a break down in the deciding set to beat Frenchman Luca Van Assche 5-7 6-3 6-4.

Alcaraz leads the head-to-head 3-1 but Shelton won their most recent meeting in a US Open quarterfinal marathon that finished at 3:33 a.m. "I really want to take revenge against Ben," Alcaraz said. "Last time was a pretty tough match."

Alcaraz cruises

One day after saving two match points against Taylor Fritz the Spaniard never faced a break point against Ruud and closed the match with an ace. He has now beaten the Norwegian seven times in eight meetings.

Alcaraz won Vienna last Sunday and is chasing his fifth title of the year and the 29th of his career.

Shelton finds a way

Shelton looked in trouble when Van Assche broke for a 3-1 lead in the third set. The US Open runner-up answered by winning the next four games and served out the match with 19 aces on the day.

"If I can be brave and keep winning my serve and stick with the guy I feel there is a small window," Shelton said of the final. He is chasing his fifth title of 2026 and a third Masters crown after two wins in Montreal.

Van Assche was playing in his first Masters semifinal. His only tour title came on clay in Estoril this year.