Alcaraz chases his first Masters title of 2026 in Paris

The Paris Masters carries extra weight for world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz this year. The 23-year-old has won at least one Masters 1000 title every season since his breakthrough in 2022, when he triumphed in Miami and Madrid. In 2026, however, that trophy is still missing, and Paris is his last chance to keep the run going.

It hasn’t been a bad year by any measure. Alcaraz won his seventh Grand Slam at the Australian Open and added ATP 500 titles in Doha and Tokyo. Since returning from a wrist injury, he has a 33-5 record, though an early third-round exit to Zizou Bergs in Shanghai raised some questions about his consistency heading into the indoor swing.

A title in Paris would also be another step up the all-time list. Alcaraz has eight Masters 1000 trophies, still far behind Novak Djokovic’s 40 and Rafael Nadal’s 36, but a ninth would strengthen his place among the series’ most successful players.

The venue itself is the biggest obstacle. Alcaraz’s record in Paris stands at just 5-5, with his best result a quarter-final in 2022. He has otherwise exited in the third round (2021, 2024) or in his second match (2023, 2025).

The draw has opened up, though. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who dominated the first half of the season with five straight Masters titles in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, announced in October that he is ending his season due to a right knee injury. With the defending champion absent, the tournament is wide open, and Alcaraz is one of the main contenders.