Alcaraz looking for revenge after lining up Shelton in the Paris Masters final

PARIS (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz reached his third final since the U.S. Open when he accounted for Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 at the Paris Masters on Saturday.

No. 2-seeded Alcaraz will play No. 3 Ben Shelton for the title after the American rallied from a break down in the deciding set to beat Luca Van Assche 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in their semifinal.

Alcaraz leads 3-1 against Shelton but lost their last meeting in a late-night quarterfinal marathon at the U.S. Open which ended at 3:33 a.m.

“I really want to take revenge against Ben,” Alcaraz said. “Last time was a pretty tough match. I’m going to try to do different things at little moments, important moments, that I probably didn’t do well last time.”

Having saved two match points against Taylor Fritz on Friday, Alcaraz rarely looked under pressure against Ruud and did not face a break point, concluding the match with an ace. He's beaten Ruud seven times in eight meetings.

Alcaraz told fans it will be “a great match to watch” against Shelton and seems in the mood to entertain them.

Among the Spanish showman's best shots against Ruud was a superb volleyed drop-shot winner in the fourth game of the second set, which involved an almost imperceptible flick of the wrist and drew loud applause at Plenitude Arena.

“I’m really happy and proud of myself,” Alcaraz said. “I’ve come into this part of the season much fresher, hungry, ambitious, excited.”

Alcaraz looks for his fifth title of the year — he won Vienna last Sunday — and the 29th of his career.

Shelton looked in trouble when Van Assche broke his serve for a 3-1 lead in the third set.

But the U.S. Open runner-up responded by winning the next four games to lead 5-3 against the unseeded Frenchman.

“I know there is always going to be some little chance I can execute,” Shelton said. “If I can be brave and keep winning my serve and stick with the guy, I feel there is a small window.”

After Van Assche held under pressure, Shelton served out the match to move closer to his fifth title of the year and eighth overall. Shelton is on course for a third Masters title having twice won the Montreal title.

Van Assche’s only career title came this year on outdoor clay at Estoril in Portugal.

He was appearing in his first Masters semifinal and edged a tight first set. Shelton tied the match by completing a love hold with a sharp backhand volley at the net.

Van Assche broke for a 3-1 lead when he returned Shelton's looping serve with a whipped forehand pass down the line.

But Shelton broke straight back, held to love for 3-3 and then broke again as Van Assche appeared to flag physically. Shelton cracked a smile when his 19th ace of the match made it 5-3.

“I made a significant amount of forehand unforced errors in the first set and, really, my goal after that was to cut out those unforced errors (and) use the speed of the court to my advantage,” Shelton said. “I really found a great rhythm."

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

France's Luca van Assche returns the ball to Ben Shelton of the United States during a semifinal match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Norway's Casper Ruud gestures as he plays Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff in their round of 16 match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament, in Nanterre, near Paris, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after defeating Norway's Casper Ruud during their semifinal match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after defeating Norway's Casper Ruud during their semifinal match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

France's Luca van Assche reacts during his semifinal match against Ben Shelton of the United States at the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Ben Shelton of the United States reacts after missing a point against France's Luca van Assche during a semifinal match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Ben Shelton of the United States celebrates during a semifinal match against France's Luca van Assche at the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

KRAKOW, Poland (AP) — Six people were killed and 15 wounded after a gunman opened fire Saturday afternoon in a busy market square in Krakow, Poland, authorities said.

The gunman, a 24-year-old Polish citizen, aimed at random people as he drove into the Main Square, a major tourist destination in the center of the city, Krakow police said. Four women and two men were killed. Two police officers were wounded, one seriously, Poland's interior minister said on X.

The perpetrator was shot and wounded during a gunfight with officers a short distance away from the initial violence, police said, and was taken to the hospital for surgery. The death toll earlier stood at five, but police updated it to six in a post on X.

Katarzyna Cisło, a spokesperson for the Krakow police, said the perpetrator was wearing military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest and used a military-type long gun in the attack. Police found many other weapons, as well as ammunition, in his car. He kept firing at the police even after being shot himself, she said.

Cisło added that the gunman acted alone and that the public is safe.

The attacker engaged in a “wild ride” around the Main Square, Cisło said, which is why people were wounded at several locations.

Videos posted on social media by witnesses show people running away from the square to take cover on small streets nearby, as well as first responders trying to resuscitate victims. In one of the videos, a policeman is seen repeatedly shooting the attacker, who is lying on the street, only to later slowly collapse himself to the ground.

Photos showed a Polish Medical Air Rescue helicopter after it landed in the square.

It was not immediately clear whether the firearm used in Saturday’s attack, or the guns found in the perpetrator’s car, were legal. Around 411,000 people hold gun permits in Poland, which has a population of 37 million, and interest in gun ownership has been rising.

Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland. However, in mid-October three attacks at schools in the central province of Mazovia took place within four days, leaving one person dead and many wounded, including children.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, in a post on X, praised the police officers who responded to Saturday’s tragedy. Polish President Karol Nawrocki said his thoughts were with the victims, the wounded and their families.

A tram driver reported around 3 p.m. that his vehicle was shot at from a man in a moving car while passing nearby the main square, the Krakow municipal transport company said. The window to the tram driver’s cabin was shattered.

Around 15 million tourists a year visit Krakow, Poland's second-largest city, the majority passing through the Main Square.

Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski announced increased security measures, including road barriers, along main streets in the old town in the Polish capital in the aftermath of the Krakow attack.

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Ciobanu reported from Warsaw, Poland and Dazio reported from Berlin.

Police cars are parked in a cordoned off area after a shooter opened fire in a market square in Krakow, Poland, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, leaving people dead and injured, according to authorities. (AP Photo/Beata Zawrzel)

Police privacy screens are installed in a cordoned off area after a shooter opened fire in a market square in Krakow, Poland, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, leaving people dead and injured, according to authorities. (AP Photo/Beata Zawrzel)

Police privacy screens are installed in a cordoned off area after a shooter opened fire in a market square in Krakow, Poland, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, leaving people dead and injured, according to authorities. (AP Photo/Beata Zawrzel)

An armed police officer secures a cordoned off area after a shooter opened fire in a market square in Krakow, Poland, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, leaving people dead and injured, according to authorities. (AP Photo/Beata Zawrzel)

Armed police officers secure a cordoned off area after a shooter opened fire in a market square in Krakow, Poland, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, leaving people dead and injured, according to authorities. (AP Photo/Beata Zawrzel)