Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton both apologised after forgetting to mention Boris Becker during the Paris Masters trophy ceremony. In a meeting of the second and third seeds, Alcaraz beat Shelton 7-6(5) 7-5 to lift the iconic tree-branch trophy for the very first time.
Former Champions Return for 40th Anniversary
This year was the Paris Masters’ 40th anniversary, and a host of former champions returned to the French capital to take part in ceremonies and pre-match coin tosses. For the championship match, Becker – who lifted the title here 40 years ago – took part in the proceedings, watched the match from the front row, and then joined in the trophy presentation.
After losing a Masters 1000 final for the first time in his career, Shelton gave a classy speech, paying tribute to Alcaraz before thanking his own team, the fans, and those involved in organising the tournament.
Shelton's Apology and Becker's Response
The American thought he had finished, but quickly grabbed the microphone again so he could acknowledge Becker. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! I forgot one thing, I can’t… To Boris,” Shelton started.
The retired German tennis legend looked surprised and told the world No. 4: “It’s okay! Forget about me.”
