Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP via Getty Images
Cameron Norrie sent an erratic Carlos Alcaraz out of the Paris Masters in the second round, beating the world No. 1 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in Alcaraz’s opening match at the event.
Alcaraz won a tight opening set, but hit 19 unforced errors in the second and over 50 overall, as Norrie’s relentless attack, and marked change in trajectory between his forehand and backhand, exploited the Spaniard’s lack of rhythm. Norrie played front-foot tennis throughout, refusing to let Alcaraz settle.
Alcaraz lamented the conditions to his team on a couple of occasions, describing the courts as like clay on one of them and saying that he could not feel the ball. The tournament, which this year moved from Paris Bercy to La Défense, had intended to match the court speed of the ATP Tour Finals, which take place in Turin, Italy at the start of November.
But initial reports, from Alcaraz and other players, indicate a significant slowdown beyond that mark and well beyond last year’s lightning-fast conditions. Alcaraz struggled with those conditions too, losing his opening match last year to Ugo Humbert of France.
Alcaraz did not win a point on Norrie’s serve in the third set until the Brit’s third service game, while having to fend off three break points on his own serve. Norrie broke to lead 4-3, before giving Alcaraz two chances to break back immediately. Alcaraz sent a forehand that would have been a winner anywhere inside the baseline long on the first, summing up his performance.
The victory is Norrie’s first over a world No. 1 in his career, and Alcaraz’s first tour-level loss outside of a final since March. It is unlikely to affect his chances of finishing the season in top spot, but gives world No. 2 Jannik Sinner the opportunity to briefly reclaim it if he wins this event.
Oct 28, 2025
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