Carlos Alcaraz’s Paris Masters campaign ended in stunning fashion on Tuesday night as Britain’s Cameron Norrie produced a fearless 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 upset, handing the world No. 1 another bitter chapter in his rocky relationship with the French capital.
Arriving in Paris on a wave of momentum after capturing titles at the U.S. Open, Cincinnati Open and Japan Open, Alcaraz was expected to breeze through his opener.
Instead, he unraveled under the bright lights of the 17,500-seat La Defense Arena, spraying 54 unforced errors and appearing increasingly agitated in tense exchanges with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Despite snatching the first set, the 22-year-old Spaniard struggled to find rhythm. “I had no feeling at all for the ball,” he admitted afterward. “I came here with a lot of energy, feeling fresh after skipping Shanghai. I don’t know what happened. This tournament is always difficult for me, but I’ll figure it out.”
Norrie, ranked 31st in the world, sensed his opportunity and never blinked. The left-hander kept his nerve through long rallies, dictating with precision and poise. His passing shots and deft lobs drew gasps from the crowd – even Alcaraz couldn’t help but glance in admiration after one particularly audacious winner.
“Such a special win to beat probably the most confident player in the world right now,” Norrie said. “I told myself not to be afraid to win, even if I found myself in a winning position. I stayed true to that.”
The turning point came late in the deciding set when Alcaraz’s serve faltered. Norrie broke at 3-3 and sealed the match on his second match point, exorcising memories of their 2023 Rio Open duel, where Alcaraz had staged an improbable comeback.
The loss marked another disappointment for Alcaraz at the Paris Masters, a tournament he has yet to conquer in five appearances. It also leaves his world No. 1 ranking vulnerable, with Italy’s Jannik Sinner poised to overtake him should he win the title.
“I’m disappointed with my level today, but it is what it is,” Alcaraz said, taking the defeat in stride. “Cam played really great tennis – I have to give him credit.”
The Spaniard will now regroup ahead of next month’s ATP Finals in Turin before leading Spain at the Davis Cup Finals. “I’ll prepare myself as best as I can,” he said. “These are important tournaments ahead and I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
Elsewhere in Paris, 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev advanced comfortably, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton booked their spots in the third round and 19-year-old Joao Fonseca earned another gutsy win in his breakout season.
