PARIS: World number one Carlos Alcaraz suffered a stunning upset in his opening match at the Paris Masters on Tuesday, falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Britain’s Cameron Norrie, ranked 31st in the world.
The Spanish star, who has yet to win a Paris Masters title despite five attempts, now risks losing his top ranking if Jannik Sinner clinches the championship in the French capital.
Returning to action after three weeks out with an ankle injury, Alcaraz started brightly, taking the opening set with his trademark mix of aggression and flair. But as the match wore on, his form dipped sharply — a costly lapse that Norrie exploited with precision.
“I’m really disappointed with my level today,” Alcaraz admitted afterward. “Even though I won the first set, I felt I could have done much more. Credit to Cam — he played a really solid match, and that made the difference.”
Norrie, 30, kept his composure throughout and broke Alcaraz’s serve at key moments in the second and third sets, earning admiration from the 17,500 spectators inside the La Défense Arena.
“This might be the biggest win of my career,” Norrie said. “I’ve worked really hard this season, so it feels great to have a win like this that makes it all worthwhile.”
Despite encouragement and tactical input from his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero between sets, Alcaraz struggled to find rhythm, committing repeated errors on his first serve and backhand.
After saving break points in consecutive games, Alcaraz finally faltered at 3-3 in the decider as Norrie seized control. Although the Spaniard saved one match point, Norrie held firm and sealed victory on his second opportunity — marking his third career win over the 22-year-old.
