The Rolex Paris Masters, the final Masters 1000 event of the tennis season, kicked off its second round on Tuesday, showcasing all the top seeds who received byes in the first round. Among the day’s matches, one clash stood out—British player Cameron Norrie produced what many will consider the upset of the tournament by defeating world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, marking only the third time in history that the top seed has exited in the opening match of this prestigious event.
Norrie triumphed over the Spaniard with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, delivering a career-defining victory. After defeating Argentina’s Sebastian Baez in the first round, Norrie expressed determination to challenge Alcaraz, and he delivered on that promise. The former Wimbledon finalist took advantage of Alcaraz’s recent lack of match play, as the Spaniard had opted to forgo competition since his victory in Tokyo at the month’s end, choosing instead to participate in an exhibition in Saudi Arabia.
Despite securing the first set, Alcaraz struggled to find his rhythm, racking up 54 unforced errors in a match that lasted two hours and 22 minutes. Norrie, 30, was methodical in his approach, showcasing strong court presence and capitalizing on Alcaraz’s inconsistencies. Reflecting on his performance, Norrie commented, “Massive, so big for me. I have been coming back from my injury. Last year, I lost first round of qualies here. I have just tried to enjoy my tennis in the second half of the year and to get a win like this, the biggest of my career, my first over a World No. 1, is something special.”
This victory marked a significant milestone for Norrie, as he reached the round of 16 at a Masters event for the first time since Rome 2023 and matched his best result in Paris from 2021. With his lone Masters title coming from Indian Wells in 2021, he celebrated his victory with a raised fist toward his box after converting on his second match point.
Alcaraz, who had recently mobilized a formidable 17-match winning streak, was visibly frustrated throughout the match. Norrie admitted that the victory felt overwhelmingly physical, stating, “I was telling my team that this is even tougher than the conditioning sessions with my fitness coach. I felt quite comfortable with that and just wanted to keep pushing him.”
The match showcased Norrie’s resilience, particularly in a pivotal game at 4-3 in the final set, where he saved two break points before serving out the match with composure, having mentally prepared for the pressure of serving for victory. He reflected, “I deserved to be in this moment and want to be here, so I felt quite relaxed with that.”
Next, Norrie is set to face either Valentin Vacherot, a wild card entrant and champion from the Shanghai Masters, or Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the next round.
Additionally, other notable results from the second round included straight-set victories for Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Andrey Rublev, all of whom advanced with solid performances against their respective opponents.
Alcaraz’s stunning loss not only puts his top ranking at risk, as it opens the door for Jannik Sinner to reclaim the No. 1 spot if he wins the tournament, but it also highlights the unpredictability of high-stakes tennis as the season draws to a close. In the Race to Turin, Alcaraz currently leads his rivals by a significant margin of 2,400 points, a gap that looks daunting as the year winds down.
