🔗 Share this article

Cameron Norrie earned the biggest victory of his career by coming back from a early deficit to overcome world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz with a stunning comeback in the second round of the Paris Masters.

Even though he had earlier overcome Alcaraz on two occasions, this victory signifies Norrie's maiden win over a sitting world No 1.

"Huge. So big for me," said Norrie, who becomes the latest British man in the record books to overcome a world No 1. "Bouncing back from injury last year, I lost in the initial match of qualies here. I just aimed to embrace my performance in the second half of the year. To secure a win like this, it's the greatest win of my tennis journey, my initial victory over the top player and likely the strongest competitor in the world right now."

The British player, positioned 31st globally, also halted Alcaraz's dominant run of nine finals in a row and 17 successive elite tournament wins, which represented the best series of outcomes in the Spanish star's developing career.

Game Breakdown

Alcaraz looked to be advancing smoothly to success in the beginning as he eased past the first set. Yet, Norrie slowly fought his way back into the game by serving with greater precision and dragging the Spaniard into prolonged, demanding exchanges. His relentless steadiness and consistency gradually made an impact.

Through most of the contest, Alcaraz served well but he struggled badly to get his timing right with his rally strokes. The rising talent looked especially uneasy hitting his forehand, which has been the best shot in the sport for much of this season, producing 29 forehand unforced errors and a overall of 54 errors. Opposing him, the British player gave Alcaraz very few errors, sustaining his consistency, fitness and power throughout while delivering effective serves and choosing his moments to advance forward and play aggressively.

Decisive Moments

In the nail-biting final games, the British competitor brilliantly maintained his nerve to overcome the best player in the game.

Professional Journey

Following battling for months due to a significant physical setback and challenges with his performance, the tennis professional slipped as far down as 91st in the rankings this season. Having reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and the French Open round of 16 since then, this victory reinforces the veteran's progress as he aims to come back to the top 20 and beyond. The Spanish sensation, in spite of his remarkable achievements, is still hasn't master how to deliver his best tennis on indoor courts.