Cameron Norrie stuns Carlos Alcaraz for ‘biggest win of career’

Cameron Norrie savoured the “biggest win of my career” after he punished an out-of-sorts Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the third round of the Paris Masters with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 victory over the world number one.

Alcaraz was guilty of 54 unforced errors and spent much of the second set arguing with his coach as Norrie unsettled the Spaniard on his way to his first victory over a current world number one.

After clinching the second set with an ace, Norrie looked much the better player in the decider and Alcaraz had already saved three break points in the set before falling 4-3 behind after a superb backhand from the British number two.

Norrie then saved a couple of break points in the next set to hang on to his advantage before finishing the job for his third career win over Alcaraz, who had won his last 17 matches at Masters events and beat Norrie in straight sets in this year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals.

“It’s massive, so big for me,” Norrie said in his on-court interview. “I’ve been coming back with my injury, last year I lost in the first-round qualifiers here.

“I’m just trying to enjoy my tennis and in the second half of the year I was able to do that and to get a win, the biggest of my career, my first win over a world number one and the most confident player in the world right now, him and (Jannik) Sinner combined, I’m so pleased with the way I did it.

“Having a lot of chances, having to keep pushing and keep going for more, I was able to stay tough and get the win so I’m really pleased.”

Norrie had promised to take the game to the 22-year-old here after beating Sebastian Baez in straight sets on Monday. He was true to his word as he took the first point of the night with an outstanding shot at full stretch.

Alcaraz, playing his first ATP match since winning the Japan Open a month ago, was rarely allowed to look comfortable and his growing frustration was on show as he appeared to argue with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero during the second set as those unforced errors piled up.

Norrie clinched the second set with an ace as the momentum shifted, and once Norrie had broken serve to go up in the decider, he looked to be in control – attributing that to a morning walk with his coach.

“That 4-3 game was crucial,” Norrie added. “I saved a couple of break points there.

“I actually went for a walk with my coach this morning and we talked through serving for the match and what you need to tell yourself because I was so so tight serving for the match yesterday against Baez.

“I just told myself I deserved to be in this moment and I want to be here and I felt quite relaxed with that so it was a nice walk this morning and a very important walk.”

Katie Boulter was forced to pull out of her first-round match at the Hong Kong Open through injury.

Boulter was trailing 6-4 2-1 to the 20-year-old Alexandra Eala when she pulled out in tears.

Boulter, 29, has not made it beyond the second round of a tournament since the Nottingham Open in June.