World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz made a disappointing return to action at the Paris Masters 2025, falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Britain’s Cameron Norrie. The Spanish sensation, still recovering from an ankle injury, admitted after the loss that he had “no feeling at all” during the match. His early exit also opens the door for Jannik Sinner to claim the top ATP ranking if he wins the event.
Despite missing recent tournaments due to injury, Alcaraz said he had arrived in Paris in great shape. “I had a lot of practices here, which I was feeling great, feeling amazing, moving on the court, hitting the ball,” said the 22-year-old.
However, once play began, he never found his rhythm. “But today, even in the first set, that I won, I just felt like I could do much more than what I did. I tried in the second set just to be better, but it was totally the opposite. I just felt even worse,” he admitted.
Mid-Match Struggles Return for Alcaraz
Similar to the slump he faced at Roland Garros, Alcaraz struggled midway through the match and couldn’t recover this time. “I didn’t feel well today. A lot of mistakes… I had no feeling at all,” he confessed. “I’m really disappointed about my level today, and it is what it is.”
While disappointed with his own performance, Alcaraz acknowledged Norrie’s sharp play. “I have to give credit to Cam, as well, because I think he didn’t let me stay or come back to the match. Norrie played really great tennis.”
Norrie Delivers Career-Best Win in Paris
On a packed La Defense Arena, Norrie produced one of his finest career displays. “Such a special win to beat probably the most confident player in the world right now,” said the Brit, ranked 31st. “I told myself before the match, even if I get in a winning scenario, I’m not going to be afraid to win. I stayed true to that.”
The Briton dazzled the crowd with spectacular shots, including a full-stretch passing shot and a lob that even drew admiration from Alcaraz. Reflecting on his mental approach, Norrie added, “I remember when I played him in Rio (in 2023), and I was 40-30 serving for the match, I remember I hit the T and I said, ‘Okay, I’m going to go T again’. I managed to hit the spot and he missed the return. It was a nice moment.”
In other matches, Taylor Fritz advanced with a straight-set win over Aleksandar Vukic, while Daniil Medvedev breezed past Jaume Munar 6-1, 6-3. Joao Fonseca, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Ben Shelton also moved into the next round. Meanwhile, Valentin Vacherot, fresh from his Shanghai Masters triumph, continued his fairytale run by defeating Jiri Lehecka and setting up a clash with cousin Arthur Rinderknech.
All eyes now turn to Jannik Sinner, who opens his Paris Masters 2025 campaign against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs on Wednesday — with a potential chance to dethrone Alcaraz at the top of world tennis.
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