Carlos Alcaraz's Paris Masters campaign ended earlier than expected. World no. 1 fell to Cameron Norrie 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 22 minutes in the second round, experiencing another early defeat at the final Masters 1000 event of the season.
The Spaniard claimed the opening set before the momentum quickly slipped away from his hands. Norrie raised his level and capitalized on the rival's inconsistencyand ups and downs.
The 22-year-old arrived in Paris rested and prepared to chase a deep run. He embraced extensive practice sessions ahead of the event and had confidence in his form.
However, the El Palmar native never found the right rhythm inside theLa Defense Arena. His shots lacked timing and precision, which led him toward 54 unforced errors!
His movement also let him down, leaving the world's best player visibly frustrated. Even after claiming the opener, he struggled to control the rallies or impose his strokes on the slow surface.
The loss marked the end of Carlos' Parisian run and snapped a remarkable streak of nine consecutive ATP finals since April. While clearly disappointed with his performance, Alcaraz acknowledged Norrie's solid performance.
The Spaniard will try to recover and prepare for his final events of the season at the ATP Finals and Davis Cup Finals in Turin and Bologna. World no. 1 will seek redemption to wrap up the season on a high note.
"I did not feel well today. I had no feeling on the court and made too many errors. Cameron played great tennis, which was the key. I have to give credit to him, as he did not allow me to make a comeback.
I had a couple of break points, which could have been helpful for me. I had many practices here and felt great about my striking and moving. I had clear ideas and goals. Even in the first set against Cameron, which I won, I felt like I could do much better.
I tried to make improvements in the second set, but it ended totally opposite after playing even worse. I'm really disappointed about my level," Carlos Alcaraz said.
