Alcaraz and Norrie will face each other for the eighth time in their careers early tomorrow, paying tribute to their idol Nadal.

At 2 a.m. tomorrow, during the second round of the Paris Masters, world No.1 and Spain’s all-rounder Alcaraz faces a challenge from the experienced British player Norrie. Sharing admiration for Spanish icon Nadal, these two will meet for the second time this season following the Wimbledon quarterfinals and the eighth time in their careers, delivering an exciting match as a tribute to Nadal.

Alcaraz reclaimed the world No.1 ranking by winning the 2025 US Open Grand Slam, riding a wave of success. At his first ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo, he unexpectedly twisted his right ankle in the first set against Argentina’s rising star Baez, enduring severe pain. Nevertheless, Alcaraz finished the match and won in straight sets. Despite the injury, he fought through four more matches to claim the title, reminiscent of his idol Nadal’s gritty, injured victory at the 2022 French Open to secure his 14th Roland Garros trophy. With the Tokyo ATP 500 title, Alcaraz has won eight titles and 67 matches this season, both career highs.

Arriving at the Paris Masters, Alcaraz’s sole focus is to reach the final here for the first time in his career and secure the year-end No.1 ranking for 2025. Reflecting on his previous four appearances at this event, his results have been disappointing: a third-round exit in 2021; withdrawal due to injury in the round of 16 in 2022; a surprising second-round loss to Russia’s Safiullin in 2023; and another third-round exit in 2024.

At the Paris Masters press conference last weekend, Alcaraz candidly stated, “I haven’t performed well here in recent years because my form usually dips around this time of the season, or I get injured. But this year is different. I started the year by winning the ATP 500 Rotterdam indoors, so I’m getting used to indoor courts. Also, after Tokyo, I skipped the Shanghai Masters and two other tournaments last week to focus on recovering my ankle injury. Now my body feels fully recovered, training has been very effective, and I feel more energized than at this time in previous years. I’m really eager to compete.”

Alcaraz’s opponent, Norrie, though ranked only 31st in the world and 30 years old, remains a formidable competitor who should not be underestimated.

Norrie has three distinctive traits that set him apart from most tour players: first, he turned professional relatively late, only after graduating from university at 22; second, he plays left-handed with a two-handed backhand, a style becoming increasingly rare on tour; third, his forehand and backhand strokes have unique, somewhat unusual techniques — a very large backswing on his forehand producing heavy topspin, and an almost fully extended backhand leaning towards a flat shot.

Experienced tennis fans might recall a few past male players known for their unusual stroke styles, such as Ukraine’s Dolgopolov, Latvia’s Gulbis, and Australia’s Tomic. While Norrie’s technique isn’t as eccentric as theirs, he still possesses a distinctive and recognizable style.

In the 2021 season, Norrie won the Indian Wells Masters, becoming the first British player to claim that title; on April 4, 2022, he broke into the world top ten for the first time. After reaching the Wimbledon semifinals and the US Open round of 16, he achieved his career-high ranking of No. 8 on September 12, 2022.

Since 2023, with advancing age and injuries, Norrie’s form has fluctuated and results declined, with his ranking hovering around 30. Throughout his career, Norrie has faced Alcaraz seven times, winning twice and losing five. Compared to other top-ranked players, this record is quite respectable, showing that Norrie still possesses the skill and tactical ability to challenge anyone and should not be taken lightly.

At this year’s Wimbledon quarterfinals, Norrie unexpectedly reached the last eight and faced defending champion Alcaraz for their seventh meeting. Although Norrie lost in three sets, it was commendable for the 30-year-old to make the Wimbledon quarterfinals again after three years.

At 2 a.m. tomorrow, the two Nadal admirers, Alcaraz and Norrie, will clash for the eighth time in their careers. Let’s see how they showcase their skills and pay tribute to their idol Nadal.

(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Qicaidou Fan)