Alcaraz suffers a shocking defeat in his opening match at the Paris Masters, facing the risk of losing the world No. 1 ranking
A huge upset occurred in the second round of the 2025 Paris Masters as world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was unexpectedly defeated by Cameron Norrie, the British player ranked 31st in the ATP.
The 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss after over two hours ended Alcaraz's 17-match winning streak in Masters 1000 events and put him at risk of being overtaken by Jannik Sinner as world No. 1.
Alcaraz entered the tournament with great confidence after nearly a month off to recharge, skipping the Shanghai Masters to prepare for the season’s final phase. As the top seed, he was granted direct entry into the second round but was surprisingly defeated in his opening match.
After winning the first set 6-4, it seemed Alcaraz would keep up his consistent performance. However, from the start of the second set, he began losing control, making frequent mistakes and moving slowly. His 54 unforced errors became a self-destructive factor that disrupted his rhythm. Meanwhile, Norrie stayed calm, solid, and seized his opportunities to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-4.
On court, Alcaraz often showed frustration, even complaining to coach Juan Carlos Ferrero about the court surface. During a changeover, he said: “This court is as slow as clay, even worse than Monte Carlo.” The Paris Masters’ move to La Défense Arena with a new surface seems to have affected the 22-year-old’s ball feel significantly.
For Norrie, this is the biggest win of his career. The 30-year-old player, who dropped to No. 91 in May due to injury, has made a strong comeback and now achieved his first victory over a world No. 1.
Norrie had lost to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon quarterfinals this past summer, but this time he earned a spectacular revenge. The left-handed Brit displayed impressive defensive skills and stayed composed in critical moments. In the key game of the third set, Norrie saved two break points before breaking Alcaraz’s serve and finished the match with an ace.
This loss causes Alcaraz, who currently holds 11,340 ATP points, to lose 100 points and temporarily drop to 11,240. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner (10,510 points) has a real chance to surpass him if he wins in Paris. The Italian has been close behind Alcaraz in the race for the year-end No. 1, and this defeat makes the gap even narrower.
Still, Alcaraz has a chance to regain control at the ATP Finals in Turin in two weeks. “Today was one of my worst matches this year, not because of fitness but because I couldn’t feel the ball at any point,” Alcaraz admitted after the match. He said he will quickly recover mentally to prepare for the rest of the season, including the Davis Cup Finals with the Spanish team.
Ironically, Alcaraz always has good fortune in Paris when playing at Roland Garros but tends to be unlucky in the indoor Masters 1000 events. This marks his third consecutive year of early elimination and the first time after 17 straight Masters tournaments that he failed to win his opening match.
With a record of 67 wins and 8 titles this season, the 2025 Paris Masters is a rare setback in an otherwise outstanding year. However, this defeat serves as a warning for the Spaniard to adjust his rhythm and regain his confidence before the ATP Finals, where he and Sinner will decide who will be the “king” of the 2025 season.
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