World number one Carlos Alcaraz lost his Paris Masters opener to Britain’s Cameron Norrie, putting his top ranking at risk.
WORLD number one Carlos Alcaraz suffered a stunning defeat in his opening match at the Paris Masters on Tuesday.
The six-time Grand Slam champion lost to 31st-ranked Briton Cameron Norrie in three sets.
Alcaraz claimed the opening set 6-4 by displaying his usual combination of fire and flair.
He was returning from three weeks out of official competition due to an ankle issue.
Much like his ultimately successful run at the French Open this spring, the Spaniard’s level dropped off a cliff mid-match.
Norrie capitalised on his opponent’s errors by breaking him twice at crucial times in the second and third sets.
The mercurial Briton drew his fair share of admiring gasps from the 17,500-capacity centre court at the La Defense Arena.
The 30-year-old said the win was maybe the number one of his career.
Norrie added that he had been working really hard this year so it was nice to get a win like this to make it worth it.
Alcaraz has never won the Paris Masters in four previous attempts.
He now faces losing his place atop the rankings should rival Jannik Sinner win the tournament in the French capital. – AFP
