Alcaraz ends 17-match winning streak in round 2 of Paris Masters 1000

World No. 1 tennis player Carlos Alcaraz suffered a surprising defeat in the second round of the Paris Masters when he lost to Cameron Norrie with a score of 1-2 (6-4, 3-6, 4-6).

Alcaraz ends 17-match winning streak at Masters 1000 tournaments - Photo: REUTERS

Carlos Alcaraz lost in the second round of the Paris Masters when he lost to Cameron Norrie with a score of 1-2 (6-4, 3-6, 4-6).

This defeat ended his impressive 17-match winning streak at Masters 1000 tournaments. At the same time, it also put him at risk of being dethroned as world number 1 in the ATP rankings.

This was Alcaraz's first official match since winning his eighth title of the season in Tokyo at the end of September, and he clearly wasn't feeling his best.

Even on the center court at La Defense Arena, the Spaniard played below his best, as shown by an alarming 54 unforced errors.

Despite a strong start and a single break win in the first set, Alcaraz struggled to get his tempo and movement under control. This continued into the second set. After dropping his serve and losing the set 3-6, Alcaraz had a heated exchange with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

The 4-6 third set loss handed Alcaraz his first Masters 1000 defeat since March in Miami. Before that, he had set a remarkable record of 17 consecutive wins, bringing home three Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo, Rome and Cincinnati.

The early defeat puts Alcaraz in a dangerous position in the race for the world No. 1 spot on the ATP rankings next week. If his direct rival Jannik Sinner wins the title in Paris, the Italian will return to the top of the rankings for the first time since the US Open.

For Cameron Norrie, victory over the reigning world number one was a “huge” milestone. The 30-year-old Briton put in a brave performance, taking full advantage of his opponent’s inconsistency.

"I've just come back from injury. In the second half of the year I'm trying to enjoy tennis more. And to win against someone who is in the most confident form on the planet makes me extremely happy," Norrie shared after the match.

With this achievement, Norrie has reached the round of 16 of a Masters 1000 for the first time since Rome 2023, while also equaling his best result in Paris.

He also became the third player in Paris Masters history to defeat the No. 1 seed in the first match, following in the footsteps of Julien Benneteau (beat Roger Federer in 2009) and Marc Rosset (beat Pete Sampras in 1996).

In the round of 16, Norrie will face the winner of the match between cousins ​​Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech.

Notably, Vacherot just created a "fairy tale" at the Shanghai Masters this month with the championship, becoming the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history (world number 204), after defeating Rinderknech in the final.

TUAN LONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/alcaraz-cham-dut-chuoi-17-tran-thang-lien-tiep-tai-vong-2-paris-masters-1000-2025102907593732.htm