Spanish tennis phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz narrowly avoided a stunning upset at the Paris Masters on Wednesday, fighting back from a set down to defeat Britain's Cam Norrie in a gripping three-set battle.
Norrie's Strong Start Shakes World Number Two
The British number one came out swinging at the Accor Arena, dominating the opening set with aggressive baseline play that left the young Spaniard scrambling. Norrie's precision and power saw him claim the first set 6-3, sending shockwaves through the Paris crowd and putting the tournament's second seed on high alert.
Alcaraz Fights Back in Classic Comeback
Showing the champion's mentality that has propelled him to the top of the sport, Alcaraz regrouped magnificently in the second set. The 20-year-old began finding his range with his explosive forehand and started dictating points, levelling the match with a 6-3 set of his own to force a decider.
Final Set Drama in French Capital
The third set developed into a tense affair with both players refusing to give an inch. However, Alcaraz's superior firepower eventually told as he broke Norrie's serve at a crucial moment, closing out the match 6-3 in the final set after two hours and eight minutes of high-quality tennis.
What This Means for Both Players
For Alcaraz, this hard-fought victory keeps his Paris Masters campaign alive as he continues his quest to close the gap on Novak Djokovic in the race for year-end world number one. The young star will need to improve his performance levels as he progresses deeper into the tournament.
Norrie, while disappointed with the loss, can take confidence from pushing one of the world's best players to the limit. His performance demonstrates he can compete with the elite on the biggest stages as the ATP season reaches its climax.
The Paris Masters continues through the week, with Alcaraz now advancing to face either Roman Safiullin or Alexander Bublik in the next round.
