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Carlos Alcaraz Admits Ball Wasn't Sticking

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Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz's frustrating loss to Norrie


World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz suffered a stunning upset at the Paris Masters, losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Britain's Cameron Norrie. Alcaraz admitted he had “no feeling at all” for the ball during the match, which saw him commit 54 unforced errors.


“I had a lot of practices here, which I was feeling great, feeling amazing, moving on the court, hitting the ball...”


World number one Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shocking exit from the Paris Masters, losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to 31st-ranked Briton Cameron Norrie in his opening match. Alcaraz admitted he had “no feeling at all” for the ball during the match, which marks his fifth failed attempt to win the Paris Masters.




The defeat puts Alcaraz's ranking at risk, as Jannik Sinner could overtake him if the Italian wins the tournament. Alcaraz had been expected to perform well after a strong build-up to the tournament, but he struggled with his form and was outplayed by Norrie.




Despite his disappointing performance, Alcaraz praised Norrie's skills, saying “I have to give credit to Cam, as well, because I think he didn't let me stay or come back to the match.” Norrie's victory was a significant upset, and he expressed his satisfaction with his win, saying “Such a special win to beat probably the most confident player in the world right now.”


“I had a lot of practices here, which I was feeling great, feeling amazing, moving on the court, hitting the ball,” the 22-year-old said.


“But today, even in the first set, that I won, I just felt like I could do much more than what I did. I tried in the second set just to be better, but it was totally the opposite. I just felt even worse.”


Alcaraz struggled with a mid-match slump, similar to one he overcame during his successful Roland Garros campaign earlier this year. However, unlike in Paris before, he couldn't recover from the dip in form, ultimately losing to Cameron Norrie in the Paris Masters opener.


“I didn't feel well today. A lot of mistakes... I had no feeling at all,” he summarized.


“I'm really disappointed about my level today, and it is what it is.”


Alcaraz credited Norrie for seizing the opportunity, saying "I have to give credit to Cam, as well, because I think he didn't let me stay or come back to the match." He acknowledged Norrie's strong play in capitalizing on his mistakes.


Alcaraz credited Norrie for seizing the opportunity, saying “I have to give credit to Cam, as well, because I think he didn't let me stay or come back to the match.” He acknowledged Norrie's strong play in capitalizing on his mistakes.


Alcaraz said. “Norrie played really great tennis.”


Cameron Norrie delivered a standout performance on the Centre Court at La Defense Arena, rising to the challenge to defeat Carlos Alcaraz in their Paris Masters opener. The 17,500-capacity venue witnessed a thrilling match, with Norrie ultimately prevailing 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.


“Such a special win to beat probably the most confident player in the world right now,” former world number eight Norrie said.


“I told myself before the match, even if I get in a winning scenario, I'm not going to be afraid to win. I stayed true to that.”


Norrie's impressive shot-making drew gasps of admiration from the crowd throughout the match. He left Alcaraz stunned on two occasions - first with a spectacular passing shot at full stretch, and again with a perfectly placed lob while sprinting towards the baseline. Alcaraz's reactions showcased Norrie's skill and precision.


As Alcaraz struggled with his first serve and backhand, Norrie seized the opportunity to take control. He broke Alcaraz's serve at 3-3 in the deciding set, showcasing his composure under pressure.


Norrie then brought up two match points, but his first opportunity was cruelly denied when his backhand clipped the net cord twice before falling just out of bounds, a moment of agony for the Briton.


“I remember when I played him in Rio (in 2023), and I was 40-30 serving for the match, I remember I hit the T and I said, 'Okay, I'm going to go T again',” he recounted.


“I managed to hit the spot and he missed the return. It was a nice moment.”


Taylor Fritz cruised into the third round of the Paris Masters, overcoming Aleksandar Vukic 7-6 (4), 6-2. The US fourth seed navigated a tight first set before dominating the second to secure his spot in the next round.




Daniil Medvedev, the 2020 Paris Masters champion from Russia, dominated Jaume Munar with a convincing 6-1, 6-3 victory. As the eleventh seed, Medvedev will now face Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov in the second round.


In other tournament news, 19-year-old Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca secured a thrilling win against Canada's Denis Shapovalov, coming from behind to triumph in three sets. This impressive performance follows his remarkable victory in Basel last weekend, where he claimed the biggest title of his career.


Felix Auger-Aliassime staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Francisco Comesana 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the Paris Masters. Auger-Aliassime, the ninth seed from Canada, will face Frenchman Alexandre Muller next after overcoming the Argentinian qualifier.


Meanwhile, US fifth seed Ben Shelton cruised past Italy's Flavio Cobolli in straight sets. Valentin Vacherot, the surprise winner of the Shanghai Masters, continued his impressive run with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Jiri Lehecka.


The winner of the match between Auger-Aliassime and French qualifier Alexandre Muller will advance to the third round to face Cameron Norrie.


Meanwhile, Italian world number two Jannik Sinner is set to begin his Paris Masters campaign on Wednesday, taking on Belgium's Zizou Bergs.



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