Alcaraz founders in a sea of errors

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 28 Oct 2025 | 21.30

Carlos Alcaraz loses to Norrie in Paris. Photo: gettyimages

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Defeat without palliatives. Carlos Alcaraz delivered a dismal performance in the second round of the ATP Rolex Paris Masters 2025, succumbing to a brilliant display by Cameron Norrie who outplayed the Spanish, defeating him 4-6 6-3 6-4. Continuous errors by the Murcian, who exits the final tournament of the regular season in the early stages.

Almost uncharted territory, a challenging event due to the context, much slower courts than expected, and an uncomfortable opponent in Cameron Norrie. These were the elements predicting a tough afternoon for Carlos Alcaraz in his debut at the ATP Rolex Paris Masters 2025, but nobody expected the amount of drama in the match. Fans in the French capital sided with a hardly recognizable Carlos, who fought until the end.

Alcaraz's defeat against Norrie in the Paris tournament unfolded like this

Strange sensations enveloped Alcaraz from the outset of the first set. Despite training on this court, the Spanish seemed surprised by the slowness of the surface where Norrie excelled. The Brit established dominance with his serve (84% points won on first serve), displayed gritty baseline tennis, and forced the Murcian to be aggressive leading to errors.

The Murcian found himself in tense situations, having to save two break points, which seemed to bolster his confidence. So much so that towards the end of the set, he elevated his game, reduced unforced errors slightly, and managed to turn the tide. Winning by reputation, by intangibles, by status; that's what Carlos achieved, ending the set with 19 unforced errors, 8 of which were from his usually reliable forehand.

Trouble became more evident in a disastrous second set for the Murcian's interests. Norrie continued to believe in his chances, shrinking the court with his footspeed and solid shots, causing Carlos to lose his composure and make poor choices. He was aggressive without conviction, incisive but inaccurate, attempting to overpower his opponent. This is evident from his 19 unforced errors in this set, with only 8 winners. Null confidence in his actions and mental blockage led to his surrender against a confident Norrie.

The Spanish ended with 54 unforced errors and 33 winners; Norrie with a positive balance of 25-18

Great anticipation surrounded the third set, assuming Alcaraz could not win if he didn't significantly elevate his game. His team advised him to play with more topspin, to avoid being as direct as an indoor court typically demands. However, the slowness of the courts, his lack of accuracy, and Norrie's consistency required a change in strategy.

It was a case of wanting but not succeeding for the Spaniard, an internal struggle against his own frustration. He couldn't find the right way to play, felt discomfort, and Norrie executed his game plan effectively. The Brit secured the crucial break in the seventh game, and despite giving Carlos opportunities, the Spaniard remained tangled in his doubts and gifted the subsequent game, squandering two break-back chances.

It was futile. Cameron Norrie effectively closed the match against a unrecognizable Carlos Alcaraz, utterly incapable of showcasing a competitive game and succumbing to the outstanding tennis by the Brit. A harsh blow for the Spaniard in this ATP Rolex Paris Masters 2025, exiting early and playing one of the worst matches of the season. Now, it's time to focus on the ATP Finals 2025 in Turin.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz naufraga en un mar de errores

Carlos Alcaraz