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Cameron Norrie achieved the most notable win of his professional journey by rallying from a lost first set to defeat world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz with a stunning comeback in the second round of the Paris Masters.

Even though he had earlier overcome Alcaraz on two occasions, this win signifies Norrie's maiden win over a reigning world No 1.

"Huge. Extremely important for me," said Norrie, who becomes the fifth English competitor in the record books to overcome a global number one. "Bouncing back from a physical setback last year, I was defeated in the opening stage of qualifying rounds here. I just sought to appreciate my game in the second half of the year. To secure a victory like this, it's the biggest success of my tennis journey, my initial victory over the global number one and arguably the strongest competitor in the tennis scene right now."

The British player, positioned 31st in the world, also ended Alcaraz's dominant streak of nine consecutive finals and 17 successive Masters 1000 successes, which was the best series of performances in the Spaniard's early professional path.

Game Breakdown

The top seed seemed to be moving confidently to a win at the start as he eased past the first set. Yet, the British contender gradually fought his way into the match by executing with improved accuracy and engaging the Spanish opponent into prolonged, grueling rallies. His relentless consistency and dependability steadily left its mark.

During large parts of the match, the world number one performed well on serve but he found it challenging to locate his rhythm with his rally strokes. The 22-year-old seemed especially uncomfortable hitting his forehand, which has been the best shot in the sport for a large part of this season, haemorrhaging 29 mistakes off the forehand side and a overall of 54 unforced errors. Across the net, the British player offered Alcaraz very few errors, maintaining his steadiness, athleticism and power all match while performing well on serve and selecting opportunities to force himself forward and attack well.

Final Stages

In the nail-biting closing stages, Norrie brilliantly kept his nerve to defeat the world's finest in the game.

Career Journey

After struggling for an extended period due to a serious left forearm injury and struggles with his game, Norrie dropped as low as No 91 this season. After making the advanced stages at Wimbledon and the Roland Garros round of 16 since then, this victory further underlines the 30-year-old's improvement as he seeks to come back to the top 20 and beyond. The Spanish sensation, despite his incredible accomplishments, is yet to solve how to deliver his top form in indoor conditions.