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Cameron Norrie achieved the biggest victory of his professional journey by rallying from a early deficit to defeat world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz with a stunning comeback in the second round of the Paris Masters.

Even though he had before beaten Alcaraz on two occasions, this win marks Norrie's initial success over a reigning world top-ranked player.

"Huge. Extremely important for me," said Norrie, who joins as the newest British man in the record books to beat a world No 1. "Bouncing back from health issues last year, I was defeated in the first round of qualifying rounds here. I just aimed to embrace my game in the closing months of the year. To secure a win like this, it's the biggest victory of my career, my maiden triumph over the top player and likely the most confident competitor in the sport right now."

The British player, ranked 31st globally, also ended Alcaraz's supreme streak of nine straight final appearances and 17 successive Masters 1000 successes, which marked the top run of outcomes in the Spanish star's early career.

Contest Analysis

The top seed seemed to be advancing smoothly to success early on as he cruised in the first set. Nevertheless, the British contender steadily battled back into contention by serving with sharper placement and dragging the Spanish opponent into extended, physical rallies. His persistent steadiness and reliability steadily left its mark.

For much of the battle, the world number one served well but he had difficulty to find his timing on his baseline shots. The 22-year-old appeared especially struggling hitting his forehand, which has been the most effective stroke in the sport for most of this year, producing 29 forehand miscues and a total of 54 unforced errors. Opposing him, Norrie gave his opponent minimal unforced errors, keeping up his reliability, fitness and power all match while serving efficiently and selecting opportunities to advance inside the baseline and attack well.

Final Phase

In the tight closing stages, the British competitor brilliantly held his composure to overcome the top competitor in the game.

Career Background

Following dealing for months due to a serious left forearm injury and struggles with his game, Norrie fell as far down as No 91 this season. Following appearances in the advanced stages at the grass-court major and the Roland Garros round of 16 since then, this victory highlights the 30-year-old's progress as he seeks to return to the top 20 and beyond. The Spanish sensation, in spite of his extraordinary success, is yet to master how to display his finest performance on indoor courts.