Cameron Norrie is looking to end his season on a high for the second year in a row, and there is no greater test than facing the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Carlos Alcaraz.
The 30-year-old Briton will face Alcaraz in the second round of the Rolex Paris Masters on Tuesday, four months after falling in straight sets to the Spaniard in the Wimbledon quarter-final. This time, under the bright lights of La Defense Arena, Norrie is hoping for a very different result.
“It’s a match to enjoy. He’s one of the two best players in the world, between him and Jannik.” [Sinner]Norrie told ATPTour.com. “I’m going to take it to him… I’m always arguing with him, so I’m looking forward to that.”
Norrie arrives in the second round after a nail-biting opener against Sebastian Baez on Monday. His 6-3, 6-4 win included six breaks of serve, with the match used as valuable playing time to get used to the new conditions in the new home of the ATP Masters 1000 event.
“I was a bit nervous, but it’s a nice new feeling to play here in La Défense,” said Norrie, the current world number 31. “I think these are exactly the games you want to play – if you’re a little bit nervous and then get through it – so that’s nice.
“It’s good to work on [the nerves] in a realistic competition scenario where you are the favorite to win and have to perform. I was able to do that in some big moments, so I enjoyed that.
After dismantling Norrie at SW19, Alcaraz currently lead their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 5-2, but the Brit has reason to believe this time. Players have noticed a noticeable change in the speed of play – a factor that Norrie believes could bring his heavy topspin forehand into play.
“I definitely like it. I remember last year it was so fast that I couldn’t make too many shots,” Norrie said of the conditions. “It suits my game well and the ball bounces up a little more than I remember. Previously it was always quite low here, so that is really good for my forehand and I can make good runs with it.”
Yet the confrontation with Alcaraz is rarely easy. The 22-year-old has won eight titles on Tour this year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and arrives refreshed for his first ATP Tour event since winning the title in Tokyo.
“Especially on this field, where the ball bounces a lot, I will have to vary a lot and be prepared for everything,” said Norrie. “He has a very complete game and is also one of the most confident guys at the moment, so I will have to play my best to have a chance.
“I’m going to put all that behind me and move on and play, for sure [time for some revenge]he beat me up quite easily at Wimbledon, so I’ll have to raise my level to have a chance with him.’
Norrie’s 2024 season was disrupted by a forearm injury that forced him to miss the Paris Olympics and the US Open, but he found form in the final event of the year to reach the final of the ATP 250 in Metz.
Now, after a 2025 campaign that included a Top 10 win over Lorenzo Musetti in Washington, Norrie will put his perseverance and adaptability against the very best. A win for the former world number 8 would be a statement.
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