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The British tennis star earned the most notable win of his professional journey by coming back from a lost first set to defeat world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz in three hard-fought sets in the second round of the Paris Masters.

Even though he had before beaten Alcaraz on two prior meetings, this victory marks Norrie's maiden victory over a reigning world number one.

"Enormous. Incredibly significant for me," stated Norrie, who becomes the fifth British man in history to overcome a global number one. "Returning from injury last year, I lost in the first round of qualifiers here. I just tried to enjoy my game in the latter part of the year. To secure a victory like this, it's the most significant win of my professional life, my initial victory over the world No 1 and likely the strongest competitor in the sport right now."

Norrie, seeded 31st globally, also halted Alcaraz's supreme streak of nine finals in a row and 17 straight elite tournament successes, which was the top run of performances in the Spaniard's young career.

Game Overview

Alcaraz looked to be moving confidently towards victory at the start as he eased through the first set. However, the British contender slowly battled back into the match by serving with improved accuracy and engaging the Spaniard into lengthy, demanding exchanges. His unceasing steadiness and reliability steadily left its mark.

For much of the match, the world number one performed well on serve but he had difficulty to locate his rhythm off his groundstrokes. The 22-year-old appeared especially uncomfortable executing his primary weapon, which has been the most effective stroke in the sport for a large part of this year, committing 29 mistakes off the forehand side and a overall of 54 errors. Opposing him, Norrie presented Alcaraz so few mistakes, maintaining his reliability, physicality and power the entire contest while serving efficiently and selecting opportunities to move inside the baseline and play aggressively.

Closing Phase

In the tense last moments, the British competitor brilliantly held his composure to defeat the best player in the world.

Personal Journey

After battling for months due to a major arm issue and challenges with his form, Norrie fell as low as 91st globally this season. Having reached the quarter-finals at the grass-court major and the clay-court Grand Slam second week subsequently, this triumph highlights the veteran's development as he attempts to make his way to the world's top twenty and further. The Spanish sensation, in spite of his remarkable achievements, is has not yet solve how to produce his top form on indoor courts.