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Cameron Norrie achieved the most important win of his professional journey by rallying from a set down to beat top-ranked player Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Paris Masters.

Even though he had previously beaten Alcaraz on two occasions, this win represents Norrie's maiden victory over a reigning world No 1.

"Huge. Incredibly significant for me," said Norrie, who joins as the newest English competitor in the record books to beat a global number one. "Returning from health issues last year, I was defeated in the initial match of qualies here. I just sought to embrace my tennis in the latter part of the year. To achieve a win like this, it's the biggest win of my tennis journey, my maiden triumph over the global number one and likely the strongest athlete in the tennis scene right now."

The British player, seeded 31st globally, also halted Alcaraz's impressive sequence of nine finals in a row and 17 consecutive elite tournament successes, which was the top run of performances in the Spanish star's young career.

Match Overview

Alcaraz looked to be progressing easily to success early on as he cruised past the first set. However, Norrie slowly battled back into the match by delivering with greater precision and pulling the Spaniard into lengthy, demanding exchanges. His persistent shot tolerance and consistency slowly left its mark.

For much of the battle, the world number one served well but he had difficulty to get his timing right off his groundstrokes. The 22-year-old looked especially uncomfortable executing his forehand, which has been the top weapon in the game for much of this year, haemorrhaging 29 forehand unforced errors and a total of 54 mistakes. Opposing him, Norrie offered Alcaraz minimal unforced errors, keeping up his steadiness, fitness and power all match while performing well on serve and picking his spots to move into the court and attack well.

Final Stages

In the tense final games, the British competitor expertly held his composure to overcome the world's finest in the world.

Personal Background

After struggling for an extended period due to a significant arm issue and challenges with his form, Norrie dropped as low as 91st in the rankings this year. After making the last eight at Wimbledon and the French Open second week after that, this triumph reinforces the veteran's development as he attempts to return to the top 20 and even higher. Alcaraz, notwithstanding his extraordinary accomplishments, is has not yet solve how to display his best tennis on indoor courts.