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Cameron Norrie achieved the biggest success of his career by rallying from a lost first set to beat top-ranked player Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the prestigious indoor tournament.

Even though he had before overcome Alcaraz on two separate matches, this triumph signifies Norrie's first ever success over a current world No 1.

"Massive. Extremely important for me," stated Norrie, who joins as the latest British man in the record books to defeat a world No 1. "Returning from injury last year, I fell in the opening stage of qualifying rounds here. I just sought to appreciate my performance in the second half of the year. To secure a victory like this, it's the greatest success of my tennis journey, my first win over the global number one and likely the most in-form competitor in the world right now."

Norrie, seeded No 31, also halted Alcaraz's supreme streak of nine consecutive finals and 17 consecutive Masters 1000 successes, which was the best series of outcomes in the Spaniard's developing professional path.

Contest Overview

Alcaraz appeared to be moving confidently to a win in the beginning as he cruised through the opening set. Yet, the British contender slowly worked himself into the match by serving with greater precision and engaging the Spaniard into prolonged, physical rallies. His persistent steadiness and dependability slowly left its mark.

For much of the battle, the world number one performed well on serve but he struggled badly to get his timing right with his rally strokes. The 22-year-old seemed especially uneasy striking his primary weapon, which has been the top weapon in the world for most of this season, producing 29 forehand unforced errors and a total of 54 unforced errors. On the other side, Norrie presented his opponent minimal unforced errors, sustaining his consistency, athleticism and depth all match while performing well on serve and choosing his moments to advance inside the baseline and attack well.

Closing Phase

In the tight last moments, the British competitor expertly held his nerve to overcome the world's finest in the game.

Career Background

Following struggling for an extended period due to a significant physical setback and challenges with his performance, the tennis professional fell as low as 91st globally this year. Following appearances in the quarter-finals at the grass-court major and the Roland Garros round of 16 subsequently, this win highlights the 30-year-old's improvement as he seeks to come back to the world's top twenty and beyond. The Spanish sensation, in spite of his extraordinary accomplishments, is has not yet master how to display his best tennis indoors.