Norrie eager for Alcaraz test: 'I'm going to take it to him'
Cameron Norrie is looking to end his season on a high for the second straight year, and there’s no greater test than facing the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Carlos Alcaraz.
The 30-year-old Briton will take on Alcaraz in the second round of the Rolex Paris Masters on Tuesday, four months after falling to the Spaniard in straight sets in their Wimbledon quarter-final. This time, under the bright lights of La Defense Arena, Norrie is hoping for a rather different outcome.
“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 always have battles with him, so I’m looking forward to that.”
Norrie arrives in the second round after grinding through a nervy opener against Sebastian Baez on Monday. His 6-3, 6-4 win featured six breaks of serve, using the match as valuable court time to settle into the new conditions at the ATP Masters 1000 event’s new home.
“I was a little bit nervous, but it’s a nice new feeling to be playing here in La Défense,” said Norrie, the current World No. 31. “I think those are the exact matches you want to be playing — when you’re a bit nervous and then you come through it — so that’s nice.
“It’s good to work on [the nerves] in a real-life match scenario when you are the favourite to win and you have to perform. I was able to do that in some big moments, so I enjoyed that.”
After dismantling Norrie at SW19, Alcaraz currently leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 5-2, but the Briton has reason to believe this time around. Players have noted a noticeable change in court speed — a factor Norrie believes could bring his heavy topspin forehand into play.
“For sure I like it. I remember last year it was so quick I couldn’t make too many balls,” Norrie said of the conditions. “It suits my game well and the ball’s bouncing up a little bit more than I remember. It was always pretty low here before, so that’s really good for my forehand and I can get some good revs on it.”
Still, facing Alcaraz is rarely simple. The 22-year-old boasts a Tour-leading eight titles this year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and arrives refreshed for his first ATP Tour event since winning the Tokyo title.
“Especially on this court, where the ball is bouncing a lot, I’m going to have to vary it a lot and be ready for anything,” Norrie said. “He’s got a very complete game and is also one of the most confident guys at the moment, so I’m going to have to play my best to have a chance.
“I’m going to leave that all behind and go on and play. For sure [time for some revenge], he chopped me pretty easily at Wimbledon so I’m going to have to step up 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 has featured a Top 10 win over Lorenzo Musetti in Washington, Norrie will put his grit and adaptability against the very best. A win for the former World No. 8 would be a statement.
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