Oh, how quickly the script flipped. Days after extending his season of dominance, the World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz found himself on the wrong end of a shock defeat — a 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 loss to Britain’s Cameron Norrie at the 2025 Paris Masters. It wasn’t just another loss; it was a version of Alcaraz that few had seen before — unsettled, error-prone, and visibly out of rhythm. His 54 unforced errors and a mere 86 points won out of 187 summed up a night that never quite felt like his own.

The result marked Norrie’s third win in eight head-to-head meetings, a fact that drew the tennis world’s attention as much as Alcaraz’s uncharacteristic body language. Among those weighing in was former French pro Nicolas Escudé, who didn’t mince words while speaking to Eurosport France. “We saw a borderline listless Alcaraz, complaining about the sensations he was having, exchanging long looks with his team after losing the second set,” he remarked.

For Escudé, what stood out wasn’t just the defeat, but how far removed it felt from the fiery, relentless Alcaraz who had owned the 2025 season — a season highlighted by nine straight finals since April, two Grand Slam titles, three Masters 1000 trophies, and three ATP 500 crowns. Paris, though, was a different story. “He didn’t give much. He was a little shaky on his penultimate service game, but he finished very well,” Escudé added, noting how the Spaniard’s energy seemed to flicker throughout the contest.

Carlos Alcaraz ESP, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 – Tennis : Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships 2025 Men s Singles Final at Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan. Noxthirdxpartyxsales PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxJPN aflo_305379703The Frenchman also questioned whether Alcaraz’s hunger for more had slightly dulled with the World No.1 ranking all but secured. He dismissed the theory of a “mental block” on indoor courts, instead pointing to an intangible drop in motivation. “It wasn’t vintage Alcaraz,” he admitted. 

Despite the early exit, Alcaraz’s 2025 campaign remains stellar by any measure. His dual Grand Slam triumphs, alongside multiple ATP titles, make it one of the most successful seasons of his young career. But as Escudé hinted, greatness often lies in sustaining hunger, not just achieving milestones.

“I just felt I could do much more” — Carlos Alcaraz’s own frustration spills over

When Alcaraz finally faced the media post-match, his frustration was palpable. The 22-year-old looked as deflated as his tone suggested. “In the first set, even though I won, I just felt like I could do much more than what I did. I tried in the second set just to be better, but it was totally the opposite. I just feel even worse,” he confessed.

He did, however, credit Norrie for his poise and precision — acknowledging that the Brit “didn’t let [him] stay or come back into the match.” Still, the Spaniard lamented his inability to capitalize on key breakpoints, a factor that only deepened his disappointment. “It’s a tournament that’s really difficult for me to play well, but I will figure it out, and I will end up playing great tennis here, for sure,” Alcaraz assured.

It’s not the first time Carlos Alcaraz has struggled under indoor lights. His adaptable baseline game thrives on slower courts with high bounce — conditions that reward his heavy topspin and quick reflexes. But in Paris, those elements simply weren’t there.

For now, the World No.1’s slip in Paris serves as a timely checkpoint — that even the most dominant players sometimes need to pause, recalibrate, and rediscover that spark which made them unstoppable in the first place.