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The British tennis star earned the most notable win of his career by rebounding from a lost first set to beat world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the early stage of the prestigious indoor tournament.

Although he had previously overcome Alcaraz on two separate matches, this win marks Norrie's first ever win over a current world No 1.

"Enormous. Extremely important for me," commented Norrie, who joins as the latest British man in the record books to overcome a world No 1. "Coming back from health issues last year, I lost in the opening stage of qualifiers here. I just sought to enjoy my tennis in the closing months of the year. To achieve a win like this, it's the biggest success of my career, my maiden triumph over the global number one and probably the most confident competitor in the sport right now."

The British player, seeded 31st globally, also ended Alcaraz's impressive streak of nine straight final appearances and 17 successive elite tournament successes, which was the best series of outcomes in the young champion's early professional path.

Match Breakdown

Alcaraz seemed to be moving confidently to a win early on as he cruised past the opening set. Nevertheless, the British contender steadily fought his way into the match by delivering with sharper placement and engaging the Spanish opponent into lengthy, demanding exchanges. His persistent shot tolerance and consistency steadily made an impact.

Through most of the match, the world number one served well but he had difficulty to get his timing right on his baseline shots. The rising talent seemed notably uncomfortable executing his signature shot, which has been the best shot in the sport for much of this season, committing 29 mistakes off the forehand side and a overall of 54 unforced errors. On the other side, the British player presented his opponent very few errors, sustaining his consistency, physicality and power the entire contest while delivering effective serves and picking his spots to move forward and strike effectively.

Final Phase

In the nail-biting closing stages, the British competitor superbly maintained his nerve to close out the world's finest in the world.

Personal Background

After dealing for an extended period due to a major left forearm injury and challenges with his game, the tennis professional fell as low as No 91 this season. After making the advanced stages at Wimbledon and the Roland Garros second week subsequently, this win further underlines the veteran's improvement as he attempts to come back to the top 20 and beyond. The Spanish sensation, despite his incredible accomplishments, is yet to master how to deliver his top form in indoor conditions.