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CARLOS ALCARAZ’S PASSION DOUBTED AFTER LIFELESS PARIS MASTERS PERFORMANCE.

Carlos Alcaraz's "listless" Paris Masters exit to Cameron Norrie questioned by experts. The shock defeat, with 54 unforced errors, ends his streak of nine consecutive finals in the 2025 season.

Carlos Alcaraz’s passion doubted after lifeless Paris Masters performance.
On Tuesday in Paris, Cameron Norrie defeated Carlos Alcaraz in three sets - Photo Credit: By ATP Staff

A former ATP player has called Carlos Alcaraz's performance at the 2025 Paris Masters "borderline listless" after he lost shockingly to Cameron Norrie in his opening encounter.

In the second round of the Masters tournament, the world No. 1 lost to 31st-ranked Norrie 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, losing poorly in the second and third sets.

Alcaraz lost for the third time in eight encounters with Norrie, making 54 unforced errors and winning only 46% (86 of 187) of the total points scored.

The surprise of Carlos Alcaraz. He left the Paris Masters because his "hunger" was questioned.

Nicolas Escude claims that Carlos Alcaraz "went against all he has been doing for the previous few months" in his defeat to Cameron Norrie at the Paris Masters.

Former ATP world No. 17 and tennis expert Escude stated that Alcaraz had a "complex relationship" with the Paris Masters.

Before the Paris Masters, the Frenchman had questioned Alcaraz's "hunger" for the season-ending competitions.
Alcaraz's performance against Norrie stopped his incredible run of nine straight finals, which began at the Monte Carlo masters in April, and was maybe his lowest of the stellar 2025 campaign.

Along with his loss to David Goffin in the second round in March, which was his only other loss before the event's quarterfinals this year, it was Alcaraz's second-earliest loss of the season.

In 2025, the 22-year-old Spaniard has won eight trophies, including three ATP 1000 titles, three ATP 500s, and two Grand Slams. He has a 90.5% season record of 67-8.

Escude's evaluation on the shock of Alcaraz's Exit from the Paris Masters
Escude offered his assessment of Alcaraz's defeat by Norrie in an interview with Eurosport France, calling the Spaniard's connection to the Paris Masters "complex."

After losing the second set, Escude remarked, "We witnessed a borderline listless Alcaraz, whining about the sensations he was having, exchanging extended exchanges with his team members."

He deviated from all of his previous actions over the previous few months. It is unexpected. His relationship with this competition is problematic at present, though.

Without denying Norrie credit for playing his part. He provided very little. Although he finished extremely well, he was a little unsteady in his penultimate serve game.

Escude's remarks before Alcaraz's Paris Masters campaign

Escude expressed concern about the six-time major winner's "hunger" at this point in the season, although he was unconcerned about Alcaraz's record on indoor hard courts before his appearance in Paris.

The Frenchman told Eurosport, "He broke his [indoor] duck in Rotterdam, even if it was not vintage Alcaraz.

"I would not say he was mentally blocked when he was inside. I do not think so. Given that it is a little slower than the indoor courts of the past, his game fits in well with modern circumstances.

"He will not have any more issues indoors if he stabilises things a little more, as he demonstrated during the course of two weeks in New York. He is the only one with everything he needs to function at the same level on every surface.

"How much does he want this season to end?" is the question. He will probably place first. Will he have the hunger to compete for titles he has not yet earned?

"I am having trouble predicting his condition coming into these final two rounds. The only small doubt mark is that.

Escude won four ATP Tour titles throughout his 1995–2006 career. He also advanced to the Australian Open semifinals and the Wimbledon and US Open quarterfinals.

The indoor record of Carlos Alcaraz

Indoor hard courts are Carlos Alcaraz's poorest surface by a wide measure, with a 31-13 (70%) record.

At the ATP 500 tournament in Rotterdam in February, the Spaniard claimed his lone indoor championship to date.

In his five appearances at the Paris Masters, the only Masters 1000 event held indoors, he currently has a 5-5 record.

In his two seasons in the season-ending ATP Finals on Turin's indoor hardcourt, Alcaraz is 3-4 (43%) overall.

WHY DID NOVAK DJOKOVIC REACH OUT TO MOISE KOUAME DESPITE WITHDRAWING FROM MIAMI 2026?

Moise Kouame, 17, becomes the youngest Miami Open winner in history and reveals a secret Instagram DM from Novak Djokovic.

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Novak Djokovic Contacts Moise Kouame After 17-Year-Old’s Historic Miami Open Win

Moise Kouame is only 17, but he’s already catching everyone’s eye in tennis. He started this year on fire, grabbing back-to-back ITF titles, then reaching a Challenger semi-final. Now, he's just picked up his first-ever win on the ATP Tour at a Masters 1000 event, no less.

In other news, Leicester City is fighting back against a six-point penalty for breaking financial rules.

Back to Kouame, the world No. 385 pulled off a gritty comeback against Zachary Svajda, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, even while cramping up by the end. People packed Court 7 to watch him make his Masters 1000 debut as a wildcard. Even Novak Djokovic, who skipped the tournament with a shoulder injury, was watching from afar. Since 2019, Djokovic has only played in Miami once, when he was runner-up last year, but clearly, he’s still following the action.

Now, Kouame has made a bit of history. At 17 years and 13 days old, he’s the youngest man ever to win a match at the Miami Open, matched a Nadal record from 2003, and became the seventh-youngest winner at this level. Not bad for a debut. And then, right after his win, he got a message from his idol. Honestly, Kouame was left speechless.

When Steve Weissman from Tennis Channel interviewed him after his first main-draw tour win, Kouame couldn’t hide his nerves. “Actually, I have a small secret. After the win, Novak texted me. I’m so nervous. I don’t know what to answer! I’m really so nervous right now. I don’t know if I’m going to answer. Maybe if you have tips, maybe you can give me?”

He tried to figure out what to say. Should he just text, "Thank you, Novak"? Or maybe, "Thank you, my idol"? Nothing sounded right. “No, never [met him]. It’s my dream. [It was] on Instagram! He DMed me. So, imagine having your idol DM you like this. Oh my god. This is too much for me. Oh my god. Coolest thing ever.”

Weissman jumped in with a bit of advice, too: “Don’t just double-tap it; you’ve got to give a response. ‘Thanks so much, Novak. If you have any time to meet in the future, that would be amazing. Any tips you have, maybe some advice.’

Some tips from Djokovic would come in handy, especially with Kouame set to face 21st seed Jiri Lehecka next. He had to see the physio for cramps after his first-round win, but told Tennis Channel he was doing alright, just a little jittery about talking live on TV.

“Now I’m feeling good, quite stressed! Obviously, we’re live, and my English, all this – I’m quite stressed. But in the match it was cool. I had some cramps, but yeah, I managed to get over it and win at the end. I’m really happy with it,” he said.

What a ride: first big ATP win, a message from Djokovic, and now the whole tennis world is watching.

INSIDE JANNIK SINNER’S HISTORIC INDIAN WELLS VICTORY AS FIRST ITALIAN MALE CHAMPION

Jannik Sinner makes history as the first Italian man to win Indian Wells, defeating Daniil Medvedev in two tiebreaks.

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Inside Jannik Sinner’s Historic Indian Wells Victory As First Italian Male Champion

Jannik Sinner crushed Daniil Medvedev’s hopes at Indian Wells Sunday night. Medvedev looked sharp all week; he even took down Carlos Alcaraz to reach the final.

But when it came to the championship match, Sinner edged him out in two tense tiebreaks, 7-6, 7-6. Medvedev’s loss stings, but let’s be real: his level this week showed he’s back to fighting for big trophies after a pretty rough 2025.

He’s set a big goal for himself, too, with all the pressure that comes along with it. After the match, Medvedev, now 30, talked about whether he’s the one who can break up Alcaraz and Sinner’s grip at the top; he even admitted he slipped up a bit in the final.

On that note, it’s wild how Alcaraz and Sinner have ruled the ATP Tour lately. Between them, they’ve grabbed the last nine Grand Slam titles and barely given anyone else a chance. Still, Medvedev made things interesting at Indian Wells by beating Alcaraz and pushing Sinner to the edge.

In his post-match press conference, Medvedev shared his thoughts on his future and the big question: Can he really challenge Sinner and Alcaraz?

He said, “Honestly, it’s a pleasure to play Sinner and Alcaraz. Last year, I didn’t even get a shot; they were out of reach because I kept losing early. I’m glad this time I played well enough to beat the others first, took down Carlos, and then got to face Jannik.

My goal? Not to obsess over them, but to work on my own game, beat everyone else, and then, chances are, in Miami, I'm going to run into one of them in the semis or the final if I play out of my mind.”

He continued, “It’s tough to say if I’m the guy to challenge them, honestly. I’ve lost a bunch against them, and again today with Jannik. But I know I can play top-level tennis. Whoever I meet next, whether it’s Carlos, Jannik, or someone else, I’ll just try to play my best tennis. I proved I can do it again here, in Dubai, and in Brisbane.

On any given day, anyone can challenge them; look at Jakub beating Jannik in Doha or me beating Carlos here. So it’s not just me, not just Novak, not just Sascha. But it’s hard, and that’s why by the end of the season, those guys have sixty wins and only five or six losses, half of those losses coming against each other. It’s a tough mountain to climb, but you just keep trying.”

Now, Sinner, Alcaraz, and Medvedev head to the Miami Masters, which kicks off Tuesday. The last time around, Jakub Mensik won there; it’s the second Masters 1000 event of 2026.

Sinner made history on Sunday. No Italian man had ever won Indian Wells until he pulled it off. He now owns 25 ATP titles and is the youngest player to win all six ATP hard-court Masters events. Back in 1974, John Newcombe was the tournament’s first champ, beating Arthur Ashe in the final. Since then, Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer have all lifted the trophy. Federer and Djokovic sit at the top with five Indian Wells titles each.

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