(Rio de Janeiro) The Briton Cameron Norrie beat on Sunday 5-7, 6-4, 7-5, the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, world No.2, in the final of the ATP 500 tournament in Rio de Janeiro (clay), at the end of a match with twists where the two players multiplied the breaks.
Alcaraz, recent winner against the same Norrie of the Buenos Aires tournament, will thus not have managed to retain his title in Rio.
During a match undecided until the end, the young Spanish star showed signs of nervousness then fatigue, visibly embarrassed by a painful right thigh.
Having become the youngest No.1 in the world at 19 after his victory at the United States Open last year before having to stop for several months to treat an injury to his right leg, Alcaraz had, since his return to Buenos Aires , confirmed his good form by qualifying in Rio for a second final in a row with eight consecutive victories.
PHOTO BRUNA PRADO, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Carlos Alcaraz
But Norrie, 13e world player, interrupted the series and showed that Alcaraz was still fragile physically, even nervously. The latter sometimes showed exasperation during a meeting of some 2:41.
The Briton wins the fifth tournament of his career and is now only four wins to two in his confrontations against the Spaniard, after having already beaten him in Cincinnati on hard last year.
