In a stunning upset at the Paris Masters, Briton Cameron Norrie became the latest top-50 ranked player too fall to French wildcard Valentin Vacherot, continuing a breakout season for the Monegasque player.
Vacherot has now won 10 of his 12 matches against players ranked within the top 50 this year,with the world number 31 norrie the most recent to succumb to his aggressive play. Norrie, despite losing only two points on his own serve in the opening set, was unable to convert his single break point opportunity and ultimately lost the set in a tie-break.
The match saw a notable reaction from the crowd, booing Norrie when he attempted to rally their support by raising his arms during the second set. He afterward missed two further break point chances at 2-2, then conceded his own serve in the following game.
Capitalizing on the shift in momentum, Vacherot saved two additional break points to take a 5-3 lead, responding to the crowd with a gesture of cupping his ear and waving his racquet. He secured the victory on his second match point as Norrie’s forehand landed in the net.
Elsewhere in the tournament, world number two Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarter-finals – maintaining his perfect record of reaching the last eight in every ATP Masters 1000 event this season - with a 7-5 6-1 win over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. Sinner will next face American Ben Shelton.
Third seed Alexander Zverev continued his title defense with a 6-2 6-4 victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, earning him a quarter-final clash against Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Lorenzo Sonego.
Davidovich Fokina required a medical timeout in the second set due to a left leg injury before Zverev closed out the match.
“He is an amazing player, he is in a good rhythm so I was very happy with the level,” said Zverev. “I thought I played well from the first moment to the last and he is very dangerous so I’m very pleased with the straight-set win.”
