"This is dirt, this is worse" - Furious Carlos Alcaraz makes frustrations clear with Paris Masters court conditions after shock loss to Cameron Norrie

Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shocking early exit at the 2025 Paris Masters, with his campaign ending almost as soon as it began. He didn’t hold back from expressing his frustration about the court conditions, admitting that they didn’t feel suitable for his game.

Alcaraz has enjoyed an outstanding 2025 season, winning two of the four Grand Slam titles, the French Open and the US Open, along with several other trophies, reclaiming his World No. 1 ranking in the process. As a result, he entered Paris as the top seed and one of the favorites to win the title.

The Spaniard was drawn against Cameron Norrie in the second round after receiving a first-round bye due to his seeding. He was far from his best when they faced off on Tuesday, October 28, committing a staggering 54 errors before falling to a 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 defeat.

After losing control in the second set, Carlos Alcaraz was visibly frustrated and took a moment to speak with his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero. He appeared upset, gesturing in annoyance as he vented about the court conditions. From what could be heard, he complained that the courts at the Paris Masters felt like clay, even worse than those in Monte Carlo.

"This is dirt, this is worse than Monte Carlo," Alcaraz said (translated from Spanish).

The drama didn’t stop there, as Ferrero tried to calm Alcaraz down by advising him to focus on his mistakes and correct them. However, the World No. 1, clearly frustrated, replied that he was doing everything wrong, leaving Ferrero visibly surprised.

Ferrero: "See what you are doing well and correct it". Alcaraz: "I'm doing everything wrong" Ferrer0 (asks in shock): "Everything??"

Watch the video here:

---

Carlos Alcaraz: "I'm really disappointed about my level today"

Carlos Alcaraz pictured at the 2025 Paris Masters | Image Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz had media duties to fulfil following his shocking second-round loss to Cameron Norrie at the 2025 Paris Masters. He didn’t hide his disappointment, admitting that he felt far from his best and was struggling physically even during the first set, which he managed to win.

"In the first set, even that 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," Alcaraz said.

He added:

"I have to give credit to Cam, as well, because I think he didn't let me stay or come back to the match. I had few breakpoints, which I would say could have been really helpful for me. I didn't take it with really easy mistakes. I'm really disappointed about my level today, and it is what it is."

However, the Spaniard said that although his run in the French capital didn’t go as planned, he was determined to fix his issues and return stronger in the future:

"It is a tournament that, yeah, it's really difficult for me to play well, but I will figure it out, and I will ended up playing great tennis here, for sure."

Next for Carlos Alcaraz is the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, beginning on November 9, where he is expected to be the top seed. But his early exit in Paris has given World No. 2 Jannik Sinner a chance to overtake him and finish the year at the top of the rankings ladder.

Edited by Pritha Ghosh