February 27, (THEWILL) – Cameron Norrie has secured a hard-fought victory against Carlos Alcaraz in the Rio Open final, claiming his fifth ATP title.
Despite being a set and a break down, Norrie managed to turn the tables and win the match in two hours and 40 minutes. Alcaraz suffered an injury to his right leg during the game and is now awaiting a fitness assessment.
Norrie’s win moved him up to 12th in the ATP standings, while the victory was particularly sweet for the Brit, who had suffered a defeat to Alcaraz in the Argentina Open final just last week. Speaking after the match, Norrie said, “I had to do it the tough way. I was looking done there and I managed to flick a switch and turn it around.” He added, “I had to battle a lot of demons the last couple of weeks [on the clay] but I managed to play well in the big moments and that’s what it took today.”
The match was a real rollercoaster, with both players showcasing some impressive skills. Alcaraz initially appeared to be in control, breaking Norrie himself and taking a 3-0 lead. However, Norrie refused to give up, fighting back to win four consecutive games and take the lead. Despite Alcaraz breaking back, Norrie was able to take the match to a decider.
Ultimately, it was Norrie who emerged victorious, breaking Alcaraz at the fourth time of asking and serving out the match to win his first event at ATP 500 level.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
