Carlos Alcaraz crushed Cameron Norrie in under two hours, ending British hopes and reigniting questions about the post-Murray tennis era

Centre Court barely stirred as Cameron Norrie was swept aside by a ruthless Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets on Tuesday evening, extinguishing Britain’s last singles hope at Wimbledon in brutal fashion.

The reigning champion dismantled Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 in just 99 minutes, delivering a masterclass in power, finesse, and composure. While the Spaniard was clinical, the crowd struggled to engage — their reactions ranging from polite applause to faintly performative whoops, as the home favourite failed to lay a glove on his opponent.

It was a muted end to Britain’s involvement in the singles draw, and a far cry from the glory days of Andy Murray’s reign. From 2008 to 2017, Centre Court regularly roared as the Scot made the quarter-finals a tradition. Norrie, in contrast, looked overmatched from the first ball, leaving spectators nostalgic for an era of fight and belief.

The atmosphere never quite took off. Despite theatre royalty like Sir Ian McKellen and Mark Rylance watching from the Royal Box, large swathes of the stands were empty at first serve. Even as fans trickled in, the energy remained low, reflecting both Norrie’s underdog status and the inevitable tone set by Alcaraz’s early dominance.

From the outset, the world No. 2 peppered the Brit with unreturnable serves, blistering forehands, and delicate drop shots. Norrie, known for his tenacity and defensive nous, found himself clinging on, fist-pumping just to hold serve in the early stages. His famed grit wasn’t enough. Alcaraz’s brilliance rendered it redundant.

By the third set, Norrie looked weary and deflated. Alcaraz, meanwhile, toyed with the tempo, landing a few crowd-pleasing lobs and trademark finesse shots. There was no drama, no tension, and little to cheer. It felt more like a formality than a fight.

After the match, the 22-year-old Alcaraz was gracious. “Cam’s a really difficult opponent,” he told the crowd. “No one works harder. I’m happy with the level I played today. To be in another semi-final here is really special.”

But the gulf in class was undeniable. Norrie, once lauded for reaching the 2022 semi-final, now finds himself struggling to convince as Britain’s flagbearer. His defeat mirrored Jack Draper’s earlier exit, another promising talent who faltered under pressure this year. Draper himself asked the telling question post-match last week: “How did Andy Murray do it?”

That question now echoes across British tennis. What once felt like a renaissance under Murray has begun to resemble a false dawn. The passion remains, but the calibre required to trouble top seeds like Alcaraz is lacking. And the crowd knows it.

Still, Norrie will aim to regroup for the US Open later this summer. With ranking points and confidence to rebuild, the hard-court season offers a shot at redemption. But his limitations at the Grand Slam level remain stark.

For Alcaraz, the path to a Wimbledon threepeat remains open. He faces American Taylor Fritz in Friday’s semi-final, with Novak Djokovic lurking on the other side of the draw. Asked about his downtime before the next match, the Spaniard smiled: “I might try to go to the city centre if I have time. What I’ve been doing so far has worked, so we’ll try to switch off together.”

The crowd applauded warmly. They know greatness when they see it — and on Tuesday, it came draped in red and yellow, not Union Jack blue.