MORE TO CAM
Norrie beaten by Zverev but insists he’ll continue with new high-risk, easy-on-the-eye approach
CAMERON NORRIE staying in the Australian Open longer than any home player was not the only consolation for British tennis fans.
The former Wimbledon semi-finalist has also gone from baseline grinder to adventurous attacker in the first Grand Slam of the season.
And after returning to the world’s top 20, the British No.1 now wants to keep going forward on the court and up in the rankings.
Norrie daubed white sunblock across his face like war paint and put up a great fourthround fight against Olympic champion Alex Zverev.
He twice battled back from a set down before losing 7-5 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6 in four hours and five minutes – the longest match of his career.
His entertaining new style saw him mix his usual steady groundstrokes with forays to the net and drop-shots. It is brave – and great to watch. “I thought it was a high-level match from both sides – he was just a bit more solid than me in the end and served a bit better down the stretch,” said Norrie.
Norrie had beaten world No.11 Casper Ruud in the third round for his best Grand Slam win.
Against world No.6 Zverev, he was attempting to beat a top-10 player in a Major for the first time in seven attempts. But the 2020 US Open finalist is a class above Ruud – especially his backhand – and he had the ability to arrow passing shots past Norrie.
But Norrie still won 39 out of the 59 points when he went to the net and hit 56 winners.
“It was good fun playing at that level for sure,” Norrie added. “I really took it to Sascha (Zverev) and I think a lot of times I tried to come forward.
“I just kept going, kept asking the questions. He kept coming up with some really good shots but I was able to surprise him a few times with the drop-shot.
“Sascha is probably one of the best players in the world at the moment and taking him so close is exactly where I want to be. I was toe-to-toe with him and I can take a lot of confidence from that.
“I got absolutely chopped by him in Vienna last year but this time I managed to take a completely different approach. It was a big difference.”
Zverev, who had won their previous four
Tour-level matches for the loss of only one set, said:
“If he can play this way, then for sure it’s going to make him improve.
“For the first time
I thought his forehand was better than his backhand, which was very unusual. I thought he was very aggressive with that shot.”
The German (left) will now face Carlos Alcaraz. The Wimbledon champ reached his first quarterfinal here by beating Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4 6-4 6-0.
Daniil Medvedev beat world No.69 Nuno Borges 6-3 7-6 5-7 6-1 and will next face No.9 Hubert Hurkacz, who ended the run of French wild-card entry Arthur Cazaux 7-6 7-6 6-4.
Medvedev is the 8-1 fourth favourite for the title, behind Novak Djokovic at 11-10, Alcaraz at 5-2 and Jannik Sinner at 4-1. Zverev is a 25-1 chance.