DASH CAM
Rookie is happy with his fast show but wanted match to go on for longer
CAMERON NORRIE won his first-ever Paris match – then said he was gutted at the way he did it.
The British No.3 blazed through the first set against Peter Gojowczyk and was already a break up in the second when the German pulled out with a hip injury.
Norrie will save energy for his glamorous second-round clash with home favourite Lucas Pouille.
But the 22-year-old lefthander – who also won his only previous Grand Slam match on a retirement – did not want his French Open debut to end so quickly because he was enjoying the best form of his career.
“That was the best tennis I have played in my life,” said Norrie after the match stopped at 6-1 2-0 and only 41 minutes. “I was in the zone and not making any unforced errors.
“I would have loved to have kept playing. At the US Open, I got my first win with a retirement as well, so it would be nice to actually win a match, but I’ll take it. I’ll be feeling fresh and ready for play on Wednesday.”
Norrie won his first Grand Slam main draw match when Dmitry Tursunov retired at the US Open last August.
This time last year he had just turned pro and played a grass-court event at Surbiton instead of trying to qualify in Paris. “I didn’t want to start my career with a loss on clay, because I had never played,” Norrie said.
His rapid rise started with a stunning Davis Cup debut in his first pro matches on clay against Spain in February – and continued as he reached his first ATP semi-final in Lyon last week to break into the world’s top 100. His clash with No.15 seed Pouille will also have the feel of a Davis Cup tie – and Norrie will seek the advice of British No.1 Kyle Edmund, who beat the Frenchman in Rome earlier this month. “I love being the underdog and all the pressure is on him,” he added. It was a good day for Britain with Heather Watson beating Oceane Dodin of France 6-3 6-0 after dropping the first two games.
The British No.2 (above) had lost nine of her last 10 Tour-level matches and needed five match points before reaching the second round for the sixth time here.
“I started a little nervous and it was tough to close it out,” she said.
Novak Djokovic (left) made the second round after beating Brazilian qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva.
The former world No.1, seeded 20th at Roland Garros, went 2-0 down at the start of the first two sets, but recovered to win 6-3 6-4 6-4.
The injury-hit Serb, 31, has not won a Grand Slam since his Paris victory in 2016.
Last year’s losing finalist Stan Wawrinka is set to drop out of the world’s top 250 after losing a five-set marathon to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.