CAMERON ON COURSE FOR NIFTY FIFTY

FROM NEIL McLEMAN in Indian Wells MARATHON MAN Cameron Norrie is in the running to join Andy Murray and Tim Henman as the only British players this century to rack up 50 wins in a single season.

And the British No.2 (above) has added the Stockholm Open to his gruelling schedule in a bid to reach the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time.

Norrie had won only 51 tour-level matches in his career before 2021. But the 26-year-old’s breakthrough season has seen him win his first title in Mexico and reach four other finals, including in San Diego last week to end a mini-slump of four consecutive defeats.

His 41 victories have taken him up to a career-high world No.26 – and up to No.14 in the Singles Race to play the season-ending event in Turin in November. The top eight qualify.

Henman, with 58 in 2001, and Murray, who won an unbelievable 78 in his annus mirabilis in 2016, are the only British players to reach the half century of match wins in a season in the 21st Century. And before facing

Tennys Sandgren in his opening match at the BNP Paribas Open, the hard-running Norrie said: “It’s nice to be winning matches and winning at this level. But I haven’t thought about the number of matches or getting to 50 wins at all.

“I just want to keep going and keep pushing for the end of the season. In the next month or so, there are a lot of tournaments and a lot of points on the line.

“After here, I am playing in Paris and Vienna and I am going to play Stockholm too. We will see how it goes.

“I still have a chance of the ATP Finals in Turin. I think it is realistic. Rafa Nadal is out and 11th place could get you there. I will keep pushing hard.”

Kim Clijsters (above) has yet to win a match in her latest comeback after losing 6-1 2-6 6-2 to world No.53 Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic in Indian Wells

The Belgian, 38, returned to the WTA Tour after eight years in 2020 and lost all three matches and now has two defeats this season. The former world No.1 said: “It’s not going to be a smooth ride.”

Raducanu report on Indian Wells return: mirror.co.uk/sport/