The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Norrie ready to make more headlines on clay
Cameron Norrie makes his French Open debut today, just three months after his first professional match on clay.
The British No 3, whose qualification for Roland Garros was confirmed when Andy Murray officially withdrew, faces Peter Gojowczyk of Germany in the first round.
It has been a meteoric rise for Norrie, who had never played a pro match on the dirt until he featured in the Davis Cup against Spain in February.
His surprise victory over Roberto Bautista Agut prompted a revised schedule and led him, via another shock win over big-serving John Isner in Lyon last week, to Paris.
“No one really knew who I was before that. I hadn’t done anything on clay,” said the 22-yearold, who is on the verge of breaking into the world’s top 100.
“Profile-wise, it was great for me to get out there.
“My coaches were thinking, at that time of year, to rest a little and set myself up for the rest of the year on the hard courts.
“I think I was shocked, and my coaches were shocked, at how well I performed on the occasion and the clay courts.
“It wasn’t so much winning that match, it was more I was able to hang with those players.
“It’s great that I can play on clay and play all year round. There’s no hiding at this level. You have to face up against the best guys in the world.”
Norrie,who was born in South Africa to British parents and moved to New Zealand as a child, added: “Beating Isner was huge for me. I’ve felt that I’m playing well. I was destined to have a good week at some point.”
British women’s No 2 Heather Watson begins her campaign against French youngster Oceane Dodin.
Watson has endured a tough few months, losing eight consecutive matches until getting a win under her belt against Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko in Nuremburg last week.