Norrie qualifies for main event with only little help from coach
After qualifying for the US Open yesterday, British No 5 Cameron Norrie said that the innovations introduced for the preliminary week – a visible shot-clock, and coaching from the stands – had been accepted without a murmur in the locker room.
Norrie followed up wins over Alexander Bublik and Sekou Bangoura by beating Japan’s Go Soeda 6-1, 7-6 to conclude his three-match qualifying campaign without dropping a set.
But while he admitted to occasionally consulting his coach for assistance, Norrie said that the new adjustments – which were revealed by The Daily Telegraph last month – had not materially affected his matches. “I used it a little bit,” he said. “When I was nervous I would ask Fack [the Argentine former college player Facundo Lugones] where to serve. I think it’s a good rule. I like it. I think some of the coaches give signals anyway so it’s not even a big deal.
“I also liked the new time rule, because I always knew how much time I’ve got left. It’s nice and clear, whereas before, I don’t even know if they [the chair umpires] timed it each time. From those I’ve spoken to in the locker room, no one’s really talking about it, and the same thing with the coaching.”
Even if you forget the experimental rule changes, which are not being used in the main draw in any case, Norrie is still getting used to life as a professional tennis player. It is only a couple of months since he left Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, where the tennis team go by the unlikely moniker of “the horned frogs”.
Having finished his college career as the top-ranked player in the US, Norrie has since made a storming start to life on the ATP tour, winning a Challenger event in Binghamton – which is about 180 miles away from here – in late July. If he could add a main-draw win next week, that could well carry him just inside the world’s top 200.
An hour or so after Norrie’s success, the fast-rising Canadian 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov – who beat the new world No 1 Rafael Nadal in Montreal a fortnight ago – also claimed a place in the main draw with a 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 win over Czech Jan Satral.