Norrie is into fourth round for first time
Briton outclasses US big server
CAMERON Norrie followed Heather Watson by breaking new ground and reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon.
This was the sixth time in the last nine grand slams that the British number one had made it to the last 32 but – not helped by coming up against the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer – he had never gone further.
He changed that in emphatic fashion against Steve Johnson, though, outclassing the American 6-4 6-1 6-0 in just an hour and 49 minutes for his first Centre Court victory.
Norrie, seeded ninth, is the highest-ranked player in his quarter but he had to battle from two sets to one down to beat Spain’s Jaume Munar in the previous round.
He was a heavy favourite against world number 93 Johnson, but the big-serving 32-year-old is at his best on grass and reached the fourth round here six years ago.
Norrie probed throughout a tight first set, seeing five break points come and go before a backhand dinked neatly out of Johnson’s reach on the sixth opportunity gave it to him.
The 26-year-old had made a few uncharacteristic unforced errors on what was a huge occasion for him but winning the opening set settled him down and he was relentless in the second.
Johnson simply could not match the consistency and athleticism of Norrie, who hustled around the court retrieving almost everything, and by the beginning of the third he was looking thoroughly worn down.
Only Andy Murray among active British men had ever reached the last 16 in singles at Wimbledon but Norrie raced towards his target to set up a clash with another American, Tommy Paul, tomorrow.
Paul, 25, has had a strong grasscourt season, reaching the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club and Eastbourne, but Norrie will fancy his chances of keeping home interest going well into the second week.
Novak Djokovic booked his place in the fourth round at Wimbledon and a meeting with the unknown.
The defending champion and number one seed beat fellow Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0 6-3 6-4 for his 35th straight win on Centre Court.
Djokovic is no stranger to the last 16 at the All England Club, having now reached that stage for the 13th time.
But he has never before met Dutch wild card Tim van Rijthoven, the breakout star of the summer in the men’s draw.
In fact Djokovic may not have even heard of the 25-year-old until last month, given he had not won a single ATP Tour match until he was a surprise winner of the s-Hertogenbosch tournament in his homeland.
Van Rijthoven has now won eight consecutive matches on the grass after his 6-4 6-3 6-4 third-round victory over Nikoloz Basilashvili.
He has also become an unlikely Wimbledon favourite, with a familiar cry of ‘Come on Tim’ echoing around Court 12.
“I think it’s Tim Henman you’re talking about,” smiled Van Rijthoven.
“I think that’s just a little bit before my time. So obviously I do know Tim Henman as a player. But for me, it didn’t really sound familiar.”
Van Rijthoven may have to get used to it for the next couple of days, at least.
“Before the tournament started, it was a dream for me to play him basically,” added Van Rijthoven.
“So to be able to have that chance and to maybe even play on Centre Court or Court One is beautiful and magical.”
Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz beat German Oscar Otte in three sets to set up an enticing meeting with fellow youngster Jannik Sinner, of Italy, who knocked out Andy Murray’s conqueror John Isner.