CLASH OF STYLES WILL SUIT NORRIE

CAM NORRIE is on song to silence Harry Stylessuperfan Andrey Rublev at the US Open.

And Davis Cup captain Leon Smith believes he is going in only one direction in New York.

World No11 Rublev has twice been to see superstar Styles in concert at Madison Square Garden.

“I really like the show,” said the Russian. “I like music”.

The 24-year-old was even once part of a cover band that made music videos of One Direction songs.

But with a top-of-thebill date with Rafa Nadal awaiting the winner, Smith warned Norrie has raised his performances since reaching the semifinals of his home Grand Slam.

Huge

“Wimbledon was huge for him – the confidence he got from that is very significant,” said Smith.

“He has always had that focus in the last few years but now, if you mix that with the confidence he’s got and how he believes in himself, reaching the latter stages of Slams.

“Getting to the second week here is really good, but he will want to go further again and will back himself. He is playing well enough.”

Norrie (right) has also benefited from working with his Argentinian coach Facundo Lugones since 2017.

“The consistency of his team is really important and they have grown with him on this journey,” said Smith.

Norrie and Rublev are 1-1 in head-to-head clashes but the Brit won their last meeting in San Diego last year.

Smith, who will have Norrie leading his team in the Davis Cup group matches in Glasgow next week, said:

“It could be a brutal match and long, which is good for Cam.

“It’s a match-up where he can cause Rublev problems. But he is going to have to weather storms as well, because Rublev is that good.”

The Russian, who came through five tough sets against Denis Shapovalov, said: “It’s going to be a tough match. Especially in our last meeting, I lost to him.

“The way he plays, he makes you go for extra shots, take extra risks. ”

Dan Evans had a rowdy fan ejected before bowing out in four long sets to Marin Cilic.

He said: “It was better that he left – there were young kids around.”

No 2 seed Rafa Nadal says he is finding his form after winning his 18th consecutive match against Richard Gasquet.

The Spanish superstar, who played only match before New York after pulling out of Wimbledon, said: “It was an important improvement.”