British No.1 Norrie bows out in Monte Carlo upset
BRITISH number one Cameron Norrie crashed out of the Monte Carlo Masters after losing in three sets to Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Norrie, who received a bye in the first round as the seventh seed, recovered from a set and a break down to force a decider, with his opponent seemingly struggling with an abdominal injury.
However, world number 37 Ramos-Vinolas fought back to win 6-4 2-6 6-4 in two hours and 32 minutes, the eighth victory of his career against a player ranked in the world’s top 10.
Ramos-Vinolas has now won all four of his matches on clay against Norrie, whose only victory against the Spaniard came on grass at Queen’s last year.
Norrie saved a break point in the opening game of the match with the aid of two aces, but was broken in the seventh game and was unable to convert his only break point of the set as RamosVinolas served it out.
Ramos-Vinolas then broke in the opening game of the second set and held serve to lead 2-0, only for Norrie to rattle off the next six games in a row, including three breaks of serve, to set up a decider.
After taking a painkiller for his injury, Ramos-Vinolas rediscovered his best form in the final set and one break of serve was enough to secure a rollercoaster win.
“We always have good matches and he’s in the top 10 so for me today it’s a great win,” RamosVinolas said in an on-court interview.
“I started off well and was 2-0 up in the second set but tennis is like this. I lost seven (games) in a row but somehow I start to play good and I’m happy to be in the next round.”
British number two Dan Evans also bowed out of the event after losing in straight sets to Belgium’s David Goffin.
Evans saved five break points in the opening set before Goffin won the tie-break, with the world number 47 then breaking three times in the second on his way to a 7-6 (5) 6-2 victory.