Cameron Norrie chances slim against ‘alien’ Novak Djokovic declares Wimbledon quarter-finalist
Novak Djokovic is unlikely to falter against Cameron Norrie according to David Goffin after the Belgian fell to the Brit in five sets on Tuesday at Wimbledon.
The former world number seven was up against Norrie in his second ever Wimbledon quarter-final appearance, but failed to go one step further than he did in 2019 as he lost out 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 5-7.
That means Norrie takes on 20-time Slam champion and triple defending Wimbledon champion Djokovic for a place in the final.
When asked in his post-match press conference if he thinks Norrie can defeat Djokovic to reach that final, Goffin was initially diplomatic in his response.
He said: “We never know, we never know.
“If [Norrie] is playing the tennis of his life, maybe, and if Djokovic is not feeling well.
“But Novak is Novak.
“He plays even better when the crowd is against him.
“Novak is just an alien, I don’t know how to beat an alien.”
Norrie will certainly have the Centre Court crowd on his side come Friday, with fans on Court One today taking their time to cease chanting ‘Norrie! Norrie!’ after his victory on Tuesday.
Despite claiming to not know how to beat the ‘alien’, Goffin has defeated Djokovic once before, at the Monte Carlo Masters back in 2017.
Perhaps he means at Wimbledon especially, the Belgian having lost to Djokovic 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 in the quarter-finals of the 2019 event.
With Norrie the first first-time Slam semi-finalist to book his spot in the last four, the other half of the men’s draw promises at least one other.
None of Taylor Fritz, Nick Kyrgios or Cristian Garin has reached that stage of a Major.
Either Kyrgios or Garin will certainly achieve that feat, while Fritz will have to overcome Rafael Nadal to get there himself.
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