Cameron Norrie is into the second round of the Australian Open, but he had to do it the hard way.
Although, for this former British number one, the hard way is usually the path he tends to tread most frequently.
A connoisseur of the five-set finish, it certainly didn’t look like it was going to be a long match when Cam Norrie raced into a 6-0 lead.
However, his opponent rallied back to win the next two sets, before a similar response saw Norrie claim the victory.
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Wherever he goes, a rowdy crowd seems to follow, and at times throughout the match, the Australian Open crowd were heard shouting as players began to serve.
The victor spoke about the fans, among plenty of other things, in his post-match press conference.
Cameron Norrie reacts after winning Australian Open epic
Norrie first rated his level, and the unpredictable dips he suffered during, noting: “Yeah, there were a couple breaks that were just a little bit donated from me. I’ve been playing in the previous weeks very, very solid on my serve. That was interesting to have those dips in concentration.
“But to bring it back with the level that I did was really good. But, like you said, he’s a tricky player. Some moments, you feel if you just put the ball there to the forehand, in some moments he’s going to miss. Then he stopped doing this. I had to be proactive and really start looking for my forehand.
“I felt when I did that, I was really effective. I was dictating the points. I felt really good physically at the end. I was flying around the court at the end. It was good fun.”
He concluded by crediting his opponent and referencing the crowd: “But all credit to him to fight. Was looking ugly, 6-Love down. He fought. He gave me nothing. Not really reacting too much. Then quickly I was two sets to one down, looking difficult.
“But I was able to change the momentum, so… It was a battle out there. Definitely an enjoyable one. Great atmosphere, too.”
Norrie said he’d been feeling a lot better ahead of the Australian Open, and he was given the chance to instantly prove that during a five-set epic.
British players thrive in the first round of the Australian Open
It’s fair to say that British tennis has enjoyed an exceptional start to life Down Under, with every player who featured on the Sunday having gained passage into the second round.
Arthur Fery’s win over Flavio Cobolli provided the perfect start, with a huge upset over a seeded opponent.
Norrie then followed that up with a victory of his own against Benjamin Bonzi.
How will Emma Raducanu fare at the Australian Open after receiving this draw?
Emma Raducanu was the third and final Brit to earn their spot in the next round, with plenty more to come on Monday and Tuesday.
Jacob Fearnley, Sonay Kartal, Fran Jones and Katie Boulter are all yet to play.
