Despite being geographically distant from the UK at the Australian Open, Cameron Norrie experienced crowd backing during his second-round encounter that he ranked among the best three he’s ever had.
Britain’s second-ranked player successfully navigated his match against America’s Emilio Nava over four sets, securing a win with scores of 6-1 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 7-6 (7-5).
He now stands as the sole remaining British singles competitor, a pattern observed in the previous three Grand Slams, following Emma Raducanu’s defeat by Austrian Anastasia Potapova and Arthur Fery’s strong loss to Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Wednesday.
British players consistently draw spectators at Melbourne Park, yet the audience generated an exceptionally “incredible ambiance” for the 26th seed during his entire three-hour and 20-minute presence on the court.
So, how did this experience measure up in Norrie’s professional journey?
“I’d classify it as the premier atmosphere I’ve encountered at the Australian Open,” he commented.
“The primary inquiry is: where’s the post-event celebration? We must continue, heading directly to the Crown [Melbourne’s casino and entertainment complex].”
Norrie made his entrance onto the court just past 5:30 PM local time, recovering to clinch the initial two sets in slightly over 90 minutes prior to Nava initiating a partial recovery by winning the third set.
Subsequently, ill-timed rainfall occurred, causing a play stoppage for nearly an hour and bringing the fourth set to an impasse during a tie-break – with Norrie on the verge of victory, just three points away.
“I found myself genuinely amused and felt incredibly calm upon returning to the court afterward,” Norrie stated.
“It posed a considerable challenge for the spectators. A vibrant ambiance was developing, and the venue was entirely full. It’s regrettable the contest couldn’t have concluded at that moment with such a lively setting.”
The 27th-ranked player globally articulated that the audience occasionally felt as though they were “right on the court,” further noting: “Every direction I glanced, someone was passionately rooting for me.”
Enthusiastic supporters chanting his name also punctuated his interview conducted on the court after the match, making it reasonable to conclude he has endeared himself to the local populace.
Norrie’s upcoming opponent will be Germany’s third seed, Alexander Zverev, who defeated Frenchman Alexandre Muller in four sets and holds a perfect record of six wins in their prior encounters, which includes a decisive tie-break in Melbourne two years ago.
“I’m eager for another opportunity to compete against him.
“I’ll bear in mind that, should I find myself in a fifth-set tie-break once more, I’ll strive for greater aggression and take the initiative, perhaps avoiding a dropshot escape in the tiebreak. Time will tell.”
