The 29-year-old Brit has advanced to Wimbledon’s Round of 32 after beating Bautista and Tiafoe: “If I keep playing at this level, it could be fun…”
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It’s been a while since we’ve seen Cameron Norrie enjoying himself this much on the court—and not just any court, but the iconic All England Club in London. Many remember his 2022 semifinal run there, one of the highlights of his career alongside his Indian Wells title.
But at 29, Norrie is proving he’s far from done. This Wimbledon, he’s out to remind everyone he’s still a serious threat. Now into the Round of 32, where he’ll face Italy’s Bellucci, here’s what he had to say after his four-set win over Tiafoe.
Victory over Tiafoe
It was a great victory, a high-level match from both of us, especially the first set, where I served and played very well. I didn’t do anything wrong, but I lost it 6-4. There I tried to tell myself to keep doing the same thing, didn’t have to change too much, just wait for his level to drop. It did slightly, and that’s when I took risks, when I needed to. I was calm, really enjoying my tennis, I love this court. The atmosphere was great, I served well throughout the match, I think I was very consistent all the way through.
Norrie called it a strong win, praising the quality of play on both sides—especially in the first set, where he felt he played well despite losing 6-4. Instead of overthinking, he stuck to his game plan and waited for his chance. Once Tiafoe’s level dipped slightly, Norrie stepped up and took his chances. Staying composed and enjoying the moment, he credited the lively atmosphere and his consistent serve for helping him through the match.
Happy to Play on Court 1
Honestly, I don’t mind. I love playing on Court 1, I really like how the game is played on this court, where my team is seated in the stands, they have a great view. From there, I feel a great connection with them, it’s exciting, probably a bit louder than Centre Court. Obviously, when you play on Centre Court, it’s also a very special feeling, but on Court 1, I always play well, so I’d like to keep playing there. I had a lot of fun today, there was a great atmosphere throughout the match.
Norrie shared how much he enjoys the experience of competing on Court 1. He feels a strong bond with his team from their spot in the stands and appreciates the energy, which he says is sometimes even louder than Centre Court. While Centre has its own magic, Court 1 brings out his best tennis—and that made today’s match especially enjoyable.
A Victory That Builds Belief
It gives me a lot of confidence, especially for the level I showed, it was an unreal match, very complete. I served well, moved well, played the drop shots well, although I did that very well in the past too. I was very clinical, hitting the slice and moving forward correctly. It was a great performance on my part, very mentally stable all the time, I did everything on my own terms. I can take a lot of confidence from this, a great victory here, I even enjoyed the tough moments thanks to the crowd. Apart from all the performance, I managed to finish winning the match, that was the icing on the cake.
Reflecting on his win over Tiafoe, Norrie called it one of his most complete performances. He was happy with every part of his game, his serve, footwork, drop shots, and mental strength. He credited the crowd for helping him through the tough moments and said the result gave him a huge confidence boost.
A Contender for the Title?
If I continue at this level, it will be nice and fun to see how far I can go, although it will also depend on what happens on the other side of the net, so I will focus solely on my own affairs. This victory was incredible, but there are still many great players left in the draw, so everything will become tougher. I will have to play even harder to have a chance against my next opponent
Asked if he sees himself as a title contender, Norrie remained grounded. He’s excited to keep pushing, but knows the competition gets harder with each round. For now, he’s focused on his own game and taking things one match at a time.
A Tournament Full of Upsets
It doesn’t change my way of thinking, not at all. This just shows that the level of unseeded players is really high. The truth is that I didn’t see any seeded player playing poorly, what I did see was a tremendous group of great players. It’s amazing to see the level of professionalism and depth in the men’s locker room, how our sport has grown, how everyone is doing things right now, traveling with super complete teams. I don’t care if those left are seeded or not, the level of the draw remains very high, so nothing changes.
Norrie isn’t fazed by the surprising results at this year’s Wimbledon. For him, it’s just a sign of how deep and competitive the field has become. He praised the professionalism of all players and said that whether opponents are seeded or not, the level remains intense.
The Road Back After Injury
At the end of the day, no matter how you’re hitting the ball or how your training is going, you just have to accept where you are and what your ranking is. Either way, there’s no reason not to enjoy it, we’re very lucky to play tennis, but we can’t control everything. You also can’t take the competition for granted, I suffered a lot when I was injured and couldn’t play, it was tough to watch a Grand Slam on TV, it would have been nice to have competed in it. Now I’m happy to be back, to be healthy, to enjoy tennis again. I showed it today, I walked off the court with a smile on my face after giving it my all.
Norrie opened up about how difficult it was to deal with injuries and time away from the game. Watching Grand Slams from the sidelines wasn’t easy, but now that he’s healthy again, he’s focused on enjoying the game and giving his best. Walking off the court smiling meant everything to him.
Then vs. Now – Life After Being World No. 8
When I was in the top 10 or top 20, everything was different, it was automatic, there was hardly any time to think. It’s all very professional, you go from one place to another, all very professionally. We enjoy these things in our way, trying to do the right things, seizing the momentum and playing well. We focused on the positive aspects, it was a great experience, now is when resilience is needed to back me up. Now I’m enjoying tennis more than ever, of course, it was wonderful to reach the top 10, it’s really tough to stay there, especially seeing how the other guys progress. It will be fun to try to get back to where I was, there’s still a long road ahead to traverse.
Looking back at his time in the top 10, Norrie said it all felt fast-paced and very professional, often without time to reflect. Today, he’s more focused on enjoying the game and staying resilient. Getting back to the top will be a challenge, but it’s one he’s excited to take on.
Source: puntodebreak