Cameron Norrie doesn’t ‘want to see’ Roger Federer ‘ever again’

Last Briton standing in the singles draw, Cameron Norrie found time for a little backhanded humour at Roger Federer’s expense after his 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win against Tommy Paul. When asked if he wished to face the Swiss master in future, the ninth-seeded Briton had a response at the ready:

“I don’t think I ever want to see Roger on the other side of the net ever again,” quotes the Express.

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Having twice been at the receiving end of Federer’s sorcery- including a competitive four-set skirmish at last year’s Wimbledon– Norrie was understandably wary of testing the waters against the eight-time Grand Slam champion.

The Johannesburg-born player carries British hopes on his stocky shoulders as more spoken-of names have fallen by the wayside. But he remains unfazed ahead of a crunch quarter-final against Belgian David Goffin. Speaking after his win, Norrie rued the exits of British counterparts but rallied the crowd to support him with greater frenzy:

“Unfortunately I’m the last [Briton] standing. But I think it’s even more reason for everyone to get behind me,” quotes the BBC.

The first Briton to reach the last-eight since Johanna Konta made the quarters in 2019, the 26-year-old is an unassuming presence, calmly going about his business. His temperament has held him in good stead, especially during a see-saw second-round tie against Spaniard Jaume Munar. “I’ve improved a lot and matured on the court and kept progressing with my team. I’ve definitely improved mentally over the years and I’m way more mature as a player, and I think it shows,” he added.

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A baseline brawler, Norrie isn’t most comfortable on grass. Yet the run to the quarters should fill him with confidence, something he alluded to in his post-match interview:

“I’ve stayed patient with myself and embraced the grass surface – it’s probably not my favourite surface but this gives me a lot of confidence,” quotes the BBC.