Best yet to come, says Cameron Norrie, after reaching US Open third round for first time
Cameron Norrie has credited lockdown in helping him reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Having stunned No9 seed Diego Schwartzman on day one of the US Open, Norrie made infinitely lighter work of second-round opponent Federico Coria for a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
The British No3 pocketed a cheque for at least £123,000 for reaching round three and faces an eminently winnable tie against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a place in the last 16.
Following his latest scalp, 25-year-old Norrie admitted he had not felt the rigour of his previous five-set epic as he might have done in the past. He said: “Honestly, I felt great. Obviously, I had a lot of time over lockdown to prepare and get myself physically ready. I’ve been working really hard with my fitness trainer. I’m feeling physically great.”
Against Schwartzman, Norrie recovered from two sets down and defended two match points to take the win. Last night, though, he rarely looked in danger of ceding control.
But after becoming the first British player into the third round, he said: “I didn’t play anywhere near my best tennis today, but I went in again with a really good attitude and managed to serve well and play some clutch tennis on the break points in the third set.
“It’s great to be in the third round — first time for me. It’s even better doing it when not even playing my best. I’m just really pumped with my attitude. To get through that match today was great, especially after such a big win against Schwartzman on Monday. I was pleased to back it up.”
Compatriot Kyle Edmund had threatened to produce the upset of the tournament by taking the first set against Novak Djokovic, but hopes of ending the world No1’s unbeaten run in 2020 were halted in a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 defeat.
After coming up just short of ending Djokovic’s winning streak, which is now at 25 matches, Edmund said: “I thought my level was good. There were stages where my level dropped, then I picked up a bit, and I broke him in the third. But he’s No1 in the world for a reason.”
Britain could potentially have three men in the third round at Flushing Meadows, with Andy Murray and Dan Evans both in action today.
Evans, the No23 seed, takes on Corentin Moutet, while Murray aims to recover from his own five-set marathon against 15th seed Felix Auger Aliassime late into the New York night as the final match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Ninth seed Johanna Konta will aim to avoid a second day of shocks in the women’s draw in her second-round encounter against Sorana Cirstea this evening after No1 seed Karolina Pliskova was the biggest-name casualty on day three.
Top seed in the absence of Ash Barty and Simona Halep, Pliskova struggled to a 6-1, 7-6 loss to Caroline Garcia and said: “I maybe didn’t play my best, but that’s how it is sometimes. I’m not a robot, so I don’t have to play every day amazing.”
Seeds Elena Rybakina, Marketa Vondrousova and Alison Riske — ranked 11th, 12th and 13th respectively — were also knocked out.
But Naomi Osaka, despite having her leg heavily strapped, won in straight sets. This time she came on court with her face mask carrying the name Elijah McClain, who died after being put in a choke hold by police and sedated by paramedics last year.
She said: “I want people to have more knowledge [about racial inequality]. I feel like the platform I have is something I used to take for granted.”
Read more
Norrie reaches US Open third round for first time after win over Coria
Top seed Karolina Pliskova knocked out of US Open by unseeded Garcia
Djokovic battles past Edmund to reach US Open third round
Andy Murray shows mettle to win 'hardest match of my career'
