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The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Cameron Norrie vows to stay vocal as Carlos Alcaraz awaits at Wimbledon
Cameron Norrie said he relishes playing Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Tuesday and will continue to compete with the competitive energy that has driven his success, regardless of what other people think. 'I'm excited to play against him and I'm going to have to play my best level, and even better, to have a chance because he's got such a diverse game,' Norrie said. 'I'm going to have to be tough and bring more energy to have a chance.' Norrie reached the quarter-finals by holding his nerve in a bruising five-set battle with the Chilean qualifier Nicolás Jarry on Sunday. Jarry complained afterwards to Norrie about his tendency to cheer loudly after most points. 'He said I was a little bit vocal and I think: 'That's my energy,'' Norrie said. The competitive drive and relentless positivity that the left‑hander displays have been key factors in his success over the years. Some players, however, are less enthused by opponents who cheer their unforced errors or after less important points. Asked last week about the impact of the crowd on their second-round match, Frances Tiafoe focused immediately on Norrie's cheering: 'He was super‑amped,' Tiafoe said. 'He was saying 'c'mon' from the first game, which is definitely annoying, but that part bothered me more than the crowd.' Norrie also tends to encourage himself in French and Spanish, which led to a tense moment with the Spaniard Roberto Carballés Baena in Metz last November after the British player recovered to seal a three-set win: 'You say 'vamos!' all the time, looking right in my face,' Carballes Baena said. Norrie then offered a self-deprecating response: 'A couple of 'vamoses' and you get pissed off?' he said. 'I'm playing so bad, so I had to fire myself up.' As he looked to his upcoming match against Alcaraz, Norrie, 29, took these criticisms in his stride: '[When] a couple of people have not been too happy with it, I think it's been in a big match. I think they want to win the match as well, so it's understandable to maybe take it personally. But for me, I'm just aiming it at my team and aiming it at some people and some friends in the crowd. 'I think [against Jarry] it was a match where there's some moments with not a lot happening. I think some of the points are maybe not worthy of saying 'vamos' or saying 'c'mon' but it was a match that I really had to do that, because those points that don't mean a lot, if you lose those ones, you can get broken, and the match can go away from you very quickly.' To his credit, Norrie keeps the same energy regardless of his opposition. After their match at the Italian Open in 2023, Novak Djokovic also took issue with Norrie's frequent fist‑pumping. As he faces off against Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion and French Open champion who is on a 22‑match winning run, Norrie vowed that he will not shy away from the occasion. 'There's a lot of big matches, and we're playing and we're competing for [our] livelihood out there. So I want to compete as hard as I can, and I'm not going to tank matches and roll over matches for someone else. I'm doing it for myself, I'm not doing it to make someone else feel bad, or not doing it for that. If they take it personally, it's nothing to do with me.' Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Despite the gulf between their achievements, tennis is a game of match-ups and Norrie has at least caused Alcaraz trouble. The Spaniard has won four and lost two against Norrie but the Briton has won two of their past three meetings. At times, Norrie has been able to wear the world No 2 down with his shot tolerance and physicality, luring him into lengthy rallies and exposing Alcaraz's lack of patience. The pair have a great relationship and train together frequently at tournaments. 'Facing Cam is always really, really difficult,' Alcaraz said. 'We have really difficult battles. For me facing him is almost a nightmare, to be honest. Really tough from the baseline. I'm not surprised he's in the quarter-final playing great tennis because I've seen him practising. When he lost at Queen's [Club], he stayed for five days practising morning, afternoon and night. I saw him. So I'm not surprised at all seeing his level.' Alcaraz, though, has improved dramatically since Norrie won their most recent meeting, in the 2023 Rio Open final. He presents a completely different challenge across best-of-five-sets at grand slams and the grass courts only accentuate his complete game. The Spaniard will enter Centre Court as the clear favourite in his pursuit of a third Wimbledon title .
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Cameron Norrie vows to stay vocal as Carlos Alcaraz awaits at Wimbledon
Cameron Norrie said he relishes playing Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Tuesday and will continue to compete with the competitive energy that has driven his success, regardless of what other people think. 'I'm excited to play against him and I'm going to have to play my best level, and even better, to have a chance because he's got such a diverse game,' Norrie said. 'I'm going to have to be tough and bring more energy to have a chance.' Norrie reached the quarter-finals by holding his nerve in a bruising five-set battle with the Chilean qualifier Nicolás Jarry on Sunday. Jarry complained afterwards to Norrie about his tendency to cheer loudly after most points. 'He said I was a little bit vocal and I think: 'That's my energy,'' Norrie said. The competitive drive and relentless positivity that the left‑hander displays have been key factors in his success over the years. Some players, however, are less enthused by opponents who cheer their unforced errors or after less important points. Asked last week about the impact of the crowd on their second-round match, Frances Tiafoe focused immediately on Norrie's cheering: 'He was super‑amped,' Tiafoe said. 'He was saying 'c'mon' from the first game, which is definitely annoying, but that part bothered me more than the crowd.' Norrie also tends to encourage himself in French and Spanish, which led to a tense moment with the Spaniard Roberto Carballés Baena in Metz last November after the British player recovered to seal a three-set win: 'You say 'vamos!' all the time, looking right in my face,' Carballes Baena said. Norrie then offered a self-deprecating response: 'A couple of 'vamoses' and you get pissed off?' he said. 'I'm playing so bad, so I had to fire myself up.' As he looked to his upcoming match against Alcaraz, Norrie, 29, took these criticisms in his stride: '[When] a couple of people have not been too happy with it, I think it's been in a big match. I think they want to win the match as well, so it's understandable to maybe take it personally. But for me, I'm just aiming it at my team and aiming it at some people and some friends in the crowd. 'I think [against Jarry] it was a match where there's some moments with not a lot happening. I think some of the points are maybe not worthy of saying 'vamos' or saying 'c'mon' but it was a match that I really had to do that, because those points that don't mean a lot, if you lose those ones, you can get broken, and the match can go away from you very quickly.' To his credit, Norrie keeps the same energy regardless of his opposition. After their match at the Italian Open in 2023, Novak Djokovic also took issue with Norrie's frequent fist‑pumping. As he faces off against Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion and French Open champion who is on a 22‑match winning run, Norrie vowed that he will not shy away from the occasion. 'There's a lot of big matches, and we're playing and we're competing for [our] livelihood out there. So I want to compete as hard as I can, and I'm not going to tank matches and roll over matches for someone else. I'm doing it for myself, I'm not doing it to make someone else feel bad, or not doing it for that. If they take it personally, it's nothing to do with me.' Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Despite the gulf between their achievements, tennis is a game of match-ups and Norrie has at least caused Alcaraz trouble. The Spaniard has won four and lost two against Norrie but the Briton has won two of their past three meetings. At times, Norrie has been able to wear the world No 2 down with his shot tolerance and physicality, luring him into lengthy rallies and exposing Alcaraz's lack of patience. The pair have a great relationship and train together frequently at tournaments. 'Facing Cam is always really, really difficult,' Alcaraz said. 'We have really difficult battles. For me facing him is almost a nightmare, to be honest. Really tough from the baseline. I'm not surprised he's in the quarter-final playing great tennis because I've seen him practising. When he lost at Queen's [Club], he stayed for five days practising morning, afternoon and night. I saw him. So I'm not surprised at all seeing his level.' Alcaraz, though, has improved dramatically since Norrie won their most recent meeting, in the 2023 Rio Open final. He presents a completely different challenge across best-of-five-sets at grand slams and the grass courts only accentuate his complete game. The Spaniard will enter Centre Court as the clear favourite in his pursuit of a third Wimbledon title .
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Cameron Norrie sinks Jarry in five-set Wimbledon epic to set up Alcaraz quarter-final
Cameron Norrie was desperately fighting for his survival by the final set of an agonising duel over four hours and 27 minutes on his beloved No 1 Court. As he watched ace after ace fly past him from one of the world's most destructive servers, Norrie's momentum had disappeared along with his two-set lead and match point. The Briton has been on a purposeful journey over the past few years and, after enduring one of the most difficult periods of his career, he has rebounded with even greater courage and self-belief. He drew upon those qualities in the final moments of one of the most significant wins of his career as he held his nerve to close out a 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-3 win over the qualifier Nicolás Jarry. The victory marks Norrie's second grand slam quarter-final, having reached his first en route to the semi-finals at the All England Club in 2022. Despite the greater attention that other players receive, he is again the last British player standing at Wimbledon. After spending such a long time watching his lead shrink against an opponent who fired down 46 aces, Norrie dragged himself over the line, using his supreme competitive spirit and composure to hold on. Next he will face Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion and second seed, after he defeated the 14th seed Andrey Rublev 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, on Tuesday. The recent trajectory of Norrie's career has been fascinating. Having already been struggling with his form in 2024, a left biceps injury compounded his misery. From his career high ranking of No 8, he fell as low as 91st in May. Norrie is an extremely ambitious person and at his lowest point, as he compared his frustrating level to his form when he reached the top 10, he was weighed down by his own expectations. He has found his way by focusing solely on his enjoyment of the sport, finding happiness and satisfaction in every single workout, practice and match, regardless of the result. Now, on the biggest stages, his results are also a source of joy again. This was always likely to be a significant challenge. Having climbed as high as No 16 last year, Jarry has fallen to a ranking of No 143 in large part due to a severe case of vestibular neuritis, an ear condition that has affected his balance, perception and vision, leading to spells of dizziness. The Chilean stands at 6ft 7in and at its best, his serve is untouchable. As Jarry fired down aces at will, shutting his opponent out of his service games for much of the match, Norrie took care of his own service games brilliantly, winning all 25 and courageously saving all eight break points he faced throughout the match. The pair would combine to work through 38 consecutive service holds in the match. After establishing a two-set lead, Norrie held a match point on his serve in the third set tie-break at 6-5, but Jarry took the racket out of Norrie's hand with his relentless attack and serving as he forced a fourth set. More than an hour later, Jarry's flawless serving performance and bold, relentless aggression allowed him to force a fifth set in another tie-break. As Norrie desperately tried to land returns, to chase down every ball and offer his opponent no free points, he was rewarded for his doggedness as the Chilean opened the set with a poor service game, allowing the Briton to seal the decisive break. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Norrie brilliantly held on to his serve throughout the final set, saving three break points as he closed out a monumental win that further re-establishes him at the top of the men's game. As Norrie sealed the match with a running forehand passing shot, a grand slam quarter-finalist once more, he tossed his racket into the air and rolled on the grass in glee. 'Honestly, I don't know. I think credit to Nico, he did an unbelievable job staying with me,' said Norrie. 'He played better than me in both tie-breaks. I didn't want to let his gamestyle bother me so I just kept fighting.' The shifting scoreline was not the only source of drama on No 1 court. Jarry had complained to the umpire Eva Asderaki about Norrie's ball bouncing between first and second serves. Then, as they convened for the handshake, Jarry expressed his displeasure with Norrie's tendency to cheer loudly after almost every successful point. Although their extended discussion prompted boos from the crowd, Norrie and Jarry eventually shook hands and the Briton applauded his beaten foe as Jarry departed: 'He said I was a little bit vocal and I think: 'That's my energy,'' Norrie said. 'I just said: 'Man, you competed so well, you hung in there so well.' It was an amazing, competitive match and I loved it.'
Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Times
Cameron Norrie sets up Carlos Alcaraz clash after sportsmanship spat
There have been bigger wins against better opponents during his career, but Cameron Norrie's Wimbledon fourth-round victory on Sunday ranked as one of his most satisfying triumphs. The last British singles player standing at the All England Club this year withstood a barrage of 103 winners from the racket of Chile's Nicolás Jarry to prevail 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-9), 6-7 (5-7), 6-3. At four hours and 27 minutes, it is the longest match the 29-year-old Norrie has ever contested. Norrie, ranked No61 in the world, was exceptional in the way he maintained his focus for an extended period of time as there was much to overcome. The pinpoint serving of the 6ft 7in Jarry produced a total of 46 aces, not only making it challenging to break but also putting greater importance on Norrie's own service holds. Jarry added to the drama by making complaints about Norrie's sportsmanship. First he complained about the length of time Norrie was taking to bounce the ball before his second serve, and even imitated it to make his point clear. After the match Jarry then confronted Norrie by the side of the court to air another grievance about his constant fist pumping and shouts of 'Come on'. The vast majority of the 12,000-capacity crowd on No1 Court unsurprisingly rallied behind the home player and booed Jarry in response. 'He said I was a little bit vocal but that is my energy,' Norrie said. 'I told him he competed so well and it was a great match. 'I wanted to take my time on the second serve and making sure that I'm getting myself ready to set. I actually didn't even notice he was upset with that. I don't want to rush into it and hit a quick double fault. If I'm hitting a second serve, I have to be ready for sure.' Jarry said: 'He's very competitive, so he knows how to make the most of the important games and the important parts of the match.' Another test of Norrie's resilience came in the final two sets. In the third-set tie-break he had a match point for a straight-sets victory but failed to convert and was kept out on court for another two hours as Jarry launched a stirring fightback. The relief was evident at the end when Norrie fell to the court and rolled on to his back in celebration. Three years after reaching the semi-finals here, he has become only the fourth Briton to reach a Wimbledon men's singles quarter-final on multiple occasions in the open era, joining Andy Murray, Tim Henman and Roger Taylor. 'Honestly I don't know how I did that [winning],' Norrie said. 'Credit to Nico. He did an unbelievable job. He played better than me in both tie-breaks [that he lost]. I had to keep fighting.' Centre Court now awaits for Norrie on Tuesday. He had specifically requested a return to No1 Court on Sunday because of his preference for the more feverish atmosphere and the closer position of his coaching box. There is no way, though, that his quarter-final against Carlos Alcaraz can be anywhere other than the main stadium. Norrie leaves No1 Court with fond memories of beating a formidable opponent. Jarry may have come through qualifying with a world ranking of No143, but the 29-year-old made for quite a challenge as someone whose career-high was No16. The reason for his fall down the rankings was the diagnosis of an inner ear disorder, vestibular neuritis, which made it difficult for him to play with the effects of dizziness, vertigo and loss of balance. Well aware that this was going to be a match in which dips of concentration on his serve would be punished, Norrie was mightily relieved in the opening game to save a break point. From there it was an efficient set, with Norrie remaining steady in all facets of his play before having his patience rewarded with a key break for 5-3. More of the same followed in the second set, with Norrie taking his opportunity when the moment came with a backhand cross-court winner on his first set point at 6-4 in the tie-break. At this point Jarry decided to raise a complaint with the umpire Eva Asderaki about Norrie's slow ball bouncing — well within the rules before a second serve as the 25-second limit is only in place before the first serve — and then did the same himself minutes later. The first match point for Norrie came in the third-set tie-break at 6-5, but a bold and brave series of attacking shots paid off for Jarry as he stole the set at 8-7 with a forehand winner. Norrie then let slip another lead in the fourth-set tie-break by losing five of the next six points to be dragged into a fifth set. Norrie remained steadfast despite the setbacks and finally claimed a long-awaited second break of serve for 2-0, the first in the match for either player since the eighth game of the first set. It helped that it was partly gifted through a double fault and an unforced backhand error by Jarry. One break was enough for Norrie to go on and see out the victory, continuing an unexpected turnaround for him on the court this summer. He arrived at the Geneva Open seven weeks ago for qualifying because his ranking was too low for direct entry at No91. Since then he has reached the last 16 of the French Open and now the last eight of Wimbledon, rising to a projected ranking of No43. 'At the beginning of this year, I struggled with confidence,' Norrie said. 'I want to enjoy my tennis more and I'm doing that. It is a bonus to win but enjoying it is what matters. I am so happy to be in another quarter-final in the best tournament in the world.'
The Guardian
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘All the hard work paid off': Norrie says tough times make Wimbledon run even better
Cameron Norrie said his spectacular run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals has been made even more satisfying by his recent struggles with form and injury, which led to him falling down the rankings. Norrie, the last British singles player standing, held his nerve to defeat Nicolás Jarry 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-3 in an epic four-hour 27 minute battle to reach his second quarter-final at the All England Club. The left-hander had held a match point on his serve at 6-5 in the third set tie-break before Jarry turned the match around with his enormous serve, eventually forcing a five-set shootout. 'It feels a little bit better and more deserved coming back from the injury and kind of coming back and trying to push back into the top of the game,' said Norrie. 'So all the hard work, it's paid off. I've been a dedicated professional and have a good team around me. These moments are the icing on the cake.' Having climbed as high as No 8 in the world rankings in 2022, Norrie, 30 next month, suffered a significant biceps injury last year and he has generally struggled with his form. In May he fell to No 91 in the rankings. Against Jarry, a qualifier, he maintained his composure as the Chilean fired down 46 aces. Norrie held each of his 25 service games, saving all eight break points in the match. 'I didn't want to let his game style kind of get me frustrated,' said Norrie. 'When he's serving lots of aces and nothing is happening in the match, and then suddenly he's playing some really good points. So I wanted to stay fired up and really enjoy all aspects of the match. 'If it's a cheap point, I was enjoying it. If it was a long rally, I was enjoying it. If I had a forehand winner, I was enjoying it. And I wanted to keep that energy high. He served 46 aces in the match, and I didn't want to let that bother me.' Norrie will next face Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, after the Spaniard defeated the 14th seed Andrey Rublev 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4: ' Now it only gets tougher,' said Norrie.
