Wimbledon: Cameron Norrie says he was 'disappointed' with loss
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Cameron Norrie, 27, has booked his place in the second round of the US Open with a win over Benoit Paire on Tuesday. The British star dispatched the Frenchman in straight sets, 6-0 7-6 (7-1) 6-0 in the first round of the Slam at Flushing Meadows. In New York, the world number nine is looking to build on an impressive season that saw him reach his first ever Wimbledon semi-final last month, where he was beaten by eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
In recent weeks, the South Africa-born star’s success has continued as he reached the final of an ATP Tour event in Mexico and the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters earlier this month.
After turning professional in 2017, Norrie enjoyed his breakout season last year, shooting up the world rankings.
His meteoric rise from number 74 to 12 saw him move past Dan Evans to become the British number one.
Amid Norrie’s success, an unearthed video shows him as a teenager predicting how he would one day “go pro”.
A fresh-faced Norrie, aged just 19, was interviewed as he joined the Horned Frogs tennis team at Texas Christian University, where he studied sociology on a sports scholarship.
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Rare footage of teenage Cameron Norrie predicting he would ‘go pro’
Speaking in November 2014, Norrie said: “I wanted to come to a place with good weather.
“Just so I was playing outdoors a lot, so I can improve my game.
“I just think it is the right place to develop my game and to go pro afterwards.”
Then a first-year student, Norrie had impressed his coaches in two straight singles victories to earn his spot in the finals of his first college tournament.
Speaking about his hopes for the future, he said: “I am just expecting myself to compete 100 percent and give everything for my team and myself.
“Let’s just see and let the results come with the hard work, really.”
Norrie’s head coach at the time, David Roditi, had a kind word about the rising star’s “natural” talent.
He said: “I believe that in college and any sport you need the competition to bring out the best in you.
“I believe that is what Cameron naturally brings to this team. You are practicing with him, and he is going to play at a certain level.”
Norrie, who was born to Scottish and Welsh parents, spent much of his junior career representing New Zealand, where grew up.
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Now based in London, he has been representing Great Britain since 2013, and won his debut Davis Cup in 2018.
In his current US Open campaign, Norrie admitted that he is not always confident as he spoke following his first-round win over Paire.
Speaking to Amazon Prime, he said: “I was actually pretty nervous. It’s a pretty unpredictable match against Benoit.
“It was a quick first set but it’s pretty dangerous sometimes winning sets 6-0. He played well to break me to serve for the second set.
“He kind of went away in the third, which I’ll take every day of the week when it’s this hot.
“I don’t mind it [the heat]. I’m able to block it out better than other guys.
“When it’s hot and humid like this the ball is flying. You have to be really sharp. I did a good job of that today.”
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