Cameron Norrie is the last hope for British singles at the Australian Open, battling to a four-set win over Emilio Nava on Wednesday.
A Roaring Crowd Carries Norrie Through
The British No. 2 overcame a rain delay and a spirited comeback from his opponent to secure his place in the next round.
- Norrie defeated Emilio Nava 6-1, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) in a match lasting three hours and 20 minutes.
- He is now the sole remaining British singles player in the tournament after losses by Emma Raducanu and Arthur Fery.
- Norrie described the atmosphere at Melbourne Park as the best he’s experienced at the Australian Open.
- He will next face third-seeded Alexander Zverev, a familiar opponent who has won their previous six encounters.
Cameron Norrie advanced to the third round of the Australian Open after a compelling 6-1, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) victory over American Emilio Nava. The British number two, currently ranked 27th in the world, was buoyed by a fervent crowd at Melbourne Park, a support he called “top three” in his career.
Norrie arrived on court shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time and quickly established control, taking the first set with relative ease. He continued his momentum into the second, winning a tie-break 7-3. However, Nava mounted a comeback, claiming the third set 6-4.
The fourth set proved to be the most dramatic. Play was interrupted by rain for nearly an hour while Norrie was three points away from victory in a tie-break. “I was actually laughing to myself and felt so relaxed when I came out afterwards,” Norrie said. “It was quite tough for the fans. There was a lot of atmosphere building and it was completely packed. It was a shame the match couldn’t have finished there with all the atmosphere.”
The world number 27 felt the crowd’s energy throughout the match. “I could look anywhere and someone was getting fired up for me,” he explained, adding that at times it felt like the fans were “on top of the court.” His post-match on-court interview was even interrupted by chants of his name.
Norrie acknowledged his past struggles against Zverev, who has won all six of their previous meetings, including a deciding-set tie-break in Melbourne two years ago. “I’m excited to have another crack at him,” Norrie said. “I’m going to remember that, if I’m in the fifth-set tie-break again, I’ll try to be more aggressive and be the one going for it, maybe not to bail out on a dropshot in the tiebreak. We’ll see.”
The win comes after fellow British players Emma Raducanu and Arthur Fery were eliminated from the tournament on Wednesday. Raducanu lost to Anastasia Potapova of Austria, while Fery was defeated by Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry, leaving Norrie as the last Brit standing in the singles competition – a situation that has occurred in the past three Grand Slams.
Following his victory, Norrie jokingly inquired about the location of the after-party, suggesting a trip to the Crown casino and entertainment resort in Melbourne.
