Cameron Norrietakes on Australia’s Alex Bolt today in the third round of Wimbledon as the British No2 looks to go further than he’s ever gone before.
Norrie, 25, has reached the third round in each of his last four slams – proving his adaptability to different surfaces – and the challenge now is to go deeper and reach the second week.
Norrie is ranked 34th in the world, only a few places behind the current British No1 Dan Evans who is also in the third round, as is Andy Murray, on the comeback trail after injury sent him tumbling down the rankings.
The 6ft 2in left-hander is a problem for any opponent, with a powerful two-handed backhand which is one of the best on tour, and an ability to move around the court combined with a comfort at the net which makes him particularly adept on fast surfaces like grass.
Norrie was born in Johannesburg to a Welsh mother and a Scottish father before moving to Auckland, New Zealand when he was three years old. His family still reside there but Norrie moved to London aged 16, all on his own, to pursue his dream of becoming a professional tennis player.
He lived and trained at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton and toured Europe, switching allegiance to Great Britain aged 17 partly because of the opportunities and funding afforded to him, which surpassed the New Zealand system. He enrolled at Texas Christian University and climbed to the top of the US college tennis rankings, before turning professional at the end of his studies, aged 21.
Norrie made a quick impression in his first attempt at Wimbledon, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round as wildcard. He reached his first ATP final in his childhood city of Auckland, and reached the final of Queen’s only two weeks ago, losing to Italian Matteo Berrettini over three sets.
Highest world ranking
No34 (current).
Grand slam record
Career highlights
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2018: Entry into the Top 100 (91st at the end of the season)
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2019: First final at an ATP 250 (Auckland, hard). Entry in the Top 50
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2020: Outside the Top 50
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2021: Finalist at the ATP 250 of Estoril (clay) and Lyon (clay), as well as the ATP 500 at Queen’s (grass).
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