03:02 PM
Federer 6-4, 1-1 Norrie* (*denotes next server)
A helpful net cord gets Norrie to 15-30 on the Federer serve (the first time today). Can he make it count? He can, initially, as he comes to the net to play the most dainty of volleys to earn two break points. A good, deep first serve allows Federer to save the first of those, before a serve drive volley saves the second. A forehand winner down the line gets the Swiss to advantage and a long Norrie forehand gives him the game.
Federer won four points in a row there – his timing looks good, his rhythm is there. Norrie needs another good service game now.
02:57 PM
Federer* 6-4, 0-1 Norrie (*denotes next server)
A Norrie serve (accidently) hits a child in the crowd – the young chap looks ok, though, thankfully. The Briton doesn’t let that affect him as he indulges in a bit of serve and volley on his way to hold to 15. That was good from Norrie – he had to hold there or possibly see the match run away from him. The boy who was hit is fine and Norrie gives him a towel to remember the day (and very minor pain) by.
02:51 PM
FEDERER TAKES THE FIRST SET 6-4!!
No shock, breaking news from me (apols, Cam Norrie fans)…Federer, so dominant on his serve, holds to 15 and takes the first set in a little over 30 minutes.
That was the Federer of the Gasquet win, not the unsettled Federer of the Mannarino scare. He was impressive without really getting out of third gear.
02:49 PM
Federer* 5-4 Norrie (*denotes next server)
At 30-30 and on second serve Norrie is under pressure on his serve once again. He wins that point, though, and and wins the game with a cute drop shot. Norrie needed that. A gutsy hold BUT he has to find that first serve more.
Federer will now serve for the first set.
02:44 PM
Federer 5-3 Norrie* (*denotes next server)
Federer is playing well here without really breaking sweat – ominous for Norrie. First up he sends Norre wide onto his backhand before hitting a subline forehand winner down the line. He again holds to love and he’s won 11 points in a row on his serve.
02:42 PM
Federer* 4-3 Norrie (*denotes next server)
A double fault (his fourth) puts Norrie under pressure at 0-30. He has to find that first serve. He doesn’t the very next point and Federer has three break points. He only needs one of them as the Swiss plays a delightful down-the-line winner. Fed breaks to love and has now won eight points in a row.
You can’t really gift games like that to the eight-times champion. That’s the perfect start for the Swiss.
02:39 PM
Federer 3-3 Norrie* (*denotes next server)
The Federer serve is up and running and in the groove – the first love hold of the match and it came in no more than 90 seconds.
02:36 PM
Federer* 2-3 Norrie (*denotes next server)
That’s good from Norrie – the nerves have definitely settled. He’s untroubled as he holds to 15.
02:33 PM
Federer 2-2 Norrie* (*denotes next server)
Norrie loves a target and he passes well with a backhand winner down the line – his approach shots will have to be pinpoint today, though. Federer dominates the rest of his second service game and holds to 15.
02:30 PM
Federer* 1-2 Norrie (*denotes next server)
The first slip of the match (not been many past few days to be fair) comes from Norrie as Federer is aggressive coming in off a short Norrie forehand. The Briton responds well with two good first serves before a brillinat backhand winner down the line. Much more comfortable hold for Norrie – he holds to 15. Early nerves possibly settled?
02:27 PM
Federer 1-1 Norrie* (*denotes next server)
Federer opens up with an ace. If he gets his first serve going then it will be tough for Norrie – so much of his brilliance stems from getting that first serve in and dominating from there. It’s a great barometer of where the Swiss’ game is. Going on that game it’s OK – the eight-times champion comfortably holds to 15.
02:24 PM
Federer* 0-1 Norrie (*denotes next server)
Tim Henman says on BBC comms that the first 15-20 minutes will be important for Norrie. The Briton serves first and starts well with a big first serve, but there are signs of nerves as Federer puts the early pressure on to get to 15-30. A double fault then gifts Federer an early break point. He needs to find his first serve and he does that next point up with an ace. He holds to 40 after and ace and three double faults – interesting. Nerves apparent but he’s a game to the good.
02:17 PM
Roger Federer speaks…
.On his win over Richard Gasquet…
“It was great match for me against Gasquet. I hope it helps me build on from here. I got into a really good, strong 30-60 minutes. It gave me confidence.”
On Cameron Norrie…
“Cam is very comfortable on grass as we saw at Queen’s. He’s a lefty and I haven’t played him that much. He’s taken a big step forward as a player and it will be a tough match.”
02:14 PM
In other news…
Coco Gauff continued her impressive tournament.
She won 6-3, 6-3 against Kaja Juvan.
02:12 PM
After that Raducanu masterclass
Let’s see what another Briton can serve up for us on Centre Court.
Cameron Norrie is in the form of his life but he knows he’ll be up against it against Roger Federer. Even at the age of 39 and with waning powers the eight-time champion is a major challenge on Centre Court.
11:38 AM
Cameron Norrie ready for the challenge of Roger Federer
By Molly McElwee
The Centre Court crowd may feel somewhat conflicted today as they battle with a tricky dilemma: cheer for their much-loved eight-time Wimbledon champion or the underdog Brit?
Cameron Norrie will play arguably the biggest match of his career when he steps out against Roger Federer, in his first ever appearance in the last-32 here and his first time facing the 20-time major champion. “If it’s a time to play Roger, now is probably the best time I guess,” the British No 2 said ahead of Federer’s second round win on Thursday. “But he’s still a decent player.”
Quite the understatement, but he is right in that so far this week Federer has been far from his best. He was fortunate when Adrian Mannarino, who was leading by two sets to one, had to retire after spraining his knee in the first round and handed Federer victory. Against Richard Gasquet he was much improved, winning in straight sets, but still not his supreme self.
Norrie, 25, is right that it is good timing in that sense – but more so because of his own brilliant form. He heads into this in the best shape of his life and brimming with confidence after a run to the finals at Queen’s. His coach Facundo Lugones says his improvement is down to the fact he is finally steering his own career.
“He completely took ownership of his career,” Lugones says, in an interview with Telegraph Sport. “He’s been doing that just since the pandemic started, so 18 months now, and it is finally showing.”
Since the start of 2021, Norrie’s ranking has climbed from 74 to 34, after reaching the third round at both the French and Australian Opens, making three ATP Tour finals and beating five top-20 players.
It started with the pandemic according to Lugones, when Norrie flew from Indian Wells last March to his parents’ home in Auckland, New Zealand. There he set his racket aside for a few weeks, and put himself on a gruelling running regime in the hilly terrain. His fitness improved, and so did his attitude.
“When he got back from New Zealand, he was a different guy,” Lugones says. “Taking ownership means he is on top of everything now. Before he would leave everything up to me or to the physio, and he didn’t have an idea of what was going on. Now he wants to know everything.”
Lugones met Norrie when they were both students at Texas Christian University, when he says the Brit was “a kid that didn’t really know what he was doing, everything was kind of random”. Now, four years on from becoming Norrie’s coach when he turned professional, the British No 2 has benefitted from the pandemic when he could “reset”.
“He was one of the few where the pandemic was good for. He was struggling at the beginning of 2020. He took it in a good way and we started from zero. The way he is managing things now, he calls himself the CEO of Norrie Capital, and we make fun of him for that. But he is also not making excuses, taking ownership if for some reason it didn’t go his way. I think that makes things a lot easier to keep getting better, when you are honest with yourself.”
Beating Federer on Centre Court he will have to find another level, as one of the toughest challenges in tennis. But Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith says Norrie can find it, because of his confidence this year: “He will believe he can win and he has to believe that. He’s going to have to play a great match, that’s obvious, but the way he’s playing – there’s a reason why he’s number 12 in the race rankings this year.
“His actual game is really effective, he’s improved it. I watched courtside at Queen’s and I was really impressed. His ball speed’s gone up this year, his forehand is way more offensive, he’s taking the ball earlier.”
Key is his fitness though: “He knows he’s fit enough; if he needs to go five sets with him, he can go five sets. He’s just got to go out and make it as physical as possible – I think that’s really important for him.”
Federer is still trying to shake off the cobwebs, after two knee surgeries and a 16-month absence from Grand Slam tennis before the French Open this year.
Lugones agrees in making every point as physical as possible, but insists this tactic is more about what Norrie can do, than about Federer’s physical vulnerability. “Obviously Roger is probably not in his best shape compared to two to three years ago but it is not because it is Fed, we try to make it physical with everyone and that is where Cam plays his best.”