adminLONDON. – Shortly before he started the British grass season, Cameron Norrie told an amusing anecdote when asked about how he would deal with the increased scrutiny home players receive during Wimbledon.
“I was sitting in a restaurant recently, at the bar, and the bartender goes to me ‘do you watch much tennis?’” the British men’s number one said.
“I was dressed in my casual clothes and said ‘I watch a little bit’.
“He said ‘you look exactly like this player, Cameron Norrie’.
“I was, like, ‘Oh really, OK’. I played along, didn’t say anything and on the way out I said ‘I am Cameron Norrie’. He couldn’t believe it.”
Next time, the bartender will definitely know who he is serving after world number 12 Norrie reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, where he will play defending champion Novak Djokovic on Friday.
The 26-year-old left-hander has enjoyed a rapid rise up the ATP rankings in the past couple of years, but was still to make a real breakthrough at one of the sport’s four ma-jor tournaments.
Success at these events really cements a British player in the public conscience – particularly Wimbledon – and Norrie’s quarter-final victory over Belgium’s David Goffin was another moment which will mark him out to the nation.
While national recognition or celebrity status is not Norrie’s main goal, he says he is “enjoying and embracing” the attention that comes with being one of Britain’s biggest hopes at the All England Club.
A fervent atmosphere built on Court One during his five-set comeback win against Gof-fin, culminating in a electrifying chant of ‘Norrie! Norrie! Norrie!’ moments after he clinched victory.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were among the 11,000 or so fans, with Prince William’s facial expressions particularly summing up the emotions of a nation willing their man over their line.
“I saw them at the end there. So that’s obviously very special to be playing in front of them, and obviously they had more interest in my match, which is pretty cool,” said Norrie, who became uncharacteristically teary during his on-court interview.
“At the end of the fourth set, I really got the crowd involved and they were behind me every point.
“I think it frustrated David a little bit. Maybe that was the difference.”
Norrie’s journey began in Johannesburg and, after moving to Auckland as a child and then studying in Texas, has since made a home in London.
With a Welsh mother and a Scottish father, he was always destined to represent the nation despite retaining a hint of a Kiwi accent.
His parents, microbiologists David and Helen, have been a driving force in his life and watched proudly on Court One as the family shared his finest moment together.
“I think every match that I’ve won this week my mum has cried,” Norrie said.
The couple still live in New Zealand and missed much of his recent rise in the flesh because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But they have been following their son around the European clay and grass tournaments since flying over to Rome in May.
“It’s very cool to have them here watching. It is very rare for them to be here and watching, especially over the last couple of years,” Norrie added.
“The matches are getting bigger and the moments are getting more special.”
His sister Bronwyn, who lives in London, has been among his loved ones watching on court, along with his old landlady, Linda, and friends from his university days. – BBC Sport
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter