Cameron Norrie: British no. 2 wins in the first round at Delray Beach open in spite of the ‘nerves’ and ‘unpleasant’ heat | Tennis news
Cameron Norrie admitted that he had a nerve before the match after fought in the last 16 Delray Open with a 7-5 6-4 win over US qualifiers by Zachary Svjada.
Norria, which won the Florida tournament in 2022, has been fighting on hard terrain this season so far, but has come out of the turbulent opening to seal a welcome win in temperatures that have approached 30 degrees.
British no. 2 shared four breaks for serving in the first six games with his opponent, but caught a further interruption at 12.
Svagada recovered an early break in the second to threaten Norrie to take to the third set of decisions, but the British player brought back back that he had set the last 16-16 conflict with Gabriel Diall or the French ninth seed of Arthur Rinderknech.
“I’m very pleased,” Norrie said in an interview on the field after the match.
“It’s very uncomfortable here. Florida is a bit of a warmth for me.
“My first outdoor match for a while and I was pretty nervous. I didn’t move so well with my feet, but I was really pleased with how I finished both sets by playing my best level, and that is what is counting.
“I didn’t play great and Zach made it difficult. It doesn’t give you a lot of energy, so it was hard to push, but I was pleased with how I finished the match, which is most important.”
After Australian opening, Norrie played tournaments with the clay bark of Buenos Aires and Rioo before Indian Wells in the 2023 and 2024, but this time he was already playing Dallas-where he lost last week in the second round from Reilly Opelke after winning One set advantage – before arriving on the eastern coast of Florida.
“I skip clay this year, I was grinding outside in South America, so I hoped it would be a little easier here, but it’s not. I’m sweating just as much as I would be southern America!” he said.
“But it’s nice to be on hard terrain and good luck you got a win in a difficult match.
“I think it’s important to get a victory like this where you are very nervous and you are really embarrassed, so very happy that you have won such a victory. I don’t feel the best thing I don’t do because I got here so I can take a lot of confidence than that.
“Relax [on Tuesday]I hope he will enjoy the beach a little and prepare for my game on Wednesday. “
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