Cameron Norrie is two wins away from capping a perfect start to the season with a title in New Zealand, the country where he was raised. Seeded second at the ASB Classic in Auckland, he improved to 5-0 on the year with a 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-2 victory against Marcos Giron in Thursday's quarter-finals.
Norrie has now won four straight three-setters dating back to his triumphs against Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz at the inaugural United Cup. But he was disappointed to have to play a deciding set after a fast start against Giron.
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"I came out firing and really was enjoying my level and playing well," he assessed. "I made it really tricky for myself, played a loose game to start the second set. Just a lack of concentration. I was able to come back and then he played a better tie-break than me, he was more aggressive and he executed better. He deserved it.
"Then I came out [in the third set] and played kind of similar to the first set and took it to him, and exposed his backhand."
Norrie improved to 2-1 in his ATP Head2Head against the World No. 60 Giron, with the American winning their previous meeting last year in Vienna.
The 27-year-old Norrie also lost a second-set tie-break in his Auckland opener against Jiri Lehecka before advancing with a strong finish. Now through to the semi-finals as the lone seeded player remaining in the ATP 250 draw, he will next take on Jenson Brooksby after the American held off the challenge of Quentin Halys to seal a 7-6(3), 7-6(2) quarter-final win.
Despite Halys serving 13 aces in the pair’s maiden ATP Head2Head encounter, Brooksby was clinical in both tie-breaks to seal a one-hour, 54-minute victory. The 22-year-old American, who is playing in his first tour-level event of the season, is now 6-1 in ATP Tour quarter-finals.
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Norrie has now won four straight three-setters dating back to his triumphs against Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz at the inaugural United Cup. But he was disappointed to have to play a deciding set after a fast start against Giron.
[ATP APP]
"I came out firing and really was enjoying my level and playing well," he assessed. "I made it really tricky for myself, played a loose game to start the second set. Just a lack of concentration. I was able to come back and then he played a better tie-break than me, he was more aggressive and he executed better. He deserved it.
"Then I came out [in the third set] and played kind of similar to the first set and took it to him, and exposed his backhand."
Norrie improved to 2-1 in his ATP Head2Head against the World No. 60 Giron, with the American winning their previous meeting last year in Vienna.
The 27-year-old Norrie also lost a second-set tie-break in his Auckland opener against Jiri Lehecka before advancing with a strong finish. Now through to the semi-finals as the lone seeded player remaining in the ATP 250 draw, he will next take on Jenson Brooksby after the American held off the challenge of Quentin Halys to seal a 7-6(3), 7-6(2) quarter-final win.
Despite Halys serving 13 aces in the pair’s maiden ATP Head2Head encounter, Brooksby was clinical in both tie-breaks to seal a one-hour, 54-minute victory. The 22-year-old American, who is playing in his first tour-level event of the season, is now 6-1 in ATP Tour quarter-finals.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]