Putney-based tennis player becomes first Brit to win at Indian Wells
Cameron Norrie. Picture: si.robi
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Putney’s own Cameron Norrie has achieved something that Sir Andy Murray, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski failed to do by winning this Indian Wells title this Sunday (17 October).
The 26-year-old, who has been in white hot form this season, won his second title of the year in California despite going a set down to Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili. Indian Wells seen as one of the biggest competitions in tennis outside the Grand Slams.
He said on court afterwards, "I can't really believe it. If you'd have told me I'd have won before the tournament started I wouldn't have believed you, so it's amazing."
His victory will raise his ranking to 16th in the world have been at 74th at the beginning of 2021.
The match started well for Cameron with an early break but Basilashvili the dominated the first set. However he took the second set and pressure eventually told on his Georgian opponent in the final set.
Cameron commented, "For a stage he went through and hit so many winners. It was tough for me to get some confidence. The rallies were really short and he was just blasting winners.
"When I made a couple of big shots in the 5-4 game in the second set it gave me a lot of confidence, and I was able to find my feet again, start moving again, and make the rallies physical like I've been doing all tournament and it worked in my favour."
The tournament is part of the Masters series and Cameron now looks well set to take part in next month’s ATP eight man men’s finals. Although he is currently ranked 10th, Rafa Nadal is out for the rest of the season so he just needs to outperform ninth-placed Hubert Hurkacz before the final rankings are decided. There are competitions in Vienna and Paris to come which could allow him to clinch the final place.
After the match he dedicated the victory to his parents, his dad is from Scotland and mum from Wales. Born in South African, he grew up in New Zealand but move to this country when he was 16 and made Putney his home.
Cameron, who is now the British number one, has been regularly seen playing at the Roehampton Club although during the pandemic he has been living with his parents in New Zealand when not competing.
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October 18, 2021
