Although he seemed composed today, Cameron Norrie will feel the full weight of the nation’s hopes when he takes the court at Wimbledon tomorrow.
In his first-ever quarterfinal appearance at SW19, Belgian David Goffin will take on the final remaining British competitor.
The 26-year-old British prospect confessed last night: “It’s always going to be a lot of pressure and a lot of people watching what’s going on,” even if he appeared at ease when he cycled to the All England Club for practice today.
The tournament is still going on, but there are a lot of emotions right now. As a result, I’m not yet satisfied and I want to keep pushing for more.
The fans cheered when he defeated American Tommy Paul in straight sets on Sunday, giving him his biggest career victory. He was the first British man to go to the quarterfinals since Sir Andy Murray in 2017.
He was raised by British parents in Johannesburg and began playing tennis at the age of four on a “imaginary court” outside his house using a squash racquet that had been reduced in size.
He liked to play all the time, according to his mother Helen, a 59-year-old biologist from Cardiff.
When he was still a little child, the family relocated from South Africa to Auckland, where his mother and his father David, a biochemist who was born in Glasgow, still reside.
They recognized the talent in their left-handed kid, who entered a coaching program and rose to the top 10 junior rankings globally.
He subsequently shifted his allegiance to the country of his parents, and at the age of 16, he arrived by himself at the national training facility of the LTA in Roehampton, London.
He played tennis for three years before winning a scholarship at Texas Christian College in Fort Worth, Texas, where he also studied sociology.
But in 2016, he needed six stitches in his chin after crashing a moped during a night out at a pub.
He was threatened with expulsion and forced to compete in a lower-level ATP Challenger competition.
He called it a “turning point” this week and said, “The coaches spurred me into gear and I was more professional after that.” I grew up a lot.’
Before becoming pro in 2017, he rose to become the top-ranked collegiate player in the US.
The next year, he made his Davis Cup debut for Great Britain, and in January 2019, he made it to his maiden ATP final. Norrie was still operating under the radar even though he was ranked among the top 100 singles.
However, the pandemic’s halt of overseas tours gave him the chance to work extremely hard.
The rising star returned to the game with a new feeling of purpose after spending three months alone without the company of his new love, US textiles expert Louise Jacobi.
According to his family, Miss Jacobi, who has supported him throughout the competitions, has also had a favorable impression on him. She acknowledged that when she first met Norrie, she barely knew the rules of tennis.
The New Yorker has won over his parents, who are now sitting with them in his player’s box today.
She exudes tranquility, according to his mother. She’s been excellent for him, in my opinion, and they can talk about other topics outside of court.
The saying “You have to have other interests in life or you would go crazy” applies to Cameron, who is a smart young man.
After cycling for 10 minutes to the grounds, the British No. 1 spent an hour on the practice courts at SW19.
Despite having a net worth of almost £3 million, he claimed he does not own a car and prefers to commute by bicycle.
He said on ITV yesterday night that spending time with his parents, who were unable to leave New Zealand because of the epidemic, had been wonderful.
He did, however, add that their victory on Sunday “was probably pretty difficult for them.”
The game tomorrow is probably going to be “very stressful,” not just for them but for supporters all throughout the nation.