British No 1 Cameron Norrie beaten 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 by six-time champion Novak Djokovic in Wimbledon semi-finals; Norrie wants “more” after making it to last four and says run has given him confidence, Djokovic to meet Nick Kyrgios in Sunday’s final at SW19
Last Updated: 08/07/22 9:26pm
Britain’s Cameron Norrie lost in four sets to six-time champion Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon semi-finals
Cameron Norrie is aiming to win a Grand Slam after his “pretty sick” run at Wimbledon was ended by Novak Djokovic at the semi-final stage.
British No 1 Norrie, who had never previously been past the third round of a major, took the first set against Djokovic on Friday before the 20-time Grand Slam champion rallied to win in four and secure a showdown with Nick Kyrgios in SW19 on Sunday.
Reflecting on his defeat to six-time Wimbledon winner Djokovic, who has not lost at the All England Club since 2017, Norrie said: “I think it was a good experience to play him, especially with the level he brings here.
Jacquie Beltrao says that Norrie should be proud of his Wimbledon performance
“It gives me a lot of confidence – but it doesn’t mean anything. I think I need to keep working hard. I’ve still got a lot of things I can improve in my game.
“To reach the semis is pretty sick. But I want to do more of that and go one further and try to win a slam. [There were] a lot of firsts for me this week, a lot of good experiences. Hopefully I can take them in my stride.
Norrie: Djokovic handled service games better than me
“I think it was just the level of execution from Novak that was better than me. His level of focus, the way he handled his service games was better than me.”
Norrie celebrated a break of serve in the opening game with a leaping pump of the fist, and the crowd could barely believe it when he won five games in a row to clinch the opening set.
Djokovic vs Norrie: Match Stats
| Djokovic | Match Stats | Norrie |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Aces | 7 |
| 1 | Double Faults | 3 |
| 82% | 1st serve win percentage | 71% |
| 58% | 2nd serve win percentage | 41% |
| 5/14 | Break points won | 3/4 |
| 38 | Total winners | 33 |
| 28 | Unforced errors | 36 |
| 113 | Total points won | 89 |
Norrie felt the first set was more down to Djokovic’s nerves than anything spectacular from himself, saying: “I think I played OK. I just made a lot of returns. I hit the spots well on my serve.
“It was the biggest match of my career. I think it was a six out of 10 set. It was a good start, but it wasn’t enough.”
When asked whether he believes Norrie can push for a first Slam, Djokovic said: “Absolutely. He’s an all-around player, a very professional guy.
“I see the things that he’s doing off the court. With this kind of approach, I feel like you’re always going to get chances.”
Djokovic admits ‘nerves were kicking in’
Djokovic extended his run of successive grass-court victories to 27 and has become the first man to reach 32 Grand Slam finals.
The Serb added: “I’m very satisfied and pleased that I am putting myself in a position to win the trophy.
“I didn’t start off as well as I did in most of my matches here in Wimbledon, I didn’t feel so good at the beginning, I made a lot of mistakes and just didn’t find my rhythm.
“Nerves were kicking in for both of us. He handled them better and was a better player for a set and a half.
“One poor game from his side at 4-3 second set, the match turned around. I know I always expect from myself that I can play better than I did. But I have to be pleased with this win.”
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