| Venue: All England Club Dates: 27 June-10 July |
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Shortly before he started the British grass season, Cameron Norrie told an amusing anecdote when asked about how he would deal with the increased scrutiny which the home players receive during Wimbledon.
“I was sitting in a restaurant recently, at the bar, and the bartender goes to me ‘do you watch much tennis?'” said the British men’s number one.
“I was in dressed in my casual clothes and said ‘I watch a little bit’.
“He said ‘you look exactly like this player, Cameron Norrie’.
“I was, like, ‘Oh really, OK’. I played along, didn’t say anything and on the way out I said ‘I am Cameron Norrie’. He couldn’t believe it.”
It is unlikely the same bartender will make the same mistake after world number 12 Norrie finally cracked the last 16 of a Grand Slam.
The 26-year-old left-hander has enjoyed a rapid rise up the ATP rankings in the past couple of years, but was still to make a real breakthrough at one of the sport’s four major tournaments.
Success at these events really cements a player in the public conscience and Norrie’s victory over American Steve Johnson felt like the moment which will start to mark him out to wider British society.
While making a name for himself is not Norrie’s main goal, he says he is enjoying the attention which comes with being one of Britain’s biggest hopes at the All England Club.
A fervent atmosphere built gradually on Centre Court during his win against Johnson, with chants of ‘Norrie, Norrie, Norrie! Oi, oi oi!’ starting after he broke in the second set and creating a jubilant mood as he moved towards victory.
“Being the British number one, playing on Centre Court, being in the spotlight and playing to that level that I did, was a lot of fun,” he said.
“I embraced it and really enjoyed it.”
How a multi-cultural journey is thriving in London
Norrie’s journey began in Johannesburg and, after moving to Auckland as a child and then studying in Texas, has since made a home in London.
With a Welsh mother and a Scottish father, he was always destined to represent the nation despite retaining a hint of a Kiwi accent.
His parents, microbiologists David and Helen, have been a driving force in his life and watched on proudly as they shared his finest moment on Centre Court.
The couple still live in New Zealand and have been following their son around the European clay and grass…
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