Cameron Norrie, who is 39th in the ATP rankings and outside the top 30 for the first time this year, ended a six-match losing streak with a 6-4 6-1 win over Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round of the Mifel Open in Mexico. The British number two had not won since the Madrid Open in April, a run that included a first-round exit to qualifier Michael Zheng at Wimbledon.
Playing in Los Cabos, where he won his first ATP title in 2021, Norrie recovered after having his serve broken twice in the first set, including in the opening game. The fifth seed then dropped only five points on serve in the second set and broke American Kovacevic twice to set up a meeting with Australian James Duckworth or American Aidan Mayo in the last 16.
"I'm so happy," said Norrie, who retired from his French Open first-round match in May because of a rib injury.
"I hadn't had a win in a while. I've been battling some injuries and a bit of confidence, so I was a bit nervous.
"But I played well in the big moments and managed to stay calm."
British number two Katie Boulter was also knocked out of the Citi Open in the first round, extending her losing run to four matches. American Ashlyn Krueger triumphed 3-6 6-2 6-2 in Washington DC as Boulter won only four points from 2-0 up in the deciding set.
How did Norrie turn the match around?
Norrie turned the match around after a difficult start in which his serve was broken twice in the opening set, including immediately in the first game. He responded strongly in the second set, where he conceded only five points on serve and broke Kovacevic twice to close out the match in straight sets.
What does this mean for his next round?
The result sends Norrie into the last 16, where he will face either James Duckworth of Australia or Aidan Mayo of the United States. It also ends a run that had stretched back to his win at the Madrid Open in April and included setbacks at Wimbledon and at the French Open, where he retired in the first round because of a rib injury.
What happened to Katie Boulter in Washington DC?
Katie Boulter was beaten in the first round of the Citi Open by Ashlyn Krueger, 3-6 6-2 6-2, and her losing streak was extended to four matches. In the deciding set, Boulter won only four points after going 2-0 up.
Key Facts
- Cameron Norrie is 39th in the ATP rankings and outside the top 30 for the first time this year.
- He beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4 6-1 in the first round of the Mifel Open in Mexico.
- Norrie had not won since the Madrid Open in April and had lost six matches in a row.
- Katie Boulter lost to Ashlyn Krueger 3-6 6-2 6-2 at the Citi Open in Washington DC.
