Cameron Norrie admitted to experiencing pre-match nerves after combating his method into the final 16 of the Delray Seashore Open with a 7-5 6-4 win over American qualifier Zachary Svajda.
Norrie, who gained the Florida event in 2022, has struggled on exhausting courts up to now this season however emerged from a torrid opening to seal a welcome win in temperatures approaching 30 levels.
The British No 2 cut up 4 breaks of serve within the first six video games together with his opponent, however grabbed an additional break within the twelfth recreation to take the set.
Svajda recovered an early break within the second to threaten to take Norrie right into a third-set decider, however the British participant hit again to arrange a last-16 conflict with both Gabriel Diallo or French ninth seed Arthur Rinderknech.
“I am very glad,” stated Norrie in his on-court interview after the match.
“It’s extremely uncomfortable out right here. The Florida warmth is attending to me slightly bit.
“My first match outside shortly and I used to be fairly nervous coming in. I used to be not shifting my toes that properly however I used to be actually pleased with how I completed each the units enjoying by greatest degree, and that is what counted.
“I used to be not enjoying nice and Zach made it tough. He does not provide you with a lot vitality so it was robust to push however I used to be pleased with how I completed the match, most significantly.”
Norrie headed for the clay-court tournaments of Buenos Aires and Rio after the Australian Open final 12 months earlier than Indian Wells however this time has already performed Dallas – the place he misplaced within the second spherical final week to Reilly Opelka after squandering a one-set benefit – earlier than arriving on Florida’s east coast.
“I am skipping the clay this 12 months, I used to be grinding on the market in South America so I hoped it was going to be barely simpler situations right here, however it wasn’t. I am sweating simply as a lot as I might in South America!” he stated.
“However good to be on the exhausting courts and completely satisfied to get the win in a troublesome match.
“I feel it is essential to get wins like this the place you are very nervous and also you’re actually uncomfortable, so very completely satisfied to get a win like that. Not likely feeling my greatest and not likely practising properly since I received right here so I can take a number of confidence from that. Calm down [on Tuesday], hopefully benefit from the seashore slightly bit and prepare for my match on Wednesday.”
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