By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 5, 2022
A shining – and well-deserved moment – had Great Britian’s Cameron Norrie all choked up on court. After winning out over Belgium’s David Goffin, 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, the Brit could hardly control his emotions.
By the time he made his way to Wimbledon’s main interview room, he was still feeling the buzz.
“Just all the hard work and the sacrifices and everything just kind of all hit me at once,” he said. “Especially the situation, you know, here at Wimbledon in front of my family, my friends, and obviously a lot of people following that match.
“For me, just kind of thinking back, all the hard work, the sacrifices and everything was just, I kind of didn't really know what to say obviously. Got emotional there, just a crazy day and crazy match to get through, especially with the way that it started.
“That's the reason why you play the sport.”
Norrie becomes the fourth British man to reach a Wimbleon semifinal in the Open Era, joining Andy Murray, Tim Henman and Roger Taylor.
“It’s a best ever result at a Slam for Norrie, and a result that is a long time coming.
Norrie has quietly become one of the most reliable player on the ATP Tour over the last two seasons, amassing 84 wins and four titles since the beginning of 2022, with his biggest breakthrough coming last October at Indian Wells, when he won his first Masters 1000 title.
Today on No.1 Court he had to battle past a talented former World No.7 who has been on the rise of late. After falling behind two sets to one down, Norrie doubled down his efforts to secure his biggest career triumph.
Norrie enjoyed crowd support – including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – and used them to rally back late in the fourth set.
“David did a good job of kind of hushing the crowd, you know, that he was playing at such a high level and was really giving me nothing,” Norrie said. “I think at the end of the fourth there, that 4-3 game I really got the crowd involved, and from then on, they were behind me every point.
“I think it frustrated him a little bit. Maybe that was the difference today.”