By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday, July 6, 2022

What’s the secret to Cameron Norrie’s rise on the ATP Tour?

Well, for one, he’s in insane shape.



His longtime coach, Facundo Lugones talked to reporters on Wednesday and shed some light into just how hard the 26-year-old World No.12 works.

“He does a lot of fitness, probably more than anyone,” Lugones said. “I don't even know how much other players do, but it would be hard to beat how many hours Cam does, especially when he's fitness training with Vasek, do some really intense conditioning sessions on the court where he stays in that red zone where the heartbeat is just insane.

“He stays in that area for long periods of time. He's still able to execute and manages to play tennis at a decent level when he's in that state. That's why in the fifth set he looked actually more comfortable than at the beginning of the match.”

Lugones was asked to specify what he meant by “red zone,” and elaborated.

Here’s how the press conference went:

“Just really, really high. And he can stay on that for six, seven minutes, no problem.”

Q. What heart rate?

FACUNDO LUGONES: 200.

Q. Six or seven minutes he can do?

FACUNDO LUGONES: I think a normal person can't even do a minute and a half on that. Can probably, I don't know, die. Would be close to passing out. He can play tennis for eight, nine minutes on that.

He’s a man now

Lugones talked about the British No.1’s level of commitment in recent years.

“Now he's a man,” Lugones said of the first-time Grand Slam semifinalist, who will face Novak Djokovic for a spot in the final on Friday. “Before he was just a kid. I mean, his maturity, the way he goes about his business. It's still improving all day. He's really, really mature.

His tennis now is his priority number one, where before he had a lot of different things going on. Maybe tennis was really important, but it was not the only thing.”