ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2022

Cameron Norrie

Press Conference

C. NORRIE/J. Kubler

6-3, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: You're into the third round, another convincing performance today. Can you analyze the match for us, please.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, really happy to be through. I played out similar what I thought it would be, pretty physical rallies, not really a clear strategy. I felt like my game matched up well with his. Played my patterns and managed to get the first set. It was a very close first set.

And, yeah, a little bit disappointed with how I lost a bit of concentration early in the second. Up a break and a chance to put my foot on his neck. He fought back well, and I played a couple loose points.

Then also in the third set to lose concentration again, start of the third, and then managed to play -- I was really happy with how I finished the match playing, obviously winning six games in a row, and finding lots of width on my forehand and really spreading the court and hitting it very close to the line which made it very difficult for him.

Happy with how I finished it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. When you have reached this stage before, you have played Rafa on clay, Rafa on hard court, you played Roger on grass, so you have had some bad draws when you've got to the third round. Not taking anything away from your next opponent, but you will be the favorite. So that's quite an unusual experience, you have the opportunity to make that second week.

CAMERON NORRIE: Sure, and I'll take that every day of the week, being in this position and being the higher seed.

Yeah, at the end of the day you have to deal with both situations. It's always nice going into the match being the underdog and go out and play free. If you lose, it's all right. But for the most part, in the last couple years I have done well being the favorite. It's a different kind of pressure.

But, no, I'm exactly where I want to be, in the third round, and I have got matches under my belt last week and then obviously played two clean matches to be through.

Yeah, Karen plays very well here, he's super comfortable in these conditions. I think his record is very good in Roland Garros. I think he's made fourth round or quarters here before, so he's got a lot of experience. He's been top 10 and he's playing well. So it's going to be tricky, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Yeah, nice not to face Rafa (smiling).

Q. Some players have been here since the beginning of last week. Curious how adjusted do you feel to the conditions and everything, Paris compared to obviously where you were last week?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I was in Lyon, and it was super hot and pretty lively conditions. Yeah, I think it's been a little bit easier coming here. You know, obviously everything was a quick turnaround, but it was the courts and everything play -- there's really no bad bounces and you can really trust the court. In Lyon you have to be pretty wary, there were a couple of bad bounces on the court.

It's almost come here with great conditions and match practice and I feel like the week before you're practicing and it can be very draining. It's great. I came in with matches and a title and confidence, and then suddenly I'm playing second on Monday, quick turnaround and I'm playing again today.

All happened very quickly, but I'm in the third round and feeling good on the clay, really enjoyed my two matches.

Q. You seem to be playing Karen quite a lot. I think sixth time. Obviously I'm not expecting you to give too much strategy away but can you just give us a sense of what his strengths, maybe his weaknesses are?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think he's pretty all-around good player. His backhand is great, can switch line very good, and has a good first serve. I think he can go through patches where he's playing great and hitting all his spots on his serve and returning deep. When he's looking for the forehand he's dangerous. Going to be a tricky match. Yeah, looking forward to the challenge, I guess.

Q. I saw you signing autographs and posing for selfies. Have you found since Indian Wells or even winning in France last week in Lyon, the crowd are recognizing you more, giving you more support? Do you like that?

CAMERON NORRIE: I mean, it's great, especially there is so many kids here watching, last week and this week. I think it's great to see, you know, them getting super pumped with the tennis, and then I was one of those kids as well. Asking for photos, asking for autographs. Yeah, I like that. It's really cool.

I definitely always give as much time as I can to those kids. Yeah, you can see how passionate they are about the sport here in France and how much they love the tennis.

It's great to see. I'm loving those moments. Yeah, so there is a lot of kids at the end there, so it's great to see.

Q. You talked to us the other day about the impact of the Wimbledon points, et cetera. You're playing a Russian next round. Have you found it's been dominating talk in the locker room about the other foreign players walking up to you asking sort of your opinion about what you think is going on?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, it's pretty interesting with obviously history being made with the ATP announcing that. Obviously all the players are talking about it, and everyone has got an opinion on it.

But for me, yeah, it's like I said earlier, it's tough to see them take away the points, but for me, Wimbledon is such a special event. I'm going to be playing for sure. I want to go out and try and win the title. I don't think not having points there is going to take anything away from that, as anyone, any fan watching, they are going to see that and think, Wow, he's won Wimbledon. It's not going to be, Oh, he's got 2,000 points there.

Obviously it's going to be whoever does well this year at Wimbledon, it's going to be tough, not getting rewarded with the points. But I think in the long term, you know, I'm going to go out there and enjoy it and fight for every match.

It would be nice to have something on the line, as I said previously. But still very special event and my home slam. I'm going to go out and fight just as hard as if there were points there. Looking forward to it, even though all this is going on.

Q. You told us that the box you wanted to tick here were to get into the second week initially. With a couple of wins under your belt, how relaxed are you now? How nervous are you that you haven't quite fulfilled what you're looking to achieve?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, it would be nice, like I said, nice to tick that box, but I'm en route and I'm going to go out and give it everything. If I go out there and I will take care of everything I can, and go out there and play aggressive and play to win, and hit the ball close to the line, you know, take risks, and if Karen beats me, it's because he's played too well and he's played a good match.

I don't want to go out there and be tentative and just play not to lose, you know. I'm going to go out there and enjoy it and another opportunity for me and looking forward to the battle. I know Karen is playing great, and it's another test for me. I'm looking forward to it.

Yeah, we will see how it goes.

Q. I know you're not someone who likes downtime too much. Obviously you have a day off between matches at Grand Slams. Do you do downtime in your days off, or is it still quite full on for you?

CAMERON NORRIE: I mean, yeah, for me it's have a light hit, go to coffee, enjoy, get some food. Yeah, you are playing some match, especially best-of-five, don't really have to practice too much. Just feel the ball a little bit. Yeah, it's always nice, especially at slams, such nice cities to explore and walk around.

But, yeah, I'm not doing too much. Just try to rest as much as I can and enjoy.

Q. Going back to the autographs, did you get any good ones when you were a kid?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I got a good photo with Ferrer. Good photo with Fognini. With John Isner. All the guys coming to play the Auckland tournament. Some of the guys ranked 60 to 80, as well. Hanescu, I think, and a couple others, as well. As a kid, I was, like, idolizing all these players.

So, yeah, for me, it's so special to be taking photos and watching them practice. I was there all day at the tournament, watching everything and looking at everything.

It was perfect for me to have the tournament there.

Q. I guess Ferrer had the same characteristic, that he kind of ground people down on clay. Is that accurate, as well?

CAMERON NORRIE: I'm sure I'm going to have to show him the photo at one point.

Q. Just to follow that, did you have like a scrapbook in which you kept all the autographs? When did you stop asking for autographs? How old were you when you were doing all this?

CAMERON NORRIE: I was maybe 12 or 13. I'd post them all on Facebook so I can go on Facebook and see the players I took photos with. I remember always asking, Give me your shirt, your sweatbands. All the players saying, No, I need that. Now I'm the guy saying, No, I need it for the future (laughter).

Yeah, I never want to be that guy to just walk past a kid and leave them there, because a couple times it happened to me and you think, Wow, that guy is -- obviously I know how busy they are now, but try to do as much as I can.

Q. Can't drop that grenade in the water. Who was the one that walked past you?

CAMERON NORRIE: I can't remember actually (smiling). I think it was from the WTA tournament, a lot of them. Like the first week is WTA, so there was a lot of the WTA players, from what I remember.

Q. Having access to players at that young age obviously made an impact on you. Lots of talk at the moment how the ATP can engage with younger fans. Have you any thoughts in general how important do you think it is that players are still accessible to young people because there's lots of restrictions and lots of rules, but people are looking to open up the spot as well?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think, I mean, it's great in France just seeing the kids and them being so excited. I think, yeah, exactly what's going on, the next generation of players coming through hopefully inspiring them. Yeah, I think especially in countries like France, like I said, there is so many kids, and they seem to love their tennis.

Hopefully we can see some more younger fans in the UK and the tournaments to come.

Q. Just on that, social media, it's been one of the topics this week, people have been talking about perhaps not reading comments. Some people do; some people do. What's your reaction? Also that interaction, do you find it's easier face to face than over things like social media?

CAMERON NORRIE: What do you mean, "comments"?

Q. People reading comments, players, whether they look through what people are saying about them, comments underneath pictures, that sort of thing. Some people do; some people completely ignore it. What's your approach to it?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I'm looking at it, looking at Twitter, seeing what's going on. I think the same as everyone.

Yeah, I think Twitter especially is a good way, you can voice your opinion and express how you feel.

But I'm following everything, not really posting anything too extravagant other than tennis photos and everything. But, no, I'm following it for the most part, not looking at any comments and every little thing.

Yeah, I'm using it, and I think it's a great way to promote the sport, for sure.