AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2024

Cameron Norrie

Press Conference

C. NORRIE/J.P. Varillas

6-4, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Cam. We know you were worried about your wrist before the match started, but now getting the straight-set win, does it help you clear your worries heading to the future matches?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think I really did the basics well today. Especially managed my service games well and I think that was the difference in the match. It was not easy to play at all. It was really quick conditions, and the court was moving around quite a lot with the wind.

But yeah, happy to be through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Was your buildup disrupted by the aftermath of whatever you had with your wrist?

CAMERON NORRIE: Sorry? Buildup, you mean like the practice days and everything? Yeah, I think it was not ideal, but I was able to, lucky enough to play on Tuesday, so I had a few more days to get ready.

Yeah, I think I was lucky enough to be able to manage the practice and give myself the best chance to be ready to compete and was able to still do a lot of movement and a lot of fitness before, so it was good.

Q. You seemed a bit more sort of vocal on court, either with yourself, with your box, more fiery than we are used to seeing. Was that a deliberate mindset switch or it was hot and heavy out there?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, the first round is always tough. You know, I was a bit nervous obviously always coming into the first slam of the year, so I wanted to really get a big push of energy. I think when it's hot like that, I think you go in with the mentality you're going to be, like, trying to save a little bit, and I wanted to go out with a lot of energy.

Yeah, like I said earlier, I think I did the basics well. I served well in the big moments, and I think I won a lot of points on my first serve when I did make -- I didn't think I served that well, but I didn't lose many points on my first serve, which was good to see.

Q. How much do you know about your second-round opponent?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I actually played him once in Rome and he beat me last time there. Young, talented player. Lefty. I watched the end of his match. He played really well.

He competes really well. Kind of plays a little bit similar to me. But, yeah, it's definitely going to be a tough match. Looking for some revenge from last time, because he beat me really easily last time.

Q. There may be a lot of discussion about the balls changing each week. How much do you think that's played a role in your wrist issues?

CAMERON NORRIE: Honestly, I don't know what it came down to. I don't know. But I think the players are having to adapt always to the balls, and I think there's a lot of discussions around that. I don't know. It would be nice to see the ball speed the same for each kind of swing. I think the players have been pretty vocal about that.

Yeah, I think it is what it is, kind of managing to the balls. I think, yeah, I think I said already that the ones, they get quite worn out. But in these conditions, when I was out there today, the ball was absolutely flying around and really tough to control, especially on that court, it was quite windy, blustery.

So yeah, I think when the balls slowed down, it was actually, we had a few rallies but also a lot of errors today.

Q. Do you think consistency would help to reduce that kind of injury with the wrist?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think so. I haven't really had any wrist injuries in the past. Yeah, I'm not really sure too much, but I think why not, you know, having that. But I know there is always other things going on with the sponsors of the balls and having that.

But I think it would be nice to see the ball speed the same for kind of the whole lead-up to the slam, which they did here in Australia, which was good, and for Wimby as well they use the Slazengers, yeah.

Q. You always seem to play better the warmer it is. When you saw the temperature was going to go up today, do you welcome that? Is there a temperature where you think that's too much and you wouldn't relish it?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I do like playing in the warmer conditions when it's bouncy, the ball's bouncing around and it's traveling.

I think, yeah, I like to play first, as well. So I was coming from Auckland, really in kind of the right time zone to play first. I was up pretty early.

Yeah, I think it was hot, but I think I managed it, and I felt better and better as the match progressed.

Q. Do you ask to play first because of the heat?

CAMERON NORRIE: No, I didn't ask to play first. No, I think even playing later on in the day when it's even hotter maybe. But yeah, I like to play first. It was a good day to win in straight sets and avoid being out there for too long.

Q. Looks like fans have been let in after each game. Is that something you have been made aware of? Especially on a smaller court with that it seemed quite noticeable.

CAMERON NORRIE: What, with the fans coming in and out?

Q. Yeah.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, for me, I think if the fans are aware of what they're doing it's okay. I'm not really too bothered about it. Playing in college, you could shout out in the middle of the point and there were some crazy rules in my conference that we played I was pretty used to it. You could walk around and there is coaches on the court, people running around, other players yelling. So I think from playing in college I think I was quite used to it.

I think, yeah, I think most of the people that come to watch tennis, they know kind of how to behave and what the rules are with that. If it's too much, it can be a bit distracting, but today it didn't bother me. I think it didn't bother my opponent at all, either.

Q. (Question about letting fans in.)

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think it's a fine line, but I think why not? I think when I was a fan and I was having to wait for the change of ends, I was, like, Wow, this is ridiculous, playing long deuce games. You're having to wait.

But no, I understand why they do it. I think it's just about the fans being smart about it and not doing it like on breakpoint or -- I mean, it's tough to control. But yeah, I think as a fan, I think I'd prefer it having to let people in. But it's a fine line of could get too much or not. For me, it doesn't bother me too much.

Q. It was reported in Germany overnight that Alexander Zverev will face a trial over domestic violence charges in Berlin. I know he denies those allegations. Is it appropriate he remains on the ATP players council while that trial happens? I think it's happening during the French Open.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, honestly, I don't know too much about that. I can't comment at all, unfortunately. But, yeah.

Q. That he's representing players while that trial is happening, just wonder if people consider that appropriate.

CAMERON NORRIE: Honestly, I don't really know too much about that and what happened, so tough to comment.

Q. Obviously you come in here with wrist issues, but you have been seeded for a while at the Grand Slams. Wondering in terms of the mindset, coming in to slams these days, how beneficial is it for you just knowing that there is a lot of good players out there but you have been playing two lower-ranked players in your first two rounds?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, for sure, it's massive to work yourself into the tournament. I felt like I didn't do anything that special today, and I did the basics and the fundamentals very well. I think that was enough. You know, I think it's playing against some of the other seeds can be, you have to really raise your level to have a chance with them.

Yeah, nice to work yourself into the tournament. It was a decent day. I want to improve a lot of things tomorrow. But yeah, it was a big goal to do well in the slams this year, and how can I do that is to prepare as well as I can and make sure I'm mentally fresh and get enough matches and finding that balance to making sure I can play well over five sets. Because I always think I'm tougher to beat over five sets, but I still need to prove that and do that.

Yeah, nice to take care of today, but keep building. Another tough match on Thursday.

Q. Did you see any of Andy yesterday or saw what he said afterwards? Kind of what your reaction is. Seems like he is maybe coming towards the end.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I didn't see what he said afterwards. I watched a little bit of the match. I thought Etcheverry played really well and didn't really do anything wrong at all. Yeah, I have not seen Andy that relaxed on the court before, but I'll give credit to Etcheverry.

Yeah, I didn't see what he said after. What did he say?

Q. He said this could very well be his last Aussie Open. The window is closing, basically.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I mean, yeah, he's obviously had an unbelievable career and he keeps grinding. He loves traveling. He loves the sport.

I mean, I think he's still playing well, really, really well, and he's still so dedicated. I think he'll be ready to go in the next one, for sure.

Q. One of the things Andy said yesterday, his frustration, can't take what he does on the practice court out for matches. I'm not sure how much you have hit with him recently and how much you have seen how well he's playing in practice, maybe talk a little bit about why he can't take that out there.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think he can only answer that question. You know, I think it's always, you want to try, if you're practicing well, there is no guarantees you're going to go play well. On the match court I think it's just trying to get, I think he'll know better than anyone, trying to get the best out of yourself day in, day out, and trying to feel like you're trying to improve and evolve your game. I always see he's working on stuff and trying to do that.

Yeah, I don't see why not. I think he's probably, yeah, one of the best guys of that is going out and competing and playing and winning. He's done that year after year in his career.

So I think he's definitely got all the answers, and he can go and do it and just needs to go and -- I mean, he's done it so often, I have seen it so much. He's one of the best competitors out there, so I think no reason why he can't do it.

Q. When was the last time you hit with him?

CAMERON NORRIE: Not for a while now, yeah.

Q. Have you ever had periods where you're playing really well in practice but in matches it just doesn't translate, and how do you accept that and get past that?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think you have to think it's only ever practice. I think you'd rather be playing well in practice than not playing well in the practice.

I tend to approach every practice or practice set with full intensity and kind of competing like I would do in a proper match, and other guys kind of are a bit more relaxed. I'm really just trying to kind of make it the same, you know, make it as realistic as the actual match.

You're never going to have the same feelings or the same people watching or the umpire, ballkids or anything, but that's kind of how I like to do it.

Yeah, there have been plenty of moments when I have been practicing really, really well and it's just a matter of staying patient and staying relaxed and committing to it. I mean, it's a tough sport and it just takes another -- you're playing against someone else always, so you just have to be better than the other guy on that day and some guy is going to come out and play too good against you and beat you. Yeah, a lot of opportunities in our sport, so yeah.