Cameron Norrie beaten by Alexander Zverev after 32-point third-set tie-break
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Cameron Norrie managed to stay in the game by saving five match points in a long tie-break against the fourth seeded Alexander Zverev. However, his Wimbledon journey came to an end in the third round.
The final British player in the men's singles tournament almost managed to extend the match to a fourth set on Centre Court, but couldn't convert any of the five set points given and ultimately hit a backhand shot out to lose 6-4 6-4 7-6 (15).
Zverev is having what could be considered the best season of his career and made it to his second major championship final at the French Open last month.
Norrie delivered an impressive performance against Jack Draper, the new British number one, on Thursday. This was his best performance since his last match against Zverev at the Australian Open, where he pushed the game to a fifth-set tie-break. Despite his victory over Draper, Norrie has yet to secure a win against Zverev in six matches.
The special seating area known as the Royal Box was full of famous athletes and sports personalities, as is the custom on the second Saturday of the event. Among the attendees were top names like Pep Guardiola, Roy Hodgson, Sachin Tendulkar, Ben Stokes, Leah Williamson, and several well-known Olympic athletes who enjoyed watching the matches.
Zverev spoke with Guardiola after finishing his match and expressed feeling nervous when he saw him. He thanked Guardiola for attending the event and said it was a great honor. Zverev even joked that if Guardiola ever wanted a change from football, he could coach him anytime.
Norrie did well at first, displaying some of his improved skills that he used to challenge Zverev in Melbourne.
However, the Olympic champion consistently performs at his peak, hitting the ball precisely from one corner to another. Finally, Norrie couldn't hold on any longer, as Zverev broke his serve to take a 4-3 lead.
The second-ranked British player had to move quickly around the back of the court while Zverev controlled the game. This continued into the second set, even though the German player slipped and fell while trying to reach a drop shot in the fourth game.
Zverev was on the ground holding his left knee for a long time, but he eventually got up and continued playing after a short chat with the trainer.
This time, Zverev lost his serve in the ninth game and then finished the game before stopping for a medical break to get his knee strapped up.
Norrie fought hard to keep up in the third set, saving two opportunities for Zverev to break his serve. He impressed the crowd with a sneaky underhand serve that earned him a point and put him ahead 6-5, catching Zverev off guard.
He was winning 4-1 in the tie-break and aiming to push for a fourth set, but Zverev made a comeback to even the score. The match became a close and competitive battle, with neither player dropping a point on their serves until Norrie made a crucial mistake at the end.
Zverev talked about his knee injury, mentioning that he feels limited in some movements. He plans to get it checked out, but he's happy that he was still able to compete.
