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ROLAND GARROS

May 28, 2018

Cameron Norrie

Paris, France

C. NORRIE/P. Gojowczyk

6-1, 2-0 [Ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. You didn't see the retirement coming at the end of the first set. Did you have any sense that he was struggling?
CAMERON NORRIE: No, not at all. He was hitting the ball big and hitting well. Didn't really see anything. I was playing great. I was in the zone. I was serving really well. Didn't look like anything was bothering him too much.

But I think start of the second set on his serve and then a little bit on his movement, I wrong-footed him a couple times.

But, yeah, I think it was something to do with his hip or ab. I couldn't really tell.

Q. How did you find the playing surface here and did you have much chance to practice before?
CAMERON NORRIE: I mean, yeah, it was the same as -- I was in Lyon last week -- same kind of clay.

Practiced once on the main site a couple days ago and then off site yesterday. But, no, yeah, it was pretty similar to Lyon. So I was happy.

Q. Taking the retirement aside, how pleased are you with the way you played? You talked about being confident and ready for it, and it looked like you had a lot of confidence today.
CAMERON NORRIE: Absolutely. I mean, I think that that was the best tennis I have played in my life. I think I was in the zone and not making any unforced errors, being the one dictating play. He's obviously made a final last week.

So I played very, very high level throughout the match and was able to stay concentrated and focused.

And I think if he's winning that match, there's no chance he's retiring. So I think I -- I mean, I outplayed him throughout, and it was unfortunate for him to pick up an injury throughout the match so...

Q. Saying that, would you like to have kept going and played the three sets or are you quite happy to keep some in the locker for the next round?
CAMERON NORRIE: No. I would love to keep playing, actually. I was feeling really good out there, confident.

At the U.S. Open, I got my first win with a retirement as well, so it would be nice actually to win a match, but I'll take it.

Yeah, I'll be feeling fresh and ready for play on Wednesday.

Q. What was your mindset and your plan going into the game today?
CAMERON NORRIE: Basically just to be the one dictating play. He's top of the level, top of the game, when he's the one dictating, hits the ball real flat. And when I'm the one dictating, I think he was struggling a little bit.

And, yeah, that was basically just to be the aggressor today.

Q. You seemed very much at home in this environment. Did it all come as easily to you so far? Are you expecting maybe a few more nerves in the next round?
CAMERON NORRIE: I was actually really nervous today. I managed it well. And I think in these five-set matches, I just wanted to try to manage my energy as best as I can.

And it's nice to kind of have a little bit shorter match today. And I know it's going to be tough against Pouille and it's going to be real physical. Nice to save the energy for that.

And I'm sure I'll be a little bit nervous. I'll be on a big court. But I'm really looking forward to it, and it's just another great experience.

Q. Kyle beat him quite handily in Rome, Pouille. Did you see any of that match or might you have a word with Kyle or his people to sort of try to pick up a few things?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah. I didn't see any of it, but for sure I'll ask Kyle to see what he thinks. I remember watching Kyle in Davis Cup against him. It was a good match.

Kyle's played him a couple times, so for sure would be a good person to ask.

Q. A lot of your success on the Challenger circuit last year was on hard courts, North America. How are you finding the transition now on clay? You seem to have adapted very well and are very comfortable on it.
CAMERON NORRIE: As I said before, I'm not really sure how I'm playing too well on the clay. Happy with the way I've transitioned.

And done quite a lot of footwork stuff to start off with. And I'm just getting used to, on the surface, sliding into the ball and staying physical.

And I think I just want to try to be the one dictating play and -- yeah.

Q. What's been the key to success for you since the Davis Cup win? You've had a steep, upward trajectory. What do you think the key to that success is?
CAMERON NORRIE: I haven't really changed anything since then. I think kind of just taking everything one step at a time and not trying to get too far ahead and not worrying about rankings and results and all that.

And just keep improving and enjoying the game and just learning from every experience, because I'm still pretty unexperienced compared to a lot of these guys out here.

So, yeah, mainly just enjoying it and just loving the battle and competition.

Q. Speaking of battle and competition, it's going to be a little bit like Davis Cup, I guess, against Pouille in Paris. And I think that n Davis Cup you mentioned that college tennis can get quite intense fan-wise. Do you quite like being the good guy who's trying to sort of disappoint the crowd in those situations?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I love being the underdog and all the pressure is on him. So it's going to be a battle and hopefully, yeah, come out on top.

But it's going to be a good challenge for me.

Q. This time last year, I think you were about to start as a full-time pro in Surbiton. Did you watch the French at this point last year? Where were you and did you really think that in a year's time "I can be there"?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, this time last year, I was a couple out of French. I had to decide if I was going to come play the French Open or not, but I just missed out anyway. And I didn't even come here because I didn't want to start my career with a loss on clay, because I had never played.

But didn't really follow the French at all. I headed straight to London and just got ready for the grass.

But, yeah, I wasn't really thinking too much ahead of how I was going to do. I was kind of just, as I said before, taking it one step at a time.

But, I think, this time last year, I was excited to be ranked 85 in the world in the second round of the French Open, that's for sure.

Q. Have you seen your parents yet?
CAMERON NORRIE: No, I actually have not, no.

Q. I imagine you were focusing on the match, but did you have 30 seconds this morning to take a check of the other world rankings?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I did. I saw it. Yeah, inside the top 100, two digits. Happy, yeah.

Still, but the thing about tennis, you always want more. You get to 85 and you want to be top 50, so yeah.

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