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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2019

Cameron Norrie

Wimbledon, London, England

K. NISHIKORI/C. Norrie

6-4, 6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you feel pressure when you hit your serve, especially your second serve?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think Kei actually returned unbelievable today. I think I have never had someone return my serve like that. Yeah, I think he put a lot of pressure on me in that respect.

I could have hit my spots a little bit better, but he played great today, very clean match.

Q. How were you feeling just as you approached Centre Court? And the experience on the court itself?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, it's unbelievable experience. I came here this morning. This man, his name is Dan, kind of took me through and I got to walk out on the court and kind of see where my box was, where my team was going to be sitting.

Just so special to be in that place and kind of walk through the area that you can see the other courts and where all the members sit and they have tea and everything. That was pretty special.

And then kind of just to -- I just wanted to focus on kind of my tennis a little bit starting off, and I think I got off to a great start. I don't think I was really too fazed by the occasion, but a phenomenal experience today. I was just really happy with the way I handled myself.

Q. (Indiscernible question.)
CAMERON NORRIE: I was really happy. Yeah, like I said before, Kei just kind of played too good today. But, no, it was a great experience. Really happy I got to share that experience and share the court with him and to do it on Centre Court.

Q. Is there anything in particular, if you had the chance to do it again, you'd do differently? Or is it too close to the match itself in hindsight at the moment?
CAMERON NORRIE: Honestly, no. I think I did everything that I could. I had a great attitude. I think I just didn't really return as well as I did on my first round today.

I think maybe just kind of being a bit more aggressive on the return side of things, because as soon as I'd hit the return middle, he was already dictating and being really aggressive. But no regrets today. I was really happy with the way I handled myself and really enjoyed the experience.

Q. Shows how clinical you have to be, if you get an opening and you get a break up in the first set, against these guys, they...
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, that was basically my chance there. I was a break up, 4-2, hit two double faults. It happens.

I think I just need to be a better tennis player, and I think it kind of almost inspired me. I want to get better and I want to get to the top of the game.

I think I definitely have the level. I just need to keep working on it and keep the same mentality that I have been keeping the last couple of years. I have only been a pro two years. Yeah, it was unreal experience today.

Q. Who did you have in the box? I take it your dad stayed up in the middle of the night to watch?
CAMERON NORRIE: I haven't even spoken to him, but I'm sure he would have watched. It was on TV back in New Zealand. I had some mates from uni. My college coach, my mentor, I know Devin was there, and another coach, James Trotman was there. It was good to have some familiar faces in the box and kind of have some friends around, too.

Q. You say it's on TV back in New Zealand, so what would have been the start time for that?
CAMERON NORRIE: 2:00 or 3:00 a.m.

Q. Are you happy if you get people back home staying up to watch?
CAMERON NORRIE: I think the really dedicated fans would have stayed up to watch, and I hope my parents were up. That was good.

Q. There was the unfortunate moment in the third set where someone was taken ill in the stands. Have you had anything similar to that since you turned pro where a game or a match has been held up?
CAMERON NORRIE: Literally last week. The same thing happened in Eastbourne. I think there were three people at the same time. A guy was having a heart attack, another guy having a seizure or someone had a couple too many beers, I don't know.

Yeah, I had to stop against Kyle for, like, 45 minutes. After that, I kind of completely lost my concentration there. So today when that happened, I wanted to really stay focused, and I think I did, but I think Kei just came out firing and broke me the next game.

I hope that guy is all right. I'm not sure really what happened, but kind of unfortunate we had to stop a little bit, but I hope he's okay.

Q. You're clearly a jinx.
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah (smiling).

Q. The Royal box, were you making sure you don't look in there or get distracted?
CAMERON NORRIE: No, I wasn't really too worried. I was pretty happy. I felt pretty comfortable out there. I don't really think what other people are thinking too much. I just wanted to be myself today and I think I was and play my tennis. I think it was okay. I don't really get too distracted, which is good.

Q. You had a moment in the first set where you were able to hold off a few breakpoints. I think it was in the ninth game...
CAMERON NORRIE: 4-All, yeah.

Q. I feel like it was the highlight of the game in that it was both of you playing sort of high-level tennis. Did that give you, like, a big boost? Or the fact that you lost it in the end sort of change the momentum of the match a little bit?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I felt like we were both kind of in the zone there, and I played a couple of loose points to get broken. I saved off a couple of breakpoints and played some good tennis. Yeah, I was kind of -- I think I had a double fault, and then I missed a first ball at deuce.

Yeah, I think that kind of switched the momentum. And he really, really raised his level after that and was able to slightly relax. I think he honestly just played too good.

No, I was happy with the level I was finding there, and I hit some great shots and he came up too good and pressured me too much. Hats off to him.

Q. You were able to show a lot of personality there, I feel, in those couple of games before then, couple games after that. Do you feel like even though it's sort of a tough loss, you feel like you showed enough of who you are I guess on the court on the biggest stage?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, for sure. I think I like to be known as a good competitor, and I think I competed as hard as I could today. I think especially in those moments, I love those tough moments, and I think every time I get in kind of a battle, like a game like that, I want to just kind of lock it down and prove to myself who I am.

Honestly, I don't really care what other people are thinking of what kind of player I am. I just want to kind of just have no regrets out there. I think I did that today.

Q. First main-draw win, first Centre Court. Does it give you a taste for more?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, for sure. I think the other day to get my first win was so special for me. And to win doubles in five sets yesterday was great, too. To see the schedule and I was on Centre Court, kind of felt like everything was leading up to, everything was kind of going perfectly.

And then, yeah, I woke up this morning, I really thought I could win. No, I was really -- I think it was a great experience for me, and I think I have progressed a lot with my tennis and with my game.

So I think I'm really excited for next year and I think grass could be my favorite surface next year.

Q. (Indiscernible question.)
CAMERON NORRIE: Maybe. I think I have to win a couple more rounds first before I get to Centre Court, but we'll see.

Q. You're obviously still in the doubles. What happens next for you? Off to the States?
CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, we'll see what happens in dubs. Going back to my uni for a couple days to train just before Atlanta. So I'm going to stick around London a little bit and enjoy the summer here and head back to the extreme heat in Texas and then head to Atlanta and start the hard courts, which is kind of my favorite time of year. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

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