THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2021

Cameron Norrie

Press Conference

C. NORRIE/L. Pouille

6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The final set you were 4-2 down. Must be tremendously pleasing to come through a match like that.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, thank you. Definitely not easy out there. Especially yesterday, last night, just donating that first set. Obviously starting at a set down today, I think I needed that and needed to start fresh, was a new day.

I think I played pretty solid throughout. Yeah, I was a break down there, 4-2, I had chances to break back I think in that 3-2 game. My level stayed very consistent throughout. I think his had a lot of ups and downs.

I think I was a little bit better mentally and with my level today, I think that's what got me through it. I managed to play a very good game to break at 5-4 when he was serving for the set to go to the fifth.

Yeah, I served well that game. He came up with a couple loose errors in that last game. It was very good mentally performance, especially after the complete donation of the first set yesterday. It was nice to come out and compete the way I did today.

I didn't think I was that comfortable out there, but it was nice to get through that one, like you said.

Q. That's your 13th win this year. That's a fantastic record. You might potentially meet Roger Federer in the third round. Are you feeling confident at the moment (indiscernible)?

CAMERON NORRIE: Sorry, just repeat that last part again. You're cutting in and out.

Q. After all these wins this year and a possible third-round match against Roger Federer, are you in a position now where you feel like you can take on any player in the world because you're so confident having won so many matches already this year?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I mean, I'm feeling good. I think I've done well to keep momentum. I keep building on the matches. I think today that was a good example of obviously winning a lot this year, having a lot of confidence, getting through a lot of tough matches.

I think from his point of view, on Lucas' point of view, was a little bit the opposite I think. Obviously he can play well. It was a tough, tough draw. He's very comfortable on the grass. I think he's made quarters here before.

Yeah, it was nice to sneak through and play the bigger points better. I thought I competed well. Yeah, I'm just taking it match by match and point by point. It was definitely not easy to get through that one.

Yeah, I think I play Alex Bolt next, so I'll get ready for that one.

Q. You've had a great grass court season with the week at Queen's before. What changes, if any, have you made to your game that's allowed you to perform so well on grass this season?

CAMERON NORRIE: I think there's been a couple things and a couple changes, things that I'm doing a lot better than I had done in the past. First of all, that is the serve and the return. I think I'm just doing those two fundamentals very well. Putting a lot of pressure on the server, making a lot of returns in the court. Pretty clear as well on second-serve returns on where I'm trying to hit the ball. I think I've been doing well on second-serve return throughout the whole year. I think I've maintained that for the most part.

I think, yeah, I've been a little bit more comfortable coming forward, especially in a couple matches in Queen's where I needed to come forward and attack the backhand. I think I'm using my backhand line approach very well.

I think the biggest difference for me, especially at Queen's, was I'm defending the forehand a lot better, really trusting the foot when I'm going out wide to my forehand side. I think in the past, in the last couple years, I've tried very hard to work on that. I think it was a little bit of a weakness at times, especially on the grass. But I think I improved that a lot.

Yeah, it definitely showed at Queen's. I'm still trying to get my footing on these courts here, especially this weather it's not been easy to move well.

I think I'm doing a lot of things well. But also I think there's so much I can work on, there's so many improvements that I can make. It's exciting stuff for me.

Q. At the end there you got a great ovation from the crowd. It sounded like they really helped you through this a little bit.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, that was nice. Yeah, I think they were all behind me. It was nice just to kind of enjoy that a little bit. Obviously getting, it's only my second win here at Wimbledon, it meant a lot obviously to get another win here. For the crowd to be back, for them to be supporting me like that, having that kind of ovation at the end, that was really nice.

But, yeah, I'm just looking forward to the next one. Yeah, very grateful to be still in the tournament and looking forward to my next match.

Q. Looking at your previous record, you did play Alex Bolt six years ago at Surbiton, slightly different occasion than here. I think you lost in straight sets, but a long time ago. How much different a player do you think you are now?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I know Alex, obviously he's very good on the grass. He's been winning a lot of matches on the grass. He won the Nottingham challenger. It was huge for him to get a wild card here. He's done well here in the past. I think Kyle played him third round or second round here a couple years ago. He's comfortable.

I think from what I remember, I lost in three sets to him five or six years ago. I think I was up a break in the third and lost that one. No, he's very, very crafty player, a lefty, very short swings on both sides. I think his game suits it, suits the grass.

He's obviously had a good win in his first round, so he's feeling good. Yeah, but from my point of view, I'm just going to go out and just try and execute with my game and play the patterns that I like, go out and enjoy it. I guess it's nice to still be in the tournament, still be out there competing.

I couldn't be happier to be back here at Wimbledon, be in good shape physically, feeling good, enjoying my tennis. I'm happy to still be in. It's just another bonus to get another match here.

I really feel that I haven't shown my best tennis. I think I've worked my way into the tournament. I've improved set by set obviously today and yesterday. Yeah, I'm pleased with getting through that one and looking forward to it against Bolty.

Q. You mentioned earlier there were times in this match you didn't feel that comfortable. I think you said that at one or two of the matches at Queen's as well. Is that a big difference this year, you feel able to win those matches when you don't necessarily feel your best?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think a little bit yesterday I wasn't that calm. I don't know if you guys saw, I completely donated the set, a couple set points, I threw in a couple double-faults. I think that just comes down to today I made a conscious decision to be a little bit more calm on the court, really enjoy it out there.

Yeah, I think it comes with winning a lot of matches, a lot of tight matches, just putting yourself in those scenarios. I think just with the way I play, I'm not going to go out and hit someone off the court or serve someone off the court. I need to keep continuously applying pressure, keep putting people in awkward situations.

When it's tough, in those tough moments, that's when I feel like I feel good and I feel comfortable, I need to press other guys into those situations rather than just going out -- I'm not going to go out and serve aces and hit someone off the court.

I think when I'm in those scenarios, I'm happy. That's the way I can get wins. I think I've recognized that. Yeah, I'm doing my best to execute. I think that's why I'm doing a little bit better this year, is because I'm executing in those scenarios, in those bigger moments.

Didn't happen so much yesterday in the first set, but really used that, was very keen to get a fresh start today, and I was happy with how I came out.