AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2022

Cameron Norrie

Press Conference

S. KORDA/C. Norrie

6-3, 6-0, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: I know it was a tough match for you today. Can you talk us through what happened out there.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think I was never really in the match at all, partly down a break to start all three sets, and then I couldn't get in the return games at all.

Too good, but disappointed with the level. I think that's maybe my worst match in the last eight months or so. Disappointing, but it is what it is.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you think of any reason why you couldn't find your level, Cam?

CAMERON NORRIE: Honestly, right now, I can't. Just feeling good physically, I had a week off to prepare, prepared as well as I could, and just I was slow, I was missing routine backhands, which I never miss.

I honestly can't put a finger on it. I just need to get better and improve. Lots to work on, and, yeah, Korda was too good today. Any time I had a chance to kind of come back, he served his way out of it. And, yeah, on the bigger points he was much better than me. I didn't play well in really any big point today.

That's part of it, and just disappointed the way to start the year with this match.

Q. You have played an awful lot of matches last year and some really long, physical matches. Do you think that's having any effect at the start of the season?

CAMERON NORRIE: No, honestly I feel good physically and just, for me, I can't put -- I don't know why I played the way I did today. I was feeling good physically, and, yeah, I played a lot of matches, but this is what we are paid to do and just not good enough. Just need to raise my standards, practice, matches, and execute a lot better.

I mean, for the last year and a half, I have been playing great on the big points, in the big moments, and I have been very quick around the court. Today I didn't do any of that and I didn't execute well.

I just need to improve and get better.

Q. No lingering effects of the COVID even psychologically you're maybe not prepared as well as you might have been coming in here?

CAMERON NORRIE: No, I think I prepared as well as I can, and I felt fine physically, fine mentally. Just need to get better. There is no excuses out there, and just it is something we have to deal with, and I was feeling great. So, no, none of that.

Q. Do you think this is one of the challenges for the new year? What you did in Indian Wells, now you're a target because other players are going to raise their game against you?

CAMERON NORRIE: Look, I mean, Korda is a great player. He was too good for me today. May have even been difficult if I was playing great still. So more just disappointed with my performance and the way I executed, but I had a great attitude and tried as hard as I could, and right to the last point. Just wasn't there.

Q. What happens after here, do you think? Do you think you'll take a few weeks off? Where will you play next?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I'll get a good block, maybe couple days off. Playing Rotterdam next and getting ready for that, get a good physical block that I missed at the end of last year.

Q. What makes Korda such a great player?

CAMERON NORRIE: I think he's got a pretty complete game, serves very well. His backhand he can change line very well, and he can come forward and very skillful around the net.

He served well in big points today, and was too good for me.

Q. You're not able to go to New Zealand after here, are you?

CAMERON NORRIE: I am if I do seven days in the hotel, but I'm not going to do that. Just go back home to London and just get ready for Rotterdam.

Q. When was the last time you saw your parents? Is it difficult at all when you come -- I know New Zealand is still a good distance away from here but when you're in this corner of the world and can't see each other?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, it's difficult. It would be nice to see them, but I missed them a lot, but they could have come but they would have had to do the seven days in the hotel to go back. Didn't make much sense, so it's difficult.

Last time I saw them was for the very first lockdown, so like a year and a half. Hopefully they'll come for the British summer and hopefully I'll see them at some point. Yeah.

Q. Last year you played a hell of a lot of tennis, and you played a lot of tournaments. Do you have the same plan this year to be full-on, full fettle, or are you going to be more selective for tournaments in 2022?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think I'm going to try and be a little bit smarter in terms of trying to peak for the bigger events. And, yeah, if you're going to move up the rankings you're going to have to play well in the big tournaments.

I played a lot last year, but that's exactly what I wanted, to play those matches and to play those tournaments. No, I've got a pretty good, pretty full-on schedule. The plan is to have a full-on schedule but around maybe the slams or the Masters try, maybe take one of those 250s off before that to make sure I can try and peak for those bigger events.

Q. Andy Murray, we saw him get to that final in Sydney. Obviously quite emotional for him tomorrow I'd imagine when he plays again in Melbourne. What do you make of his return? Sum up the man that he is basically, playing Australia again.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, look, I mean, I'm so pumped for him to keep going back at it, and I can see that he's working so hard. To get some wins was great for him.

I think more so the off-court and how much he's taking care of the practices and how much he's enjoying the competing and the little details. I have seen he's switched racquets. He took a good block to make sure he's prepared for this.

I think for me it's no surprise for him to make another final. He could have easily won the title there, I'm sure he would have. He was disappointed not to do that, but, I mean, it's so impressive to see him still playing at that level.

I think he's looking a lot calmer in the bigger moments, especially last week, and I would not be surprised at all if he goes deep. But I haven't even looked at his draw actually, but he's obviously in good form and he's found his level in the match court, which I knew he had on the practice court, and wish him the best of luck to him and all the other Brits.

Hopefully they do a bit better than I did (smiling).