INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 10, 2022

Cameron Norrie

Press Conference

C. NORRIE/L. Nardi

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How do you assess how you're feeling out there? Tough conditions today. You had to get it done quickly.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I was happy to get it done? Straight sets. Luca played well. Yeah, I was a little bit nervous before the match. Didn't really know too much about him. I was watching some of his matches in challengers. Yeah, he plays really good on the front foot.

I started a little bit nervous and missed a lot of balls from the start, but then I found my range and I served well when I needed to. I relaxed a little bit in the second set and played some better tennis in the second.

Yeah, it just came down to a couple points here and there and I managed to play better than him in the bigger moments. Really good, young, up-and-coming player. The crowd got behind him as well. It was a lot of fun with the atmosphere and the crowd getting involved. I enjoyed it on that front.

It's never easy playing on the other side of that. It was cool to experience that as well. Just shows how much Italians love their tennis.

Q. How do you feel your game on clay is coming along this year?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I feel like I'm improving week to week. Yeah, for me it just takes the beginning, I'm not so comfortable with the movement side of things. I think when I'm moving better and looking for my forehand more, just finding my patterns, I feel like I can play well on it. Yeah, already got a few wins.

Yeah, I feel like I'm moving better and better, feeling the clay under my feet better. Still got a lot of things I can improve on, though.

Yeah, hopefully these matches are just getting me ready for the French Open where I want to peak and do well there, play my best tennis there. It's all coming together nicely.

A match today like that was perfect. Very lively conditions. With the sun out, the ball was flying around a lot.

Q. You went well at the French Open last year. Can you feel sort of a year-on-year progression in your game on clay?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, definitely. Growing up in New Zealand, I didn't really play on clay at all. There's no clay courts. I think the first time I ever played a match on clay was when I was 16 or 17 years old. It was pretty new for me then.

I feel like I have a really good game to play well on it, being lefty, having a very heavy forehand. Forehand has improved a lot. When I'm enjoying it, moving well, like I said, hitting the spots, I feel like I'm going to be tough to beat.

Yeah, especially really happy with my performance last week, playing close with one of the best players, if not the best player, in the world at the moment. Yeah, exactly the matches I need. I feel like I have a good game on the clay.

Q. Speaking about last week, can you talk about playing Alcaraz in that situation, what you think makes him so good at the minute?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, you can see him, he's playing with a lot of confidence. He's really believing in himself. Every time in the big moments he comes up with something better than me and better than the other guys. He's playing the bigger moments better.

I think what makes him tricky, you know, a lot of the time when he's got the short ball or the point where he can finish it, he's got so many options. He's got the dropshot. He's executing that unbelievably well. He also has a big forehand. He can go anywhere, angle, line. You have to be ready for anything.

He is always picking the right shots and making very good decisions in the bigger moments. Very complete game already. He also has the maturity and confidence to back it up in those big moments, in those pressure situations on those courts with everyone kind of talking about him, saying he's the next Nadal, getting all these big comparisons.

Not only is he going out and executing, he's backing it up. Yeah, it's cool to see someone so young doing that.

Q. People have spoken about his movement, how that is what kind of sets him apart. Is that something you notice in his game?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, the kid gets to everything. He's not only getting there, he's doing something with it. His hand skills on the run, out the corners, is incredibly impressive to play against him. He's always running for any ball. He's never giving up on any ball.

Yeah, for someone just turned 19, what he did in Barcelona as well, playing back-to-back matches, playing 3 hours 40 with de Minaur, coming out and chopping Carreno in the final, doing that and having that physicality at that age is impressive.

I'm 26, and I play 3 hours 30 in Barcelona and had to play 2 hours and I was cooked. For me to see him doing that, not only having the physicality but having the ability mentally to concentrate for, what did he play, like four hours that day, then also backing it up and beating Nadal, backing up the next day and beating Djokovic, then chopping Zverev. It's impressive and it's cool for the sport.

Over and beyond that, he's a very nice guy. He's the nicest kid. He's saying hi to everyone. Super respectful, so that's also good to see.

Q. You've come across Carlos on hard courts as well as clay. Can you compare his games across the two?

CAMERON NORRIE: I think if you ask him, he likes the hard courts better. He's got a very complete game. His serve's improved a lot. Yeah, he's got the movement on the clay, movement on the hard, hits the ball hard from both sides.

Yeah, I think he's got a good game for all surfaces, a very complete game. Yeah, he's a decent player (smiling). Feel like my interviews are 50% about me and 50% about Carlos, so (smiling).