THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2022

Cameron Norrie

Press Conference

C. NORRIE/T. Paul

6-4, 7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Cam, give us your thoughts. Through to the quarterfinals.

CAMERON NORRIE: Obviously a great day. It's an especially huge match for me and for him, as well. To play the way I did and to handle the occasion, I felt really comfortable the way I was hitting the ball this morning. Definitely more comfortable than my other matches.

It was good to get through that one in the fashion that I did. I was up the whole match, which definitely helped.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A lot has been made or heard that you're the last Brit standing. No pressure, but you're carrying the entire hopes of around 65 million people. How do you feel going forward into the tournament with that responsibility on your shoulders?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I mean, I'll take it. At the beginning of the tournament, you guys were asking me, You're British No. 1, you got a lot of pressure, a lot of expectations on your shoulders. For me to play the way that I did in all my matches so far means a lot.

Unfortunately, yeah, I'm the last one standing. But I think it's even more reason for everyone to get behind me. Even the atmosphere was great today and definitely helped me get over the line there. Especially on that last game, I was obviously pretty nervous. I was serving for my first quarterfinal of a slam. I wanted to get it done there.

They definitely helped me a lot.

Q. You're picking up the baton from Andy Murray. Everyone is looking for a successor to Andy Murray. How do you feel about taking that mantle on?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think Andy is still around, so...

Q. I didn't mean it in that sense. For the next 10 years or so.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, for sure. I'm feeling comfortable doing that, and really enjoying playing at this level, first of all. If I can help any of the younger guys, there's a big group of guys coming through with a lot of talent, a lot of chances to make it inside the top hundred. If I can be that guy to lead them on and to show they can do it...

I went to college, I can show them a good path, if you can stay professional and make good decisions. Managed to make the quarters of a slam doing that. I was really pleased with myself. Nice to tick another box.

Q. My newspaper loves to give people nicknames. We call Wayne Rooney Wazzer. Andy Murray was Muzzer. Are we all right to call you Nozzer?

CAMERON NORRIE: That was my nickname already.

Q. It is?

CAMERON NORRIE: Was. You can call me that, as well.

Q. Just wondering, you talked in the past about how your forehand has improved over the years. Today you struck it particularly well. How different is it to a couple of years ago? What has changed?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think it's my most improved area of my game. I think especially, you're right, I hit my forehand really good today, stayed committed with it. Was able to switch line really good. I was killing him with the forehand cross, getting a lot of angle with that one at the beginning. Kept him guessing.

I think, yeah, I'm not really making too many errors on it. I'm staying committed and hitting through it a little bit more. Especially on this surface, you have to dictate the points. If I'm doing that with my forehand, it means I'm playing well.

I really feel when I'm hitting the forehand line well, like I was doing today, it's a sign I'm playing well and I'm confident. It feels good to hit it and strike it the way I did today.

Q. In the past were you more hesitant with it?

CAMERON NORRIE: I just don't think -- I don't know actually. I think I just improved on it. I worked on it a lot. I didn't think I had a bad forehand. I just think I'm able to be a little bit more aggressive. And the errors have dried up a lot on that side. Able to use it as a weapon a lot more, so... It's great for me.

Q. After your second-round win, you said you were in it to win it, but you would be shocked if you did. How are you feeling now? Do you believe you can go all the way?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I mane, like I said, I'm taking it one match at a time. It's great to be through to the quarters. But no reason to be satisfied. I want to keep pushing. Yeah, I'm looking forward to the next match. Another challenge. Very experienced player, Nick. Yeah, I'm looking forward to the next challenge.

Still a long way to go, but pretty nice to get over and tick the box making the quarters.

Q. Do you feel you're getting better and better as the tournament progresses; you're going to keep going?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think if you look at a lot of the top players, they get better as the tournament progresses. I feel like with myself, for sure.

I was pretty nervous with my first-round match against Andujar, then was two sets to one down against Munar. He was scrapping well, playing good. I think I played my better two matches in the third and fourth rounds.

I feel like I'm improving and my level is getting better. Definitely a little bit more calm in the bigger matches. It's nice to do it that way round.

Q. I was watching your handshake. It looked very wholesome. It struck me the contrast between that and what we watched last night. You tend not to get into words with the umpire... When you see something like last night, does that feel quite alien to you?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, like I'm pretty focused in my matches. I'm trying to just play point by point, take care of what I can do. If there's a certain situation, just try to brush it off and then get ready for the next point.

I did watch that match last night. It was pretty entertaining. It was a good level. The last tiebreak was great to see. I felt it was a great level and good viewing. I think a lot of people would say they enjoyed that match.

Yeah, it was difficult. Tommy is one of my best friends on the tour. I practice with him a lot. Obviously huge match for both of us today. We both had to put that aside. I managed to execute a little bit better than him.

It was nice to be leading the whole time and have a two-sets-to-love cushion, a break early in each of the sets.

Q. Watching that kind of stuff, but you can't imagine doing it yourself?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I don't think I'll be doing that.

It was a good match. Enjoyed watching it. The level was really high.

Q. You talked on the court about coming here in 2017, kind of wanting everything to happen super quick. What have been the most important things in getting from there to here? Did you ever have any wobbles at any point that you would be able to get to the top of the game?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think just with the nature of our sport, it's tough. I came off of a tough draw. I played Tsonga. I think I lost 2-3-3, something like that. I was thinking, This is the biggest match, my chance to play. It was over very quickly.

Yeah, that's just the way tennis goes. You're playing a long year, you lose a couple tough matches all the time. The beauty of it, you have another chance the next week, the following week. I think I've given myself a chance to stay patient and keep working, keep progressing.

Yeah, I think my game's improved a lot. I'm enjoying the challenge of kind of taking it level by level. It's been a nice, steady progression. I want to keep pushing for more.

Q. We're used to seeing you, come hell or high water, having this extremely level kind of temperament. Have you always been like that? Did you have any brash-ish tendencies?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think I went through a stage when I was in juniors. I was not the best mentally. I think everyone tanks matches here and there.

Yeah, I think it was for me going to college and maturing a little bit there and playing a lot of matches. I think I look pretty focused and pretty composed on the court. I'm trying to do that as much as I can, try to be myself out there, just try to play to win and compete as hard as I can, take care of what I can do.

Yeah, I think I definitely had my moments at the time. I don't think I was as bad as other players. I think that's something that I've worked on a lot. I would say it's one of my biggest strengths, is I can stay pretty levelheaded and pretty calm and pretty focused throughout the entire match.

Q. You mentioned going to college. What was it about the experience of going to America that really worked for you?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think, like I said, I matured a lot. I was pretty lucky and pretty fortunate to have good people, players and coaches, around me that gave me a good, positive... Basically kicked me into gear. I didn't really know what I was doing too much. I wasn't mature enough to go play on the futures at 18, 19 years old.

I was able to live a little bit more normal life. You can enjoy the weekends with your friends. You're practicing with your friends. You're competing with them and playing matches with them. It was a lot of fun.

I was able to kind of just live a normal life and work on my tennis. Gave me a lot of momentum getting into the challengers. I got through that pretty quickly.

It was a lot of fun for me and I was able to do normal stuff and live a more normal life before kind of all this, all the tennis life, which I love now. I'm glad that I got all that out the system, get to enjoy that. But now I feel like I didn't miss out on that and I can give everything to tennis.

I'm enjoying this chapter, as well.

Q. Is it a route you'd recommend other Brits to go down?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I think I'm seeing it more and more. You're seeing it more and more. One of the top ones, Pinnington Jones, just committed to TCU, where I went as well. It's great to see other players following in my footprints. Alastair Gray, as well, who played here, won a round here.

I think you can't lose anything. You're going there, going to get a good scholarship. You get to enjoy it, work on your tennis, and get an education. Then you got the tour there waiting for you. You're not really spending too much money on the tour and taking a lot of mental scarring from losing a lot of matches.

I would say it's a lot of fun and you're not losing anything by doing it. I do think there's an exception for a lot of talented guys who are just ready to play and ready to make it already.

I would say it's a great route. I'm seeing more and more Brits doing it, which I think it's great.

Q. Nozzer, you grew up in New Zealand, college in America. How English or British do you feel? You now have the weight of a nation on your shoulders.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, it's pretty interesting, my background obviously from various places. But I'm living here, basing here. I feel good coming back here, practicing with the younger Brits.

Yeah, I think ever since college I've been living here. Yeah, I'm enjoying it. Yeah, it's pretty similar to the people and the sports and everything. I love rugby, the cricket. I'm feeling pretty at home. It's been great to follow all the sports here. It's been good.

Q. Your next match, playing David Goffin, somebody who is used to playing in the latter stages of tournaments, but not recently.

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, for sure. I didn't watch obviously any of his match today. Looked like a battle. It was three hours, four hours. I don't know how long it was.

He's a very experienced player. He really likes the grass. He's played a lot of big matches. It's going to be tough. He's a great competitor, really good athlete. He's got a very complete game. He must be playing very well, so it's going to be a tricky one. He's been in the situation more than me. I'm looking forward to it. It's another battle.

One thing for sure, I know that I'm going to get into a lot of rallies with him. He's not going to come and serve me off the court, which is good. It's going to be another physical match, which is great for me.

I'm looking forward to competing. It's going to be another huge challenge.