ROLAND GARROS

June 2, 2023

Cameron Norrie

Press Conference

L. MUSETTI/C. Norrie

6-1, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Cam, just your description of your performance today. Statistically it's one of your worst at a slam. How did you feel out there?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I agree. It's not where it needs to be. I came out very flat, and, yeah, disappointed with the attitude in the first couple sets.

Yeah, it was very, very slow conditions, very heavy, and I was not prepared for it to be that slow.

For me, yeah, I can play bad and everything, but I was just very flat and disappointed to have a performance like that. I mean, the first two sets he didn't really do too much, and he was up two sets to love. For a player like myself, I can't afford to give that much of an edge.

Q. You talked the other day about your attitude and maybe having been disappointed with it in a few matches this year, where we're used to somebody who fights so hard for every point. Can you put your finger on why you're struggling to do that sometimes?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, I don't know. It happened last week in Lyon, and this week, well, today, for the first kind of hour, I'd say, not where I needed to be. In the end, I was still not playing well, but I was having chances. Just because my attitude and my energy changed. It's something I have to look on, work on.

Yeah, just pretty disappointed with the performance, especially, like I said, having such big goals to play well at Grand Slams, and go deeper. I mean, I have the chances, the draws. I think it's a good matchup for me today, and I didn't take advantage of it.

Q. I think the results you have had this season, if you look at the list, it's almost like two different periods. I think you went 21-3, and then you've gone 8-8 sort of since Indian Wells, end of Indian Wells. Do you think it's a form thing?

CAMERON NORRIE: No, I think I'm playing some of my best matches on the clay, best periods of tennis so far in the clay season. There is some really good stuff in there, and I'm not really being that consistent.

There is a couple lapses in, I don't know what it is, like just low energy at times. Yeah, I'm working really hard. It's just disappointed with this one especially, feeling really good coming into the tournament.

Yeah, just not happy with the performance today. There is no excuses to play the level that I did today. I missed so many easy shot balls, and, yeah, I lost so many points within a couple shots where usually I can win a lot of those ones.

Not really happy with the performance at all.

Q. I noticed you glancing down at your racquet a couple of times and being baffled by the way the ball was coming off the racquet. Do you think you maybe misjudged conditions? Anything you could do to change at that point? Was it too late?

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, like I said, I didn't come prepared. I was changing racquets throughout the match. It was a bit colder today, but, I mean, I'm good enough to not let that bother me. I guess I should have sent racquets earlier on.

Yeah, it was heavier, slower conditions, and I didn't prepare as well as I could. But yeah, especially on clay when it's slower and it's towards the end of the day, it's obviously going to be heavier.

Yeah, maybe it took me too long. Yeah, I mean, just nothing to do with the tension of the racquet. It was more my attitude, for me. But yeah, just wish I could have had handled them a little bit sooner.

Q. Just on the disappointment, how long does it tend to take someone like you after a match like that? Are you down for a couple of days? Kind of thing where it sticks with you for a couple of weeks?

CAMERON NORRIE: I would say this one hurts more than others being at a Grand Slam and wanting to play well at the Grand Slams. But I would say, yeah, 24 hours, 48 hours, then back to work.

Hopefully gives me more fuel and get ready for the next Grand Slam, which will be a good one. Yeah, just pretty disappointed.

Q. You have won so many matches, played so many tournaments over the last couple of years. Do you think maybe there is a bit of mental fatigue in there?

CAMERON NORRIE: No, I don't think so. I mean, yeah, I played a lot of matches. I think I can use that to my advantage. You know, I've played more matches maybe than anyone else on the tour in the last maybe three years. I can say that's a good thing.

And then even going into this match today, I was thinking I've won more matches than Musetti this year, I've won bigger matches than him. I think I'm playing better than him on the clay. I was really confident going into it.

And, yeah, I was, like I said, a little bit flat and just no excuses to have a performance like that and to have the attitude like I did today.

Yeah, not happy with that at all.

Q. You had your knee strapped again. You talk about the low energy and being flat. Physically as well, is there something not right?

CAMERON NORRIE: No, I mean, I've had the knee thing from last week, and coming into this week too, and I've been dealing with it as best as I can. I think it's normal to have a few niggles here and there. But no, didn't really play a massive impact.

I was able to lift the energy in the third set from basically nothing and playing one of my worst matches over the last two or three years. Yeah, it is what it is, and there's always going to be niggles here and there.

Definitely going to rest a few days and back to London and back in the gym to take care of the body and back to working hard.

Q. You obviously went to South America after Australia to try and peak for Roland Garros, and you had some success there, but that's not really translated into the European clay swing. Is there any sort of differences...

CAMERON NORRIE: Yeah, it's a good question. I think there was a reason why I went there, and not to play well from the beginning in Monte-Carlo and come in with a lot of energy and a lot of like being used to the clay was why I went there, and it didn't happen for me.

Yeah, I won a lot of close matches there, and it was obviously a good swing for me there and it didn't work out, but I was feeling good towards the end of the clay season, as per usual.

Yeah, just disappointed to go out this early in a slam.