US Open 2022: Norrie blasts past Paire to join Murray, Draper and Dart in Round 2

The top-ranked British man, Cam Norrie, had every reason to be optimistic about his chances of a deep run at this year’s US Open.

Just before his 27th birthday last week, he reached the semis of the Cincinnati Masters with a storming three-set win over No4 Carlos Alcaraz.

It was the Briton’s 41st match-win of the year, and just the latest in a string of strong results in 2022: two titles from four finals, plus his first Major semi-final at Wimbledon.

Norrie’s inexorable rise had its foundation on a standout post-pandemic couple of years. Following his relatively late arrival on the pro tour after a university career, he hit the big time in 2021 with the Indian Wells Masters title, plus Los Cabos, and four more finals.

It took him from a rank of 74 at the start of last year to a break inside the top 10 with that Cincinnati run this month. And because two higher-ranked men, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev, are missing from the men’s draw, Norrie nabbed a valuable top-eight seeding: He would not have to face a higher seed before the quarter-finals.

But his first target was to reach the second week in New York, to take at least one step beyond his best run, the third round, in 2020.

His first hurdle was former top-20 player, but current world No173, Benoit Paire. The unpredictable Frenchman, without a semi-final to his name since the Covid closure early in 2020, had just four match-wins this year, and only two since the Australian Open. And Norrie certainly had the upper hand in the fitness stakes if he could keep Paire on the run in the stifling Flushing Meadow conditions.

The quality, focus and confidence of Norrie were quickly on show on a scorching Court 11, where strong support for the top-ranked British man was matched by plenty of vocal support for the often brilliant, but sometime lackadaisical Frenchman.

Norrie broke in the first game, and twice more, meanwhile reeling off three love holds to win the set, 6-0, in just 18 minutes.

The Briton had made just one unforced error in the set for 10 winners, and continued the perfect run of serving into the second set with another love hold.

Paire, though, found much better resolve in this set, served big, got his first game on the board, and then worked a first break point on Norrie’s serve in the sixth game. The Briton found his most precise serve-and-forehands to hold, but Paire showed what a danger he can be: a bullet of a forehand, and a backhand swing volley fended off his own break point.

After a delay to care for a collapsed fan on the baking metal benches that face the direct midday sun, Paire held, and then with his returns of serve coming at Norrie with interest, he drew a British error for a break, 5-3.

However, the Briton immediately worked two chances to break back, Paire double faulted, and Norrie had saved the set. So they headed to a tie-break, which was opened by an energy-saving, creative serve-and-volley winner from Paire. But it would be his last point of the set.

The conditions seemed to be taking a toll on Paire, now: he made two double faults, and then conceded the set with a third, 7-6(1). And Norrie applied the thumb-screws with a love hold to open the third set, followed by a break, 2-0.

The rout continued with Paire spraying errors, and by now seemingly unable to put in ‘best effort’. The ending, then, was swift, after an hour and a half. The Frenchman had already packed his towels into his bag before opening the final game with a double fault, and a backhand Norrie winner sealed the deal 6-0.

Norrie will be a handful for whoever he faces in the draw: Next up would be 59-ranked Joao Sousa, who beat McKenzie McDonald in a three and a half hour four-setter. Norrie has beaten the Portuguese in both previous matches.

Norrie is renowned for his fitness and stamina, and also proved his resistance to the oppressive New York conditions:

“I don’t mind [the heat]. I’m able to block it out better than other guys. When it’s hot and humid like this, the ball is flying. You have to be really sharp. I did a good job of that today.”

But if he is to reach the second week for the first time at the US Open, he may have to beat No28 seed, Holger Rune. Thereafter, he is in the same eighth as Andrey Rublev, and the same quarter as former champion Rafael Nadal.

For now, Norrie has joined fellow Brits Andy Murray, Harriet Dart and Jack Draper in the second round. Soon after, No20 seed Dan Evans also completed an impressive win over Jiri Vesely, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1, in under two hours.

Evans reached the semis of the Montreal Masters earlier this month, and made the fourth round at this tournament last year. It is clear that his bristling, creative, single-handed tennis thrives on these courts, which will next be tested by either Christopher O’Connell or James Duckworth.