Andy Murray is defeated by Cameron Norrie in Cincinnati as the master loses to apprentice
Andy Murray is defeated by Cameron Norrie in Cincinnati as the master loses to apprentice. Cameron Norrie overthrew compatriot Andy Murray in a battle of the Brits. This win helped him advance to the third round in Cincinnati. The ninth seed failed to win a match at the Western & Southern Open before this week. But then he found himself in the third round after a 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory over the former British No 1.
Murray and Norrie faced off each other the second time. The former world No 1 won their only previous clash at the 2019 China Open. But the 26-year-old became a different player since then. He reached the world’s top 10. Norrie won a Masters title and reached the Wimbledon semi-final all in the last ten months.
The top-ranked Brit started off strong in the second round. He immediately broke the Murray serve but the two-time former champion in Cincinnati proved that he was still the master as he broke straight back. The ninth seed saved two break points in his next service game but failed to keep the 35-year-old held off for long, getting broken at 3-4 giving Murray the chance to serve for the opener.
He closed it out 6-3 and got the better of the world No 11 on both the serve and returned points in the 45-minute set. Norrie then saved another break point to get on the board at the start of the second. Murray passed through with a love-hold. It was the British No 1’s turn for a love-hold as he settled into the match. He put pressure on the Murray serve in the next game as he managed to get to deuce. But he failed to create a breakpoint for the first time since the opening game of the match.
Norrie set up two break point chances in Murray’s next service game at 2-3. The world No 47 fended off the higher-ranked Brit in an eight-minute game to stay level in the second. The ninth seed pressed and set up two more break points at 4-3. He found his forehand and finally took one to serve for a deciding set. He hoped to keep himself alive in set two. The former champion went on to set up a triple break point on his compatriot’s serve. Norrie quickly reeled off five straight points and took the match into a third and final set.
He started the deciding set with a 0-30 lead on the Murray serve but the former world No 1 was digging deep to hold. It was a close final set until the 35-year-old carved out a break point at 3-2. But his string went on to break during the rally as he was seen smiling in disbelief.
But the physio did not help as the British No 1 managed to serve out a 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory over Murray after 2 hours and 37 minutes.
Norrie will be facing the fifth seed Casper Ruud. The world No 11 has faced the French Open finalist a total of three times and lost on all three occasions.
Everyone was expecting Andy Murray to retire after the 2019 Australian Open because of some serious hip surgery and rehab.
Three and a half years later, he acknowledged the physical toll is becoming greater and greater. Against compatriot Cameron Norrie, the former world No 1, was suffering from cramps.