Cameron Norrie, US Open 2017, Flushing Meadows, New York
Photo by DaveShopland/BPI/REX/Shutterstock | Cameron Norrie US Open 2017, Flushing Meadows, New York

Norrie rises in another big win, faces Fognini for place in Los Cabos final

By Jake Davies

  • Cameron Norrie defeats Adrian Mannarino [4] 6-4, 6-4
  • Cameron Norrie vs Fabio Fognini [2]
LOS CABOS, MEXICO – British No.2 Cameron Norrie fired is way into a second successive tour-level semi-final as he defeated the experienced 30-year-old Adrian Mannarino in straight sets in Los Cabos.

 

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Cameron Norrie def. Adrian Mannarino [4] 6-4 6-4

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It was a battle between two players trying to attain the same goal with a very similar style of play. Cameron Norrie generates a lot of spin and a lot of work on the ball through his loopy and effective forehand side, while Adrian Mannarino really can do many things with a tennis racquet with his gifted lefty-forehand himself.

Norrie very quickly got into quite the groove on his serve. He did not give much away in the opening set on his first deal and was impactful behind his second serve too, but it was the comfort he was finding in the trade and in the baseline rallies that was really surprising against someone as experienced as the Frenchman.

Norrie secured the first break of the match in the fifth game and continued to kick on from there to win an accomplished first set of tennis.

In mirror image to the first set, Norrie was the first to break in the fifth game of the 2nd set, but Mannarino started to move Norrie in and out of awkward positions on the court and quickly broke back immediately for 3-3, but Norrie really ran away with the match from then on and marched towards a 3rd ever ATP semi-final for the young Brit.

Norrie has won 25 of his 27 service games this week, not dropped a set and has come out on the winning end in 6 of his last 7 matches, which suggests he may be playing some of the best tennis of his career.

 

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Cameron Norrie vs Fabio Fognini [2] H2H: First meeting

Fabio Fognini in the third round of Roland Garros, 2018
Fabio Fognini in the third round of Roland Garros, 2018 | (THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images)

The challenges ahead do not get any easier as he now faces the No.2 seed Fabio Fognini.Β The Italian is one of the tour leading players in terms of match wins this season on 33 wins for the year. The difficult thing about playing against Fognini is that he can hurt you with aggressive forehands and backhands, but he is also deceptively dangerous when you pull him out into the corners in defensive positions.

Norrie has to really match what Fognini has been doing on his first serve, but he also has to accept that Fognini is going to play inspired, unplayable tennis at times, while acknowledging that there may be dips in Fognini’s concentration and in his level. In reality Norrie has to believe that being solid and being steady will get him another big victory and a first final on the ATP tour.

Prediction: Fognini in straight sets