Cameron Norrie in the quarter-final of the 2021 Delray Beach Open, USA
DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA - JANUARY 11: Cameron Norrie of Great Britain returns the shot to Frances Tiafoe of the United States during the Quarterfinals of the Delray Beach Open by Vitacost.com at Delray Beach Tennis Center on January 11, 2021 in Delray Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

Tennis | ATP Lyon | Norrie battles past Rinderknech to set up Khachanov semi-final

  • Cameron Norrie def Arthur Rinderknech [LL] 6-3 3-6 6-3
  • Norrie v Karen Khachanov [8] | H2H: 1-1
LYON, FRANCE – Cameron Norrie battled past Arthur Rinderknech 6-3 3-6 6-3 in a match that took place over two days to set up a semi-final in Lyon with Karen Khachanov.

 

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Cameron Norrie def Arthur Rinderknech [LL] 6-3 3-6 6-3

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Cameron Norrie battled past French lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech in three sets over two days. The match started on Friday afternoon where it was Norrie who made the better start. Working the angles and getting the first break of the match to lead 3-1 after saving break points in the previous game. Norrie’s high first serve percentage and ability to dictate points against the aggressive Rinderknech ensured he sealed the first set 6-3.

In the second set it was a tighter affair with Rinderknech able to hit more winners from his forehand and play the match on his terms. In the eighth game the Frenchman gained the break and that was enough to take the match to a deciding set. After the first game of the final set the rain poured down heavily as the match was forced into a second day. Eventually Norrie’s consistent hard hitting was too much for Rinderknech’s hot and cold tennis as a break in the fourth game was enough to seal victory and a spot in the last four.

 

Cameron Norrie v Karen Khachanov [8] H2H & Match Fundamentals

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Cameron Norrie v Karen Khachanov [8]

H2H: 1-1

ATP Lyon

Lyon, France

Clay (O)

Prize Money: €21,000

Scheduled 4th on Court Central (2.30pm BST)

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Next up for Norrie is eighth seed and big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov for a place in Sunday’s final.

 

Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2021 – Clay)

H2H:

Cameron Norrie (WR 49)

Karen Khachanov (WR 26)

Tournament Previous Best

R1 (2019)

QF (2017)

1st Serve %

66.4

64.4

Service Games Won %

82.6

75.3

Break Points Saved %

66.3

51.1

2nd Serve Return Points Won %

53.5

51.4

Break Points Converted %

45.5

47.6

Norrie leads in all of the serving starts on the clay this season so this match will mainly be about how the Brit can fend Khachanov off on break points on his own serve. Should Norrie be effective in that part of his game then it will be about how clinical he can be when he creates break point opportunities. So far in Lyon, Norrie has converted 10 of 16 break points and that pattern will need to hold against Khachanov.

 

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Playing Styles and Prediction

The Russian is into his first semi-final since the Great Ocean Road Open at the beginning of the season and is playing some confident tennis this week. His aggressive style of play with the serve and forehand is going to be something Norrie needs to watch out for especially when the world number 26 is hitting his targets. The problem for Khachanov is his tennis has been inconsistent and therefore there will be points where his form will dip off.

The task for Norrie will be to survive the in-form moments from the Russian and take advantage of the dips in form. Although Khachanov has had a good week, Norrie’s confident consistency should see him into his second final in three events.

Prediction: Norrie in three sets.

 

 

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