Cameron Norrie Seeks Australian Open Revenge Against Alexander Zverev
British tennis star Cameron Norrie faces a formidable challenge as he prepares to battle world number three Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open third round on Friday. Despite losing all six of their previous encounters, Norrie enters the match with renewed confidence and determination to finally overcome his German rival.
Norrie's Uphill Battle Against Zverev
Norrie, once again the last British singles player remaining in a Grand Slam tournament, has experienced particularly painful defeats against Zverev in recent years. Their most memorable clash came at the 2024 Australian Open fourth round, where Norrie fell in a dramatic final-set tiebreak. That same year, Zverev also eliminated Norrie from Wimbledon in the third round, adding to the Briton's frustration.
The 26th seed secured his place in this year's third round with a hard-fought victory over Emilio Nava, overcoming an ill-timed rain delay to win 6-1 7-6 (3) 4-6 7-6 (5). This performance has bolstered Norrie's belief that he can trouble the tournament's third seed, who reached last year's Australian Open final.
Norrie Embraces Underdog Status
"I'm excited to play against him. I think it's nice being the underdog again," Norrie said following his second-round triumph. "To go and play him, nothing to lose. I want to take it to him, just rest up, get to hopefully enjoy another amazing atmosphere like I did today."
Norrie acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead, stating: "I think I can trouble him. I'm going to have to really play complete match and play well for four hours I think to have a chance with him."
Match Details and Viewing Information
The highly anticipated third-round clash between Norrie and Zverev is scheduled for Friday 23 January on John Cain Arena. The match will not begin before 7:30am GMT, though this timing could be slightly delayed depending on the preceding match between Iva Jovic and Jasmine Paolini.
For British viewers, the Australian Open will be broadcast live on TNT Sports, with additional streaming available through Discovery+. American audiences can watch the tournament on ESPN and Tennis Channel.
Norrie's Confidence Despite Past Defeats
Reflecting on his rivalry with Zverev, Norrie commented: "So excited. He's one of the most consistent players on the tour. I think he loves playing me. Every time we play we have such high-level matches. He always beats me. The last maybe four or five times."
"We always have close sets, close matches. I played him fourth round here, lost 7-6 in the fifth. But he's one of the best competitors out there. I'm excited. I'm feeling good."
Norrie drew confidence from his recent performances, adding: "I really can take a lot of confidence from the first three weeks of the year, how I'm managing my service games, how I'm putting a lot of returns in court. I feel like I'm there every single point. I know that's more kind of my trademark, to be there every point. I think I've been doing a really good job with that."
The British number one concluded: "I think that's the reason why I won today. My tennis has been there. I've been feeling the ball great. I think mentally I'm feeling in a good place."
