Cameron Norrie during the 2023 ASB Classic. Photo / Photosport
Cameron Norrie during the 2023 ASB Classic. Photo / Photosport
Cameron Norrie is taking a new approach to tennis this year, admitting he felt “burnt out” by the end of last season.
The Auckland-raised Norrie, who will be second seed at the ASB Classic, has revamped his schedule for 2024 and is also looking to evolve his game, feelingthat he was becoming predictable to his opponents.
They are candid revelations – especially in a sport where it is unfashionable to reveal too much – but typical of Norrie, who has always been honest and upfront.
It’s a product of a period of introspection, following a disappointing second half of 2023. Norrie didn’t go backwards dramatically – he remains world No 18 – but stopped going forwards, especially by his recent resume.
In 2021 he jumped from No 74 to inside the top 20, reaching six finals, highlighted by his memorable Indian Wells victory. In 2022 Norrie had the unforgettable run to the last four at Wimbledon – with the BBC delaying their news bulletin to cover his quarter-final – and took two more ATP titles to reach the top 10 for the first time.
Last year started well, with three finals by March (Auckland, Buenos Aires, Rio), beating Carlos Alcaraz in the Brazil decider. There were decent runs at Indian Wells and Rome but he plateaued from July, with a 5-13 record.
“It was a long year for me and I was a little bit burnt out by the end of the year. I’ve played so many matches over the last three years,” said Norrie. “I felt like at the end of last year I was a bit stuck, I wasn’t improving.”
Cameron Norrie at Indian Wells. Photo / Photosport
There wasn’t a particular moment or tournament but more of an accumulation. It’s not a major issue – as he still loves everything about the sport including the travel – but Norrie knows change is necessary.
The 28-year-old has always maintained a packed schedule – one of the busiest players in the top 50 – with a ‘have racket, will travel’ approach.
That will change this year, as he wants to peak when it matters, for the Grand Slams and Masters events.
“You never really know how much you can push until you feel a bit of burnout,” said Norrie. “I like to play a lot of matches and it is just being smart and learning over the years what surfaces you like, what tournaments you like and how much you want to play. It’s feeling that balance.”
Norrie will also retool his style. He doesn’t need major adjustments – as he can boast wins over Alcaraz, Rafa Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune, among many others – but feels tweaks are necessary.
“A lot of players got to know my game, I was becoming quite predictable,” said Norrie.
He didn’t give too much away but wants to be more aggressive and develop his net game. Norrie is feeling refreshed after a productive offseason bloc at home in Monaco - “I stayed in one place and rested as much as I could” - and had the chance for focused work.
After two United Cup matches in Perth, Auckland is the perfect place to start his ATP season.
“I love this tournament,” said Norrie, “I always feel good coming home.”
Cameron Norrie made a run to last year's final. Photo / Photosport
Norrie grew up in Auckland – playing at Bucklands Beach tennis club – and still sounds as Kiwi as pineapple lumps and jandals, even if he switched allegiance to Great Britain at the age of 17. Last November he was rapt to attend the Rugby World Cup final in Paris.
“It was crazy, the atmosphere, all the Kiwis there, an amazing match and everyone put it on the line,” said Norrie. “I really enjoyed it.”
He speaks with genuine fondness about the ASB Classic, which he used to attend as a wide-eyed ballboy.
“I was a young kid coming here, asking for photos with everyone,” said Norrie. “It’s nice to be back here as one of the players trying to win the tournament.
“I went out to Merton Road [on Friday] and hit with some of the kids there, it brought back some good memories. I was a normal kid here in New Zealand and made it at this tournament playing at the highest level.”
Norrie has played in Auckland on seven previous occasions, losing the final in 2019 and 2023. Last year was particularly tough, as he was favoured against Richard Gasquet and looked on course, before a late revival from the veteran to edge the three-set battle.
“It would be nice to get this trophy but obviously a long way to go and lot of good names in there,” said Norrie, who described the field as “stacked”.
As a top-four seed, Norrie has a bye to the second round, where he will face a qualifier or American JJ Wolfe (world No 53), with 34th-ranked Christopher Eubanks in his quarter.
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.
