Wimbledon 2025: Norrie giving nothing away ahead of Alcaraz showdown

Cameron Norrie relaxes between Wimbledon matches by playing cards with his support team. He’s certainly got a good poker face.

If the sole remaining British player in the singles competition was feeling any nerves, he did an excellent job of concealing them, laughing and smiling throughout his practice session on Monday.

It was a marked contrast to the Norrie who once appeared weighed down by the sudden expectations that followed his breakthrough into the world’s top ten three years ago.

Slipping outside the world’s top 50 may not do wonders for the bank balance, but it could well be a tonic for the soul.

Norrie began his campaign on the fringes of the grounds, on Court 18, but has since played his last three matches on his favoured No 1 Court.

However, a quarter-final meeting with Carlos Alcaraz means a return to Centre Court. It is also a reminder that the last time he faced a defending champion there, Novak Djokovic in the 2022 semi-finals, he was beaten in four sets.

“It only gets tougher from now,” he said.

“I’ve played a lot of tough matches already but there are still many more to come, and plenty still to be won.

“I’ll just keep playing point by point as always. I’m really happy with how I pulled up after the last match. My body feels good, and I’m in a good place. I’ve been striking the ball well.

“I’m enjoying having the crowd behind me, but I also know Carlos is a very popular player here.

“I’m not too concerned about being the last Brit standing, or whether others are still in. It would be nice to have a few more to share the spotlight and give the fans more players to support.

“In future years, I think that will be the case, but right now I’m just focused on my job.”

Norrie’s coach and friend, Facundo Lugones, often warns anyone considering challenging his player to a fitness contest to think again. The Briton's aerobic capacity is the stuff of legend.

Even after a four-and-a-half-hour, five-set battle in the fourth round against Chile’s Nicolás Jarry, he barely looked like he had broken sweat.

The countless hours in the gym, 10km hill runs and open-water swims are clearly paying off.

Even as he approaches 30, Lugones remains astounded by Norrie’s endurance. The Brit is capable of maintaining a ‘red zone’ heart rate of 200 beats per minute for extended periods during training and matches.

“When I was in college, someone once tested my lungs one summer. They said I must be a deep-sea diver or something, because they were huge,” Norrie said.

“Since then, I’ve just had massive confidence in my cardio. It means I back myself in the longer rallies. I don’t know if it’s false confidence, but I’ll take it.”

Still, it takes more than big lungs to beat Alcaraz at Wimbledon. His 18-match winning streak at SW19 is proof of a player with real grit and determination.

The Spaniard has faced Norrie six times, winning four. However, they have not played since the Brit pulled off a surprise victory on clay in the ATP 500 final in Rio de Janeiro more than two years ago.

“For me, facing him is a nightmare, to be honest,” said Alcaraz, the defending champion. “He’s a very difficult opponent, and we’ve already had some tough battles.

“I’m not surprised to see him in the quarter-finals. I saw him practising. He lost at Queen’s and then spent five days on the courts here, morning, afternoon and night.

“He’s playing at home with the crowd on his side, and that means I need to be very strong mentally.”

Alcaraz, who was looking for a left-handed practice partner on Wimbledon’s Aorangi Park courts, admits that southpaws often pose problems. He lost to Jack Draper at Queen’s last year and was pushed to four sets by Ugo Humbert on the way to last year’s final at SW19.

“I’ve always found it tricky against lefties, especially with their slice serve to the advantage court,” he said.

“We know what to expect. Cameron is going to be really tough from the baseline. My team and I will discuss the tactics and work them into practice.”

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