WHAT HAPPENED: In a measured effort designed to keep his play one significant level higher than his opponent, Cameron Norrie moved comfortably into the 2023 US Open second round with a straight-sets victory over Alexander Shevchenko, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Seeded No. 16, Norrie kept up the pressure by cracking 25 winners to only 21 unforced errors. Shevchenko’s stats went in the other direction as he had 13 more mistakes than winners on Court 11 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Norrie, a lefty from the United Kingdom, found a groove by rallying cross court to No. 83 Shevchenko’s backhand. Not to be denied from the other week, Norrie also found much success going into the less consistent forehand of the 22-year-old.
Norrie wasted no time in showing his strength, putting away a forehand winner in the match’s second game. The second set slipped away from Shevchenko when he double-faulted on break point and let Norrie have an opening to serve out the second set.
“I was a nice match to get a lot of rhythm. I was really hungry to do better. I kept my concentration and I gave him nothing and spread the ball around with my forehand,” Norrie said.
The third set didn’t offer much relief for Shevchenko. Norrie watched him miss a backhand to go up 2-0 and a poorly judged forehand cost Shevchenko the seventh game.
No matter the rally length, Norrie won the most points at four shots or less, five through eight shots, and nine or more shots throughout the 91-minute match.
Asked about his consistency in winning point no matter the rally length, he said with a smile in a post-match press conference, “That’s a really good stat. I watched him play Daniel Evans and decided to take his second serve early and put on the pressure.”
Continuing the best stretch of his seven-year career, Norrie peaked at No. 8 last September and became the fourth highest-ranked British man. Earlier this year he defeated No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the Rio de Janeiro final.
Asked if his disappointing summer was a worry, he replied, “For me I have the confidence that this is my best surface here on the hard courts and I will get back to where I was earlier this year.”
WHAT IT MEANS: Norrie’s second round opponent will be qualifier Yu Hsiou Hsu of Taiwan, who is ranked No. 237 in the world. He defeated No. 78 Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis. This will be the first match between Norrie and Hsu.
MATCH POINT: Norried pulled off one of the sweetest shots of the match. Facing his only break point, he lifted a shot off of his shoelaces and put away a gentle volley.
