Cameron Norrie insists he is in the best mental and physical shape of his career ahead of the French Open, despite a frustrating second-round exit at the Italian Open on Friday. The British No. 1 suffered a 6-3, 7-5 defeat to Thiago Agustín Tirante, a result that left him shocked by his own level of play.
Early Struggles Set the Tone
Norrie began the match with a series of unforced errors, quickly falling 3-0 behind. The early tension proved difficult to overcome against Tirante, whose explosive game proved too much. The Argentine's first serve consistently hit 140mph, peaking at 148mph, and he dominated from the baseline with a heavy forehand.
Having beaten Tirante two weeks ago at the Madrid Open, Norrie felt he should have exposed the world No. 69's backhand more effectively. “That put a bit of doubt in my mind,” Norrie admitted. “I felt I needed to make a few more balls and dictate play more, but he gave me nothing. It's a good lesson against a player with a clear weakness that I couldn't exploit.”
Positive Outlook Despite Setback
Norrie has been in solid form this year, climbing back into the top 20 for the first time since January 2024. A year ago, he was ranked 91st and enduring one of the worst slumps of his career, but he now sits at 19th in the rankings. This loss, however, was particularly frustrating given his recent consistency.
Looking ahead, Norrie will compete in the Geneva Open as a final warm-up before the French Open. “I can't be in better mental and physical shape going into the French Open,” he said. “This loss makes me hungry. I was shocked with my level because I've been playing so well in practice. I'm excited and ready to play again.”
Learning from Defeat
Norrie acknowledged the need to be braver in future matches. “I would've liked to stay here and have a chance to win the tournament. My level was there, but it's OK. I'll learn from this and next time be more brave, trust my tennis, and trust how well I'm playing.”
The British No. 1 remains optimistic that his strong preparation will pay off at Roland Garros, where he hopes to improve on his best performance of reaching the third round in 2022.
