Cameron Norrie stuns Casper Ruud to reach Australian Open fourth round

British number one Cameron Norrie produced a scintillating performance to claim victory over 11th seed Casper Ruud, securing his place in the Australian Open fourth round for the first time in his career. The 28-year-old, who is seeded 19th, displayed an aggressive and strategic game plan to seal a hard-fought 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-4 6-3 win at Melbourne Park.

Norrie’s triumph is especially significant as he becomes the first British player since Kyle Edmund in 2018 to reach the fourth round at the prestigious Australian Open. Reflecting on his achievement, Norrie expressed his elation, emphasizing the special nature of this milestone.

With this impressive victory against Ruud, Norrie progresses to face either German sixth seed Alexander Zverev or American teenager Alex Michelsen in the next round on Monday.

Norrie’s journey to this point has not been without its challenges. Following a successful rise in the rankings over the past few seasons, Norrie encountered a difficult period last year where he failed to progress beyond the third round in any of the Grand Slam tournaments. This marked the end of a bleak season, during which he suffered defeat in 10 out of 12 matches following the US Open.

Feeling burned out from a grueling schedule that had taken its toll since 2020, Norrie took proactive measures to address his physical and mental fatigue. In October, he took a break from the ATP Tour by withdrawing from the Paris Masters. The British player then embarked on a pre-season training program, which included hiking in the French Alps with his fitness trainer, Vasek Jursik.

This challenging experience, which pushed Norrie out of his comfort zone, served as both a mental refresher and an opportunity to build a strong fitness foundation for the upcoming season. Norrie has credited this break as a turning point, and his impressive start to 2024 at the Australian Open seems to reflect the positive impact of his off-season preparations.