Cameron Norrie was a globetrotter long before he started touring the planet with his racket bag over his shoulder. The Briton was born in South Africa; at the age of three he moved with his family to New Zealand, where he spent his childhood; at 16 he went alone to Great Britain, the homeland of his parents, which he has been representing since 2013; and soon after he settled in the United States to study at the Christian University of Texas. And that “nomadic” life he’s led since childhood shaped him for the hustle and bustle of a career on the pro tennis circuit, which landed him this week at Buenos Aires, another place with which it has a special bond.
“All those places were great to live in. I love the love there is for sport in New Zealand, especially rugby, and its culture and traditions. Moving to London for a while and then going to the United States was great for me. I grew a lot in those years. Having the infrastructure in London to improve my tennis, many people who support me and all the tournaments in Europe helped me a lot. And at university I met many good people, like Facu But the best thing is that I’ve got used to not having a fixed base for too long and moving a lot, which is normal in the life of a tennis player, I’m not one to think “Oh, I wish I was home.” I love the lifestyle. Otherwise it would be difficult,” she reflected in a chat with clarionjust before beating the local team in three even sets Facundo Diaz Acosta in his Argentina Open debut.
“facu” AND Facundo Lugones, a former player of Adrogué, who met the Briton when they both played for Texas in the university championship and has been his coach since 2017, when Cameron made the leap to professionalism. And he’s also largely responsible for Norrie’s existence the most Argentinian of foreigners competing in the 2023 edition of the Buenos Aires tournament.
“I didn’t know anything about Argentina before. But with Facu, first, and then with Julián (Romero, a Juninense who is his physiotherapist), I got to know everything. I even did some preseason here a few years ago, I spent time in Buenos Aires and loved the place the tennis clubs have a British feel with the train nearby and the look of the club house. They also love rugby and football here; I like food, especially roast meat; people are very nice and very passionate about tennis. I feel good with the conditions. The truth is, it’s good to be back,” said the world number 12 and second favorite of the Buenos Aires tournament, who has his connection to Argentina engraved on his skin.
A lover of rugby, a sport he discovered during his childhood in Auckland, Norrie got the Los Pumas logo tattooed on his right ribs a few years ago. And that he’s an All Blacks fan.
“It seems crazy now, but I love the All Blacks, I love rugby and I love sport in general. I love the jaguar, which is the logo of the Los Pumas. The first time I was going to play Wimbledon (in 2017) I was with Facu and I wanted a symbol to remember that occasion. And it was there, with rugby, with Facu, with Wimbledon… “At that time I followed Los Pumas a lot, how they played, and I thought they could be a great team. And I saw they were getting better, more consistent. I went the week before and did it,” he recalled with a laugh.
The English have so much sympathy for the Argentine national team, that shortly before his debut in the BALTC he visited Los Pumas 7 and received a shirt as a gift, which added to the ones signed by the senior national players that he had been given sent a while ago.
-This year the Rugby World Cup will be played in France. Argentina and England share a group. Which would you like to win the match between the two?
It’s a difficult question… (Thinks). I think I want Argentina to win. I used to live in London but my father is Scottish and my mother is Welsh. So I like the England team, but I’m not a fan. Let’s hope Los Pumas win that game and can go to the second phase. But it’s a tough group.
-You are also a football fan and Newcastle fan. And it’s been said many times that you’re a Boca fan too, is that true?
I went to see a Boca match, I think it was against Arsenal, and we had the best seats, in the corner, right next to where all the fans were. super fans. I think I ended up watching the fans more than the game. I don’t know the players or anything. But I say I support Boca because I went to see that match. Even if Julián is not happy to have said it because he is from Independiente.
Lugones said Norrie’s passion reaches even Lionel Messi’s team. “He was fully supporting Argentina at the World Cup. In fact, he gave us the handle to go to the semifinals and he came with us. He didn’t go to the final because he was very tired. He was playing a tournament there and he couldn’t give more. He said ‘If I go, I’ll die.’ But he liked it a lot,” commented the coach.
From college camps to professional touring
Norrie, 27, started playing tennis at the age of 6, although she made her first strokes with a squash racket that belonged to her mother Helen. In his first years as a junior, he represented New Zealand and later moved to Great Britain. And in 2014 he decided to postpone the start of his professional career and accepted a scholarship to study in the United States.
“I wasn’t mentally ready or mature enough to start down the road of the circuit and the Futures and embrace that lifestyle. And for me, taking those years off to play in the university league was great. I recommend it to all players, especially the Argentines Take your time, develop your game and your physique,” he commented. “Fran Cerúndolo is a good example. I think he was not a very talented player at 18, enough to start directly as a professional. He had a period at the University and today, when he plays at his highest level, he is one of the best today there are a lot of great players in the top 100 who went to college, it’s a great option.”
In 2017 he decided it was time to try his luck on the track. He dropped out of college and in just over five years as a pro earned his place among the elite. Cameron owns four titles, including a Masters 1000, Indian Wells 2021. He played in the semifinals of Wimbledon last year, in which he lost to Novak Djokovic signing his best performance in a Grand Slam. In September he reached the eighth place in the world rankings. And since October 2021 he is the number 1 tennis player in Great Britain. But he is not satisfied.
“Last year at Wimbledon I was asked many times by the British press if I felt pressure to be number 1 in the country. Of course I do, but that’s exactly where I want to be. I want more though. I don’t want to just be the best Briton, I want to be the best in the world. For me, it’s always looking for something more, it’s to keep improving,” he assured.
“He’s always said he wants to be No. 1. He doesn’t do it as an enlargement or anything. But there’s no bigger goal than being No. 1. And he plays for it, he competes for that, he competes and he’s showing that he live the way he has to live to achieve it. All he does is aim for that goal, nothing else in his life matters. After that, whether it happens or not, it’s something else,” Lugones said. “He has to keep improving, playing better in Grand Slams and Masters 1000. But he is confident he can get there.”
Very relaxed in his day-to-day life – “He’s very familiar, calm, social; very funny and very passionate about sports,” Lugones said – when he takes the field, Norrie is a competitive animal who dreams big. And while he’s in no hurry, he’s aiming high for the foreseeable future.
“I know I have a lot to work on, that I have to be patient with myself and prioritize my tennis, as I have. I’m doing a good job. One of my big goals is to finish the year in the top 5 and I think that I really have the tennis to win a Grand Slam,” he said.
The particular relationship with “Facu”
When Norrie decided to drop out and focus on his professional career, he convinced Lugones to join him. The Argentine had graduated a few years earlier and was an assistant coach of the TCU team. He planned to pursue his career in finance, but he accepted the offer. And time has shown that he has done well.
Why does this partnership work between a player and a coach, separated by just three years (the Argentine has 30) and born and raised in very different contexts?
“I think we both love tennis and want to get better and better. We are both very hungry to improve and love the life of being on tour. He is a very professional and very mature coach. We have never had an argument. We have different opinions at times and on some things with tennis, but it’s nice to keep the relationship fresh. Everything works and not just Facu, I have Julián and the whole team. They all push me well,” Norrie reflected.
“We’ve known each other for a long time, we trust each other a lot and we can say anything to each other and we don’t take it personally. We both really want the other to do well. We have very clear goals, the lines coach-player and friend -man they are very clear. We have always been honest with each other and this is the key to making it last so long. And obviously the results help”, assured Lugones, who in 2021 was awarded by the ATP as best coach of the year.
Source: Clarin
Jason Root is the go-to source for sports coverage at News Rebeat. With a passion for athletics and an in-depth knowledge of the latest sports trends, Jason provides comprehensive and engaging analysis of the world of sports.