French Open: Cameron Norrie knocked out by Lorenzo Musetti while Novak Djokovic battles through | Tennis News

Cameron Norrie’s French Open marketing campaign resulted in disappointing trend with a
straight-sets loss to Lorenzo Musetti within the third spherical.

It is the third yr in a row the British No 1 has fallen within the final 32, and he solely managed to mount any actual problem within the third set earlier than taking place 6-1 6-2 6-4 in two hours and eight minutes on Court Simonne Mathieu.

For me, I can play dangerous and the whole lot, however I used to be simply very flat and disenchanted to have a efficiency like that.

There is actually no shame in dropping to 21-year-old Musetti, who’s ranked solely 5 locations under Norrie and whose greatest floor is clay, however the 14th seed can be disenchanted by the way of what’s one in all his worst Grand Slam losses when it comes to scoreline.

The consequence, in the meantime, brings an finish to British singles hopes at a event the place solely three gamers even made the beginning line.

“I came out very flat and I’m disappointed with the attitude in the first couple of sets,” mentioned a really downbeat Norrie.

“It was very, very sluggish circumstances, very heavy, and I used to be not ready for it to be that sluggish. For me, I can play dangerous and the whole lot, however I used to be simply very flat and disenchanted to have a efficiency like that.

“The first two units he did not actually do an excessive amount of and he was up two units to like. For a participant like myself, I am unable to afford to offer that a lot of an edge.

“There is no excuses to play the level that I did today. I missed so many easy short balls and I lost so many points within a couple of shots where usually I can win a lot of those ones.

“I did not come ready. I used to be altering rackets all through the match. It was a bit colder right this moment however I’m adequate to not let that trouble me.”

Norrie lost to Musetti in Barcelona recently but spoke positively after his second-round victory over Lucas Pouille about what he had learned from that clash.

He was instantly on the again foot, although, dropping serve within the opening sport towards the fashionable Italian and swiftly dropping the opening set.

The second was no higher, with Musetti too typically discovering a solution to the whole lot Norrie may throw at him, and the seventeenth seed went a break up early within the third as nicely.

Norrie was watching his worst main loss however he not less than made a fist of it, breaking Musetti, who had misplaced from two units up on each of his earlier appearances at Roland Garros, again and creating three probabilities to interrupt for 5-3.

The Italian held agency, although, and drilled a forehand previous Norrie to interrupt once more earlier than serving out the victory.

Norrie will now head again to London and switch his consideration to the grass-court swing a yr on from his run to the Wimbledon semi-finals.

“I would say this one hurts more than others being at a grand slam and wanting to play well at the Grand Slams,” he added. “Hopefully it gives me more fuel and get ready for the next Grand Slam, which will be a good one.”

Djokovic & Alcaraz proceed successful

Novak Djokovic fought off a terrific problem from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to achieve the fourth spherical for a 14th consecutive yr.

The 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 victory took three hours and 36 minutes, with Djokovic twice a break down within the first set and compelled to avoid wasting a set level within the second.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who once more wore a nanotechnology system on his chest, appeared unsettled in windy circumstances, while he known as the coach earlier than the third set to have his left thigh massaged, however, as he so typically does, he discovered a solution to come out on high.

Asked in regards to the medical time-out, Djokovic mentioned: “We don’t have much time to start to name the many injuries I have, and the list is quite long.

“I nonetheless stored on enjoying. These are the circumstances that you just, as knowledgeable athlete, must cope with. Accept it. Sometimes you need assistance from (a) physio in the course of the match. Sometimes you want tablets. Sometimes you need assistance from the god or angels, or whoever.

“The reality for me nowadays is that my body is responding differently than it did a few years ago. I managed to finish the match.”

Djokovic may meet Carlos Alcaraz within the semi-finals, and the world No 1 had a a lot simpler time in reaching spherical 4, beating Denis Shapovalov 6-1 6-4 6-2.

Alcaraz was a break down within the second set however received 5 video games in a row earlier than cruising through the ultimate set.

“I felt great, I think I played a great level the whole match,” mentioned Alcaraz, who subsequent meets Musetti.

“The second set I was in trouble a little bit, I started to make more mistakes but I had to be here all the time, to be strong mentally. I knew I was going to have my chances in the second set to come back and that’s what I did. I hope to take this level into the next round.”

It was one other day of lengthy matches, with Italian Lorenzo Sonego combating again from two units all the way down to defeat seventh seed Andrey Rublev, while Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner noticed off Fabio Fognini in 5 units.

After his epic victory over Stan Wawrinka, Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis was concerned in one other prolonged battle with eleventh seed Karen Khachanov however was unable to drive a decider, dropping out 6-4 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-5).

Russian Khachanov declined to reply questions in regards to the battle in Ukraine afterwards, saying: “I am a sportsman, I am not a politician. I don’t want to talk here about politics because, first of all, I am not good at it. And, second of all, it’s not my job.”