Cameron Norrie powers past Benoit Paire in straight sets at 2022 US Open including two bagels
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ByEurosport
Updated 30/08/2022 at 17:39 GMT
It was an emphatic, if slightly strange, performance from Great Britain's Cameron Norrie as he dispatched France's Benoit Paire in straight sets at the 2022 US Open. Norrie bagled Paire in both the opening and final set, yet in the middle set the Frenchman played well enouhg to force a tie breaker (which he lost). Norries moves on to the second round of the Grand Slam.
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Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie eased past Benoit Paire in straight sets 6-0 7-6(1) 6-0 in the first round of the 2022 US Open.
Norrie, who is the seventh seed after some withdrawals, started in blistering fashion, bageling the first set. Paire fought back well and forced a tie break, which Norrie won handily, but the Frenchman fell apart again in the second set suffering a second bagel.
It was a thoroughly professional and morale-boosting performance from Norrie as he capitalised on numerous errors from his opponent to secure the victory in one hour and 34 minutes.
Norrie joins fellow Brits Andy Murray, Harriet Dart and Jack Draper in the second round. He will play Portuguese world number 59 Joao Sousa or American world number 77 Kenzie McDonald next.
"I was actually pretty nervous - it's a pretty unpredictable match against Benoit," Norrie told Amazon Prime afterwards.
"It was a quick first set but it's pretty dangerous sometimes winning sets 6-0. He played well to break me to serve for the second set. He kind of went away in the third which I'll take every day of the week when it's this hot.
"I don't mind it [the heat]. I'm able to block it out better than other guys. When it's hot and humid like this the ball is flying. You have to be really sharp. I did a good job of that today."
Norrie wasted little time in taking the first set, breaking his opponent early and consolidating on the serve, rushing through a love hold with the help of an ace.
Norrie was undoubtedly impressive, but Paire was committing too many unforced errors and a pair of double-faults saw his opponent make it 3-0. Norrie emphatically rubber-stamped the double break with a confident love hold and suddenly the bagel was in sight. The No. 7 hardly needed to break sweat to make it three straight breaks and he served confidently to wrap up the first set in impressive time.
Paire belatedly took the first game of the second set, thanks to a couple of big serves to help restore his confidence. The players exchanged love holds and continued to consolidate on their respective service games.
The game was briefly suspended with Paire leading on his own serve when someone in the crowd fell ill. When play resumed after five minutes, the Frenchman wasted little time in sealing the hold, and Paire’s revival continued when he made his first break of the match to make it 5-3 as he served to level the match.
However, he failed to hold his nerve and a hopeless half volley and another double-fault handed the Brit another break. The second set proceeded into a tie-break but again Paire was the maker of his own undoing as he coughed up three untimely double faults, as Norrie moved two sets clear on a 7-1 scoreline.
Norrie made the perfect start to the third set with a break in the second game, as Paire continued to implore with a dreadful forehand and two double faults.
The Briton backed up the break with a game to 30, and Paire committed more unforced errors to enable Norrie to make it two straight breaks. Suddenly yet another bagel was in sight.
Paire had the look of a beaten man and offered barely any resistance as Norrie held service and then made another break to progress in just 94 minutes.
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