Camera-shy Cameron Norrie admits he is unlikely to become a Netflix star any time soon.
Documentary makers were shadowing top tennis players at tournaments throughout last year as they filmed the Netflix show Break Point.
Nick Kyrgios, Matteo Berrettini and Taylor Fritz were among the players the cameras were focused on, but British number one Norrie will not be following suit.
“I think for me it’s more important to keep training as hard as I can and to be known for being a tennis player and a good competitor,” he said. “I think it’s a big distraction having the cameraman there full time.
“I think it’s great what they’re doing for tennis, promoting tennis, and getting some new fans into the sport and people learning about tennis.
“But I’m not sure what I’d do. I think I probably wouldn’t do it, but that’s me right now. But I can understand why some players fancy it and why they are choosing the players that they are.
“But for me, I prefer Andy Murray’s documentary and I’d prefer to do something myself if I were to do something one day.”
Norrie does want to follow in Berrettini’s footsteps, however, by winning the title at Queen’s Club this week.
The Italian is absent this year, having won the previous two cinch Championships, the first against Norrie in the 2021 final.
“I think it would be unreal to do that, and especially here at Queen’s,” said Norrie.
“I came so close. I think I still had never won a title yet when I was in the final with Berrettini. I really thought that was going to be the one.
“It was a tough one. Yeah, a big goal of mine to get a title on the grass. It’s a long way away, but I’m still in it and still need to keep improving everything in my game.”
Norrie faces American Sebastian Korda, who knocked out Britain’s Dan Evans in the first round, in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Korda, the world number 32, said: “He’s probably one of the biggest fighters on tour. He doesn’t give you very many free points.
“I’m expecting a good battle. It’s going to be fun, for sure, and another good test for me. Yeah, another solid match coming up. I’m very happy for it.”
On Thursday world number two Carlos Alcaraz reached the last eight, brushing aside Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-2 6-3.
Much is expected of the 20-year-old Spanish sensation, although he is clearly still coming to terms with his timing and movement on the grass.
However, this was a vast improvement on his laboured first-round win over Arthur Rinderknech.
“I’m really happy with the level I played at today,” he said. “I think I had a solid match, I played my game and enjoyed playing here.
“Playing this kind of match I’m OK with this one. It’s more practice and I am happy getting experience on grass.
“After this match the expectation changes. I think I’m ready to get a good result on grass.”
Andy Murray’s conqueror Alex De Minaur swept past Diego Schwartzman 6-2 6-2 and will face France’s Adrian Mannarino, who beat Fritz 6-4 7-6 (7).
Top seed Sinner withdraws from Madrid Open ahead of quarter-finals
Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Madrid Open due to a hip injury ahead of his scheduled quarter-final clash with Felix Auger Aliassime.
The world number two was due to face Auger Aliassime for a place in the semi-finals after fighting back to overcome Karen Khachanov in three sets on Tuesday.
However, the Italian has been advised to withdraw to avoid aggravating an issue with his right hip, which he says has troubled him throughout the tournament.
Sinner, who is 28-2 for the season and won his first grand slam title at the Australian Open earlier this year, wrote on X: "Very sad to have to withdraw from my next match here in Madrid.
"My hip has been bothering me this week and has slowly been getting more painful. Taking the advice from the doctors, we decided it's best to not play further and make it worse."
Sinner's withdrawal means Auger Aliassime will advance to his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final since 2022, with Daniil Medvedev or Jiri Lehecka – who eliminated Rafael Nadal on Tuesday – up next for the Canadian.
On the other side of the draw, two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz suffered a surprise exit at the hands of Andrey Rublev on Wednesday, with the Russian set to face either Taylor Fritz or Francisco Cerundolo in the last four.
Alcaraz sees Madrid Open reign ended by Rublev in last eight
Carlos Alcaraz saw his hopes of a third straight Madrid Open crown dashed on Wednesday, as Andrey Rublev fought back to seal a statement quarter-final win over the defending champion.
Alcaraz had been pushed close in the last 16 by Jan-Lennard Struff on Tuesday, requiring two tie-breaks to see off the German in three sets, and those exertions seemed to take their toll as he produced a below-par display on Wednesday.
Seven unforced errors from Rublev helped the home favourite take the opener, but he appeared to tire from there as his seventh-seeded opponent fired in 27 winners in a 4-6 6-3 6-2 victory.
Rublev broke Alcaraz's serve in the first and fifth games of the decider, also serving impressively to deny the Spaniard a single break point after a nervous first hold.
Alcaraz's exit ended home interest in the tournament, just one day after five-time champion Rafael Nadal was dumped out in the last 16 by Jiri Lehecka.
Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, Rublev said: "I can't believe that I was able to stay calm throughout the match. I didn't say a word and even I'm impressed by that!
"I want to believe that I have been working on this because if not, then I'm stupid. I just thought to myself to keep trying, keep fighting, keep believing in yourself."
Data Debrief: Major scalp for Rublev
To say Rublev entered Wednesday's match as the underdog would be an understatement. Alcaraz was looking to become the first player to win three straight Madrid Open singles titles, and was 24-0 in Spanish clay-court events since the start of 2022.
Rublev, though, was not overawed by the occasion and punished a sluggish performance from the world number three. Wednesday's win was his first over a top-three opponent since 2022, and he will now face either Taylor Fritz or Francisco Cerundolo in the last four.
Rybakina saves two match points to beat Putintseva in Madrid Open quarter-finals
Elena Rybakina saved two match points as she outlasted Yulia Putintseva to win a dramatic encounter 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The world number four was on the brink of defeat at 5-2 down in the third set, with her fellow Kazakhstani Putintseva eyeing a third win in as many head-to-head meetings between the pair.
However, Rybakina came up with one of the shots of the tournament on Putintseva's first match point, capitalising on a drop shot clipping the net cord to produce a nonchalant winner.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion didn't look back from that moment on, producing back-to-back breaks before holding her nerve through a tense final service game, converting her fourth match point to wrap up a gruelling two-hour, 48-minute contest.
Rybakina has now won 16 successive matches on clay, and she will face either Aryna Sabalenka or Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Data Debrief: Rybakina rampant
Rybakina is the form player on the WTA circuit, with Wednesday's win her 30th of 2024, more than any other player.
She is just the second player to win 30 or more matches in tournaments starting within the first four months of a calendar year, after Iga Swiatek managed 32 victories during the same span in 2022. Swiatek, of course, went on to win the French Open and US Open titles that season.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
