'Didn’t feel like real life' - Cameron Norrie reveals what it's like facing Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal
By Sanjay Suri
Published 24/05/2026 at 18:06 GMT+1
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Cameron Norrie comes into this year’s French Open with more fanfare, but he is determined to not let the occasion get the better of him as he looks to capitalise on a favourable draw.
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The former Indian Wells champion and Wimbledon semi-finalist broke back into the world top 20 thanks to solid performances at recent ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in California and Madrid.
With Jack Draper ruled out because of a knee injury, Britain's interest in the men's draw largely rests on Norrie, who reached the fourth round last year before losing to Novak Djokovic.
In an exclusive interview with TNT Sports, the British men's No.1 has reflected on his time playing alongside the ‘Big Three’ on the tour, notably his four-set defeat to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2021, and how they compare to current pacesetters Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
He said: ”I couldn’t believe walking on to Centre Court at Wimbledon playing against Federer.
”It didn’t feel like real life, walking out, and he’s walking behind me and actually playing against him in the third round of Wimbledon.
”Those matches I’ll never forget. It’s different, so I would say those ones are a bit more special. When I was young, I was going to tournaments and I was idolising those guys a lot.
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”I was pretty nervous and pretty tight to even talk to them and meet them and then, after a couple of years, I got used to them and became friends with them and talked with them a lot and asked them questions.”
‘Up there with Nadal’s numbers’
Norrie is part of a generation of players privileged to play alongside the 'Big Three' as well as compete in his prime against the current rising stars.
While Sinner and Alcaraz have won the past nine Grand Slams between them, players such as the 20-year-old American Learner Tien and 19-year-old Spain star Rafael Jodar have been attracting admiration as they fly up the world rankings.
Norrie has already faced Jodar twice this year, losing both matches in straight sets, and believes the Spaniard could replicate his namesake Nadal and win Grand Slams in the future.
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Highlights: Sinner cruises past Norrie into Madrid quarter-finals
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He said: ”He's unbelievable. Mentally, tennis, everything. I’m really impressed with the way he’s handled the first year on the tour.
”He’s up there with Nadal’s numbers in the first year, so it’s impressive. The way he’s shocking people in the ATP, I don’t see any reason why he cannot be a contender, 100%.
”He’s proven really difficult to play against for me because he hits the ball so hard off both sides and I was never able to make the match how I wanted to make it.
”He's only played one Grand Slam and I think the real question is: physically can he improve? Which I’m sure he will, but it’s too early to tell.”
‘Exactly the matches I want to be playing’
Despite reaching as high as eighth in the world rankings, Norrie traditionally struggled against the old guard.
He has lost all 12 meetings with Federer, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at ATP events, most notably against Djokovic in his only Grand-Slam semi-final in 2022, despite taking the first set.
However, a change in mindset has helped the left-hander fare better against the current top dogs of men’s tennis. He has beaten Alcaraz in three of their past six meetings, although has lost his sole meeting with Sinner this year in Madrid.
Norrie has been handed a favourable draw in this year’s French Open, facing debutant Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in the first round and avoiding Sinner, Djokovic or Alexander Zverev until at least the semis.
However, he insists he is ready to take on any big names should he face them at Roland-Garros - live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
Norrie said: ”At the beginning, that was new to me and then, obviously with Alcaraz and Jannik and them, they’re all coming through similar to my ranking at the time and I had a couple wins against Alcaraz.
”I was just looking at him like another human being - at the time with the other guys, I was idolising them a little too much.
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Highlights: Alcaraz overpowers Sinner in classic Roland-Garros final
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”It’s always nice to go into one of those matches being the underdog. I’ve played a lot of those bigger matches in my career, so I think not trying to go play unreal.
”You need to have that belief deep down that you can win the match, not just going out there to enjoy the match, thinking it’s going to be good. It’s the third round, everyone’s watching, it’s going to be nice.
”No. Come on, let’s play to win and let’s believe I can win and you are going to have to do that with your tennis level and you’re going to have that point-in point-out.
”I’m not a guy who is going to come out and completely whack you off the court and serve two aces every game. I’m going to have to work and fight for what I have and play to win.
”It's exactly the matches I want to be playing, so hopefully I’m doing that, playing against one of those guys.”
Norrie’s toughest test in the early stages is likely to be fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, should both players reach the fourth round.
The pair have not faced each other since 2022 and have never met on clay or in a Grand Slam.
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