In damp Acapulco, a red-hot Cameron Nori cools off streaking Stefanos Tsitsipas in a fight between two in-form players on the ATP Tour.
Nori of Great Britain, champions a week earlier in Delray Beach, extended her winning streak to eight consecutive matches, registering a skilful victory over world No. 4 in the semi-finals, 6-4, 6-4. Tsitsipas, a finalist in Rotterdam earlier this month, didn't miss a single set until Friday's competition at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel Presentado Por HSBC.
In each of the two identical sets, Nori made a break in the ninth game and then served it brilliantly. Match points were the epitome of the entire match: Tsitsipas was unable to hurt his rock-steady opponent despite repeated baseline attacks, the Greek eventually sending Nori to his ninth ATP Tour Finals and eighth in the previous two seasons. .
"In general, [I hit] my forehand too loopy, my backhand too flat," Norrie said of his strategy and variety in the one-hour, 18-minute match. "I was able to direct his backhand into play and defend my forehand well. I definitely felt better in the second set, and I think I have a very good game under these conditions."
The streak hits 🎱 @cam_norrie notches his 8th consecutive win, 6-4 6-4 over Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the Acapulco final. #AMT2022 pic.twitter.com/cSVvZVbrXm
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 26, 2022
World No. 12 suffered just one break point in the match in the sixth game of the second set, but a Tsitsipas error ended the threat. Norrie made his only break chances in the above two games, but both times converted a total of three break points.
He made an impressive 92 percent of his first serve in the opening set to keep the pressure off, but relied more on his baseline game behind a 57 percent first-serve rate in set two.
“[My serve] really got me into the match and I was able to relax and execute on the big points,” Norrie said, admitting to some early nerves on the stadium court.
Now they are waiting for the winner of the soon to be showdown between world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev and 21-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal. The Briton said he has "prepared the popcorn" as he looks forward to watching the final rematch of the Australian Open.
Norrie will play for his fourth ATP Tour title on Saturday, his first in Los Cabos and his biggest at Indian Wells, both in 2021.