Cameron Norrie is building serious momentum heading into the business end of the Montreal hardcourt season. The British number two dispatched Peruvian Ignacio Buse 6-3, 6-3 in just under 90 minutes at the National Bank Open, booking his spot in the last 32 and setting up a tantalizing third-round clash with Australian world number seven Alex De Minaur.
The result is particularly encouraging given the context. Norrie had endured a rough patch before snapping a six-match losing streak last week with a run to the Los Cabos semi-finals, where he eventually fell to Denis Shapovalov. He then opened his Montreal campaign with a win over Camilo Ugo Carabelli, and now has back-to-back victories on hard courts to his name.
Despite being ranked four places below the world number 33 Buse, Norrie controlled proceedings throughout. He broke early in the first set and never looked back, though Buse did level the second set at 2-2 before Norrie immediately broke back. The Brit then fought off three consecutive break points in the following service game, a pivotal sequence that effectively sealed the match. Buse required a medical timeout but could not find a way back.
Speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, analyst Annabel Croft highlighted how Norrie applied pressure at the right moments, defended with depth, and moved forward aggressively to ask difficult questions of his opponent. She noted his serve wobbled slightly in the second set before he steadied himself.
Next up is De Minaur, who recently married British number one Katie Boulter and is preparing to partner her in mixed doubles at the upcoming US Open. It promises to be a fascinating matchup between two in-form hardcourt competitors. TennisDraw users have been closely tracking Norrie's recent form, making him a quietly rising pick in Montreal bracket predictions.
