Cameron Norrie faced the daunting challenge of Casper Ruud in the third round of the Australian Open, fully aware of his historically poor track record against the Norwegian player. Having lost all three previous encounters and only managing to secure one set out of eight, Norrie entered the match with the odds stacked against him. His recent struggles to advance past the early stages of the Australian Open and a narrow escape in the previous match against Giulio Zeppieri heightened the pressure on the British No. 1.

In a surprising turn of events, Norrie embraced a bold and attacking strategy against Ruud, departing from his usual careful and baseline-centric approach. The gamble paid off, and Norrie delivered one of his most remarkable performances at a grand slam, defeating Ruud 6-4, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 in a little over three hours. Notably, Norrie made a significant shift in his playing style, relentlessly attacking the net and showcasing a newfound variety in his game.

Throughout the match, Norrie approached the net an impressive 56 times, more than double the combined attempts from his previous two matches. The strategic change yielded positive results, with Norrie winning 41 of those net points and finishing with a total of 63 winners. Speaking about the victory, Norrie expressed, “In terms of performances, it was up there with one of my best I think in a grand slam. I really had to be brave tonight tactically against Casper. I had to really execute.”

This unexpected transformation comes after Norrie faced a plateau in his performance, following his breakthrough to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2022. Struggling to assert himself against top-ranked opponents, Norrie’s results indicated a lack of weapons or explosiveness from the baseline. His record against Ruud and other top-20 players showcased a pattern of difficulty in maintaining consistency at the highest level.

In preparation for the match against Ruud, Norrie made a conscious decision to change his approach, adopting a more aggressive style and taking risks. The strategic shift allowed Norrie to play with more positivity, freeing up his game and unleashing forehand winners. After overcoming initial nervousness in the tournament, Norrie is now looking ahead with newfound confidence.

His next challenge is formidable, facing Alexander Zverev, against whom Norrie has lost all four previous encounters. However, armed with a successful tactical plan against Ruud, Norrie is optimistic about changing his fortunes against the German and breaking the pattern of past defeats.