Potential milestones are lining up fast for Cameron Norrie. With a 6-2, 6-4 win over Grigor Dimitrov in what he described as the biggest match of his career, Norrie overcame a gulf in top-level experience to reach the final of the Indian Wells Masters. He will now break into the top 20 in the world for the first time and, having bolstered his hopes of earning a place at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in Turin, he will go into Sunday’s final against Nikoloz Basilashvili hoping to outdo former finalists Andy Murray, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski by becoming the first British player to win the title.
Having already displaced Dan Evans as British No 1 by dint of his quarter-final victory over Diego Schwartzman, it has been quite the week for Norrie. Dimitrov, a former world No 3 who knows what it is to lift the ATP Finals trophy, was thoroughly outclassed by Norrie, who showed no sign of nerves as he closed in on his first Masters 1000 final.
“I was just going out there and playing my game and making the rallies long,” said Norrie, the 21st seed. “Honestly, not once I was thinking about it. When I went to serve for the match, I was like, ‘This is definitely a big service game here.’ I was a little bit nervous. But I came out and I served great. I think it helped with the new balls.
“I was just really in the present moment and wasn’t really thinking too much. I was enjoying my tennis and playing.”
It showed. Dimitrov is not the first player to struggle with Norrie’s singular combination of a heavy topspin forehand and a pancake-flat backhand, and he is unlikely to be the last. There were shades of Nadal-Federer in the way the British southpaw repeatedly drew his opponent wide on the forehand before peppering his one-handed backhand with high, kicking balls that neutralised Dimitrov’s attacking threat.
Allied with his relentless focus and consistency, not to mention a Rafa-like ability to run all day, Norrie’s tactics were too much for Dimitrov. The 30-year-old had already endured gruelling three-setters against Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz to make the semi-finals, and this looked a match too far from the outset.
Just as he had done against Schwartzman in the previous round, Norrie raced into a commanding early lead. Four games passed before Dimitrov finally made an impression on the scoreboard, at which point Norrie made a rare misstep, gifting Dimitrov a break with a sequence of unforced errors.
Norrie’s response was indicative not only of the mindset that has now brought him 46 victories this season, but also the self-belief those triumphs have instilled. There was no hint of panic, no suggestion that he might alter a winning strategy, but rather a quiet determination to continue about his business. The reward was swift, Dimitrov missing two consecutive forehands from 30-all in the next game. With his double-break advantage restored, Norrie served out the set to love.
Now Dimitrov abandoned his efforts to drive through his backhand, instead going to the slice in an effort to keep the ball low on Norrie’s forehand. It made no difference, Norrie once again seizing an early break. Dimitrov’s best chance to regain a foothold in the contest came and went in the fourth game, where Norrie responded to losing a 33-shot rally with an ace before saving a break point with a powerful surge into the forecourt. By the end, Dimitrov had resorted to trying to take his backhand on the half-volley; again, it was to no avail.
In the second semi-final, Basilashvili came through 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 against Taylor Fritz to reach his first Masters 1000 final. The 36th-ranked Georgian, who saved three set points in the opener, expects a tough test against Norrie.
“He’s not so nice to play with from the baseline,” said Basilashvili, the 29th seed. “He’s been playing really, really smart and very good tennis. I’m looking forward. If I can play my game and be relaxed, I think I can play well.”