The unassuming nature that’s masked Cameron Norrie’s rise to British No 1 was ripped off in a thrilling comeback victory that showed heart and desire in striking abundance. This was not quite the odyssey of leaping and thrashing that Andy Murray has always made his signature, but there were tears of joy after Norrie saw off an inspired David Goffin in five tumultuous sets to become Britain’s first Wimbledon semi-finalist since Johanna Konta in 2017.
It was a match Norrie was expected to win against an opponent ranked 46 places below him, but as the relentless consistency that the 26-year-old had shown deserted him in the first and third sets, it appeared as though the occasion might overwhelm him. It would be rude to downplay Goffin’s role in the drama. He reached the quarter-final stage three years ago only to be routed by Novak Djokovic, and the Belgian seemed intent on securing that rematch as he bested Norrie at his own game, winning exhausting rallies and taking risks at the right moments.
