The British men’s and women’s number ones crashed out on the same afternoon at Wimbledon, with Jack Draper’s journey ending against compatriot and former semi-finalist Cameron Norrie
Jack Draper became the second British No.1 to be knocked out at Wimbledon in the space of four hours after a straight-sets defeat by Cameron Norrie in the Battle of Britain sequel.
Just as Katie Boulter had crashed out against compatriot Harriet Dart in the ladies singles on the same court earlier, Draper went down 7-6 6-4 7-6. As former No.1 and two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray was walking out for his possible farewell on Centre Court, Draper shovelled a return of serve into the net to seal his fate.
And nobody could deny that Norrie, who has slipped to No.42 in the world, did not deserve it. He was sensational and unfurled easily his best performance of 2024.
Just three weeks ago, Norrie had lost to no-hoper Jack Pinnington-Jones, ranked a distant 776th in the world, at the Nottingham Challenger tournament. But look at him now.
A semi-finalist at the All England Club two years ago, Norrie played with the audacity and purpose of a man with a point to prove. Pumped-up and going for his shots like Zorro unmasked, South African-born Norrie had labelled himself the underdog in the duel of southpaws – but he was top dog in a tight first set, where he prevailed 7-3 in the tie-break.
And if goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s reflexes are as responsive as Norrie’s spontaneity in one exchange at the net in the second set, England will be impregnable in their Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland this weekend.
Draper had taken over as British No.1 last month after winning his first ATP title in Stuttgart, but when Norrie established a two-set bridgehead to the third round with an ace, the crown was slipping.
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Before marching out to face the music on Court No.1, the 22-year-old warned: “Obviously Cam won’t like the fact that I’m British No.1 now – there won’t be any love lost, for sure.” And Draper’s premonition proved stunningly prophetic.
At one point, Norrie won 14 points without reply and his composure under pressure was corinthian – never more so than when Draper served for the third set at 5-4 and was broken to love.
When it went to another tie-break, Draper bravely ventured to the net to save one match point, but a double fault – at the worst possible moment – handed Norrie another, and this time there was no reprieve.
