METZ/WASHINGTON, November 7, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)
It’s the final week of the 2024 ATP Tour regular season for many players, including Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie. The 29-year-old British lefty, who is ranked 57th after reaching a career-high World No. 8 in September 2022, is doing his best to finish strong this week at the Moselle Open in northeastern France. So far, so good — three straight wins — and it’s been an enjoyable journey for Norrie, too.
On Thursday, inside Les Arenes de Metz at the ATP 250-level hard-court event in Metz, Norrie came on strong in the final set of his quarterfinal match against No. 61 Zizou Bergs of Belgium to win 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-1, in two hours and eight minutes. He won 75 percent of his first-serve points, hit 28 winners, converted four of eight break points and outpointed his opponent 93-78.
Norrie’s victory advanced him into his 25th tour-level semifinal — his first indoors — and first one on a hard court since early last year at Auckland.
Norrie rolls @cam_norrie battles past Bergs 6-3 6-7 6-1 to reach his 25th career ATP semi-final, and first indoors! @MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/K17Drqdk0p
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 7, 2024
After defeating 112th-ranked NextGenATP Luca VanAssche of France on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals — only his fourth one of the season but the first since Barcelona in April — Norrie expressed the feeling of one “who was just trying to play point for point” and to really just enjoy competing in the last week of the season for him. A forearm injury caused Norrie to miss several tournaments over the summer, including the Paris Olympics and the US Open before returning to competition last month. His wins at Metz this week are his first at tour-level since July.
“It’s a good week so far,” Norrie said in his on-court interview. “I just want to take it match by match and stick around in Metz another day. I want to keep going and I’m definitely going to have to keep improving my level to have any chance of going further at the tournament.”
After Norrie won the opening set of his quarterfinal Thursday, Bergs saved a couple of match points from down 4-6 in a second-set tie-break. The Belgian pulled out the tie-break 8-6 after winning four straight points to force a third set.
Cam on a mission @cam_norrie survives the Bergs test 6-3 6-7(6) 6-1 to reach his 25th ATP Tour SF! @MoselleOpen | #MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/P63X6ikd7F
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 7, 2024
However, Norrie earned two of his four service breaks against Bergs during the final set and closed out his 20th victory of the season by winning the last game of the match at love. It happened on his third match point.
“I had to fight hard,” Norrie said during his on-court interview after improving to 20-17. “Zizou competed really well. I should have [won] that tie-break in the second set, but he played bigger than me, took more risks, and it paid off for him. I wasn’t happy after losing the second set but I reset and got a little bit fortunate in the third set with a couple of net cords that went my way. I’ll take a little bit of luck when I need it. I’m happy to be in the semifinals tomorrow.”
Norrie has strung together a trio of three-set wins this week over No. 56 Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain, lucky loser Van Assche and Bergs to advance against No. 66 Corentin Moutet of France, who earned a walkover win against World No. 9 and top seed Andrey Rublev of Russia. Rublev pulled out of the tournament with an abdominal injury after defeating No. 51 Lorenzo Sonego of Italy on Tuesday.
Bonzi continues winning ways
No. 124 Benjamin Bonzi easily beat 84th-ranked Quentin Halys, 6-3, 7-6 (1), in just 78 minutes in an all-French qualifier battle Thursday evening.
After posting the biggest win of his career over World No. 7 Casper Ruud — his first Top-10 win — Bonzi reached his fifth ATP Tour semifinal and first one since February 2023 at Marseille.
He’s on
Surging @BenjaminBonzi makes it 19 wins from his last 20 matches across all levels with his 6-3 7-6 win over Halys at @MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/IlPQIBY1qK
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 7, 2024
Bonzi, who improved to 19-1 across all levels since the start of October, won 82 percent of his service points, hit 18 winners and saved both break points he faced from Halys. Bonzi outpointed his opponent 67-53.
“It’s been an amazing year for me, I’m playing very good,” Bonzi said in his on-court interview. “I feel great on the court. I’m pleased with the way I played [against Halys]. It’s been a long time [since I made the semifinals of a main draw]. … I’m feeling more relaxed on the court.”
Semi-final ticket: Booked ️ ☑️@BenjaminBonzi is yet to drop a set this week in Metz as he knocks out Halys 6-3 7-6(1)!@MoselleOpen | #MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/MQrUz8UyiV
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 7, 2024
Next, Bonzi will face No. 8 seed Alex Michelsen of the United States, ranked 44th, who defeated No. 72 Bu Yunchaokete of China, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-4, in two hours and 22 minutes in the last quarterfinal match Thursday evening. Michelsen struck 40 winners — including 10 aces — and outpointed Bu 110-96.
Battling through Bu
Alex Michelson survives a late push by Bu Yunchaokete to reach his fourth career semi-final, 6-7 6-2 6-4. @MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/AUu1zVHYrO
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 7, 2024
Around the Moselle Open
Unseeded Sander Arends of the Netherlands and Luke Johnson of Great Britain advanced to the Moselle Open semifinal round after upsetting No. 2 seeds Hugo Nys of Monaco and Jan Zielinski of Poland. Next, they will face No. 2 seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain in the semifinals.
The other quarterfinal match was won by unseeded French pair Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Albano Olivetti over Manual Guinard and Gregoire Jacq of France, 6-3, 6-4, in 58 minutes. Next, they will play Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli of India and Francisco Cabral of Portugal.
Thursday’s Moselle Open results
Friday’s Moselle Open order of play
By the numbers
Cameron Norrie recorded his 20 tour-level win in a season for the fourth consecutive year — and fifth time in his career.
“Quotable …”
“He’s been doing it for 20 years and he is still that good. He’s an incredible player. I knew it was going to be a tough battle. All the credit to him for competing as hard as he could.”
— American #NextGenATP star Alex Michelsen on defeating Richard Gasquet 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (8), on Tuesday.
