He’s the South African-born tennis star who performs for Great Britain and turned professional after making All-American in US school tennis.
But nowhere does Cam Norrie really feel extra at dwelling than in Auckland, the place he was raised.
And that is why this week, whereas a lot of the males’s prime 20 will likely be resting up or enjoying exhibitions forward of the Australian Open, Norrie will likely be going full tilt to win the ASB Classic.
“It’s very special to be back in New Zealand,” Norrie stated on Sunday.
“When I was young, I went to the tournament every year, I was watching all the players, getting photos with all the players and looking up to them.
“It was the primary time in my life after I was like, ‘I need to be doing what these guys are doing’.”
Norrie’s family swapped Johannesburg for Auckland when he was a child, and on Sunday he revisited one of his old stomping grounds, Manukau Tennis Centre in the city’s south.
“I performed my first ever under-eights event right here, seeing the recollections and that the membership hasn’t change an excessive amount of … it has been actually nice,” he said.
While Kiwi fans claim him as one of their own, Tennis NZ continue to kick itself over the inadequate support it offered to Norrie as a junior before his defection to the UK.
In 2013, he switched allegiances as a promising junior after his parents, both Brits, had to pay for travel to tournaments.
So this week, New Zealand’s best player is 35-year-old Rubin Statham, the world No.466, rather than Norrie, the world No.14 who arrives in Auckland with wins over Rafael Nadal, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz in the United Cup.
Norrie is yet to win his hometown tournament, coming closest in 2019 when he was losing finalist to Tennys Sandgren.
Since then, Norrie’s star has risen and risen.
The 27-year-old broke through for a first Masters-level win at Indian Wells in 2021 and last year blazed a path to the Wimbledon semi-finals, his best result at a grand slam.
This time around, he returns to Auckland for the first time as a genuine star of the sport.
“In 2019 after I made the ultimate was very particular. I’m seeking to go yet another and win the title,” he said, before ambitiously listing loftier goals.
“I made a semi-final (at Wimbledon final 12 months), it was an ideal run, however I need to push for extra,” he stated.
“I’m nonetheless pushing in direction of world No.1.
“I would like to be winning the slams … obviously a long way to go but I’d like to think I’ve got a chance.”
Norrie is the second seed in Auckland, behind world No.3 Casper Ruud, and can begin his marketing campaign on Wednesday in opposition to a qualifier.
