From the evening out in Trendy Brooklyn to record the iconic skyline of Manhattan, New York has many good memories for Cameron Norrie.
This year, the British Lefty returns to ‘The Big Apple’ for his eighth performance at the US Open. Atptour.com has overtaken Norrie to find out what he likes best about the last Grand Slam event of the season and the bustling city in which it takes place.
Read more US Open Insights and Memories from ATP Tour Stars in Our series ‘My US Open’.
What is your first memory of looking at the US open?
I think I just remember that I watched Andy Murray a lot and tried to imagine what it would be like to play there. That was a kind of where I had my head.
Do you have to stay up late in the evening to view it?
I was in New Zealand, so it was always a strange time. But I have always wanted to see what it would be like to be there and I think the night matches for sure.
Tell us about your memories of playing the US Open for the first time.
I had just come from the university and I was in qualifying. I succeeded in qualifying and I remember that I qualified on Friday afternoon and I went to a bar on the roof with my coach and we had a beer and I had something like ‘wow’, this unreal feeling to qualify for my first slam, and then enjoy a beer with my coach in Manhattan. It was one of those surrealistic moments, so it is definitely a special slam for me.
What about the location itself? What fell on the first time you were on the spot?
It is a zoo outside. I love the atmosphere and you clearly have the city to escape from the location, so they are two things to look forward to: getting away from the city and then going to the great location, where it is a great atmosphere. The courts that I really like and I get a lot of TCU university support and at the end of the day you go back to the city and you can really change your mind of the tournament. So it’s a great tournament.
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What is the best US Open Match you have viewed?
I don’t know if it’s the best, but that in between [Juan Martin] Del Potro and Dominic Thiem. It was the fourth round in 2017 and Delpo came back from two-sets to-to-love [down]. He stopped for me. The comeback was unreal, some of the Forehands Delpo struck by the end of his career, and I think it meant a lot to him.
In addition to Arthur Ashe Stadium, do you have a favorite court?
I have never played on Arthur Ashe, that is the only big court that I have never played on. My favorite court there? Not sure, actually. I like Court 17 very much and grandstand is also pretty nice.
What about the city itself? Are there special areas that you like?
I love the whole of New York City. I just have such a good feeling there. I feel that you can be yourself and nobody thinks anything. I met my girlfriend there, with whom I am still together and she lived there for a long time, so it’s a kind of her home. It is a special place for us and all her friends still live there. I really like hanging out in Brooklyn. It is probably my favorite area, and Williamsburg – good coffee, good restaurants there. And I really like the view of the skyline of Manhattan from Brooklyn.
If you could plan a perfect non-tennis day in New York City, what would that look like?
I would say that I am going to go a run in Central Park and hang out in Central Park and then maybe get the train to Williamsburg to have something lunch there. Relax in the afternoon and then perhaps hit a bar in the evening. Sunset Time in Brooklyn and maybe go to the Brooklyn Mirage during a night out.
Have you used the metro a lot? Does it work well for you?
I feel good there. I always take the metro. A few times I use the metro to go to tennis, especially the first few days when it can be difficult with traffic. I always have a good feeling to be on public transport, to feel like another person and to listen to music and see other people. There is a good view of the metro, seeing people sharpening and how they continue their lives. They are on their own kind of mission. So I really like it.
If we associate strawberries and cream and the all -rounds to Wimbledon, is there something that you open with the US?
I think energy and night competitions, and it is always so damp, so sweat a lot. And I think only New York City, the Statue of Liberty. The combination of the tournament and the city too.
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