METZ, France — Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie produced yet another trademark comeback on Saturday, fighting back from a set down for the third consecutive match to defeat Italy's Lorenzo Sonego 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4 and advance to the final of the Moselle Open.
In a grueling battle lasting two hours and 31 minutes, the top-seeded Norrie showcased immense resilience and a steely competitive spirit, ultimately overpowering the dangerous Sonego to book his place in his third ATP Tour final of the 2023 season. The victory marks Norrie's 45th tour-level win of the year, a testament to his remarkable consistency.
Reflecting on his hard-fought path through the Metz draw, Norrie acknowledged the difficulty of his trio of three-set victories. "It's not easy to keep coming back, especially against a player like Lorenzo who serves so big and makes it very uncomfortable for you," he said in his post-match interview. "I had to stay patient, trust my physicality, and I was able to raise my level in the big moments in the second and third sets."
A Tactical Battle From The Start
The semi-final encounter was a classic contrast in styles. Sonego, wielding a thunderous first serve and a potent forehand, looked to dictate play with aggressive, flat groundstrokes. Norrie, the steadier baseliner, relied on his superior fitness, relentless depth, and ability to absorb pace to weather the Italian's storm.
The first set was a tense affair with neither player facing a break point. It fittingly went to a tie-break, where Sonego’s aggressive returning and a couple of untimely errors from the Brit gave him the crucial mini-break and ultimately the set. The Italian sealed it with a booming ace, putting Norrie on the back foot.
Facing a deficit has become a familiar scenario for Norrie this week, and his response was immediate. He broke Sonego’s serve in the very first game of the second set, a critical moment that shifted the momentum. From there, Norrie began to extend the rallies, forcing Sonego into more errors and neutralizing his biggest weapons.
The Norrie Comeback Blueprint
Norrie’s ability to fight back from losing positions is no accident. It is a hallmark of his game, built on a foundation of supreme physical conditioning and unshakeable mental fortitude. His trio of comeback wins in Metz followed a clear pattern:
- Improved Return Positioning: After being aced frequently in the first set, Norrie began standing further back to give himself more time.
- Targeting the Backhand: He increasingly directed his groundstrokes to Sonego’s more vulnerable backhand wing, building pressure and eliciting errors.
- First Serve Percentage: Norrie dramatically increased his first-serve percentage in the deciding set, ensuring he stayed ahead in his own service games.
The decisive break in the final set came at 3-3. After a series of punishing rallies, Norrie created a break point opportunity and converted it with a piercing cross-court backhand that Sonego could only slice into the net. Serving for the match at 5-4, Norrie showed no nerves, closing it out to love with a confident forehand winner.
A Look at the Final Challenge
Awaiting Norrie in the final is a formidable opponent: Russian powerhouse Alexander Shevchenko, who stunned the home crowd by defeating French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-4 in the other semi-final. The 22-year-old Shevchenko is enjoying a breakthrough season and will be competing in his first-ever ATP Tour final.
Norrie holds a 1-0 head-to-head advantage, having defeated Shevchenko in straight sets earlier this year on the clay of Rio de Janeiro. However, the fast indoor hard courts of Metz present a different challenge, and Shevchenko will be playing with the freedom of an underdog with nothing to lose.
Norrie is well aware of the threat. "He's a great player, very aggressive, and he's had a great week," Norrie said of his final opponent. "I’ll need to recover well and be ready for another tough battle. I’m just going to go out there, leave it all on the court, and enjoy the final."
What a Victory Would Mean for Norrie
A win in the Metz final would carry significant weight for the British number one. It would represent his second ATP Tour title of the year, adding to his triumph in Rio, and the fifth singles title of his career. More importantly, it would provide a massive boost of confidence as the season draws to a close.
After a slight dip in form following his exceptional 2022 season, Norrie has been searching for the consistency that propelled him into the world's top 10. A title run in Metz, achieved through sheer grit and determination, would be a powerful statement of intent heading into the final tournaments of the year.
This week in France has been a microcosm of Cameron Norrie’s career: not always the most flashy, but built on an indomitable will to win. He has repeatedly been tested, and has repeatedly found a way through. As he prepares for the final, one thing is certain: he will be ready to dig deep one more time.
The Moselle Open final between Cameron Norrie and Alexander Shevchenko promises to be a compelling contest between experience and youthful exuberance, between relentless consistency and explosive power. For Norrie, it is the culmination of a week defined by comebacks, and he will be desperate to ensure this final chapter has a victorious ending.