Tim Henman captained a British team with Cameron Norrie during the ATP 2020 Cup in Sydney
Cameron Norrie has to “take risks” when faced with the “final challenge” of playing against Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon semifinals, says Tim Henman.
Britain’s Norrie, the ninth seed, faces defending champion Djokovic on the central court no earlier than 14:30 BST on Friday.
The 26-year-old had never gone from the third round of a Grand Slam to this year’s tournament.
“It’s a two-horse race. Djokovic is the big favorite, but Cam always has a chance,” Henman told BBC Sport.
“We’ve seen these disorders in the past and, crossing our fingers, Cam can provide one of the biggest disorders.”
The winner will face Nick Kyrgios in the final on Sunday after Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament due to his abdominal injury.
“Great opportunity” for Norrie
Norrie reached the top 10 in the world in April after winning two ATP Tour titles this year, while top seed Djokovic is looking for his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title and seventh overall.
BBC commentator Henman, a four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, had Norrie on the team when he was captain of Britain for the ATP 2020 Cup in Sydney.
At the time, Norrie was ranked 52nd in the world and had not yet won an ATP Tour title. He has won four since the start of 2021, including the prestigious Indian Wells tournament in October.
Looking back at the ATP Cup, Henman said, “I was moving in the right direction, with great work ethic. But if you had told me then that you would win several times on the tour, you would win a Master 1,000, and then I would be in the Wimbledon semifinals, I wouldn’t necessarily have believed you.
“I think this is a testament to his work ethic, to how much he has improved his game. Not only has he improved his game, but also his general belief. Now he has been in the top 10, this has been another a huge milestone that has not passed the third round of a Slam. It is a great opportunity for him. “
Henman, the former world number four, says Norrie is “such a great role model for younger players” for how she has worked to make the most of her talent.
“Success is about maximizing your potential,” he said. “When you look at what Cam is doing, there’s no doubt he’s really maximizing his potential.”
Both Norrie and Djokovic had to overcome five-set matches in their quarter-finals, with the Briton beating David Goffin and the Serb returning from two sets against Jannik Sinner.
Henman believes Norrie’s “awkward” game and “relentless” approach can cause problems for the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
“He’s a left-hander to begin with, the variety in his service is there and he has two very contrasting shots from behind the court – he has that heavy, very tight topspin right and an incredibly flat and effective backhand,” he said. dit.
“Then you introduce his athletic ability, his movement. He’s able to run all day, he makes a few unforced errors from behind the court. He’s a very tricky client to play with.
“Without Roger Federer being here, Djokovic is without a doubt the best turf player in the world. I think it’s the last challenge at Wimbledon to play against Djokovic.
“Norrie has to take risks. He has to try to be aggressive because we know Djokovic has a lot of the same shots. It’s the toughest test on a turf track for five sets, but Cam has nothing to lose and a lot to gain. . “
“Pick up, accept the opportunity and use the crowd”
Tim Henman lost 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 and 6-3 to Pete Sampras in the 1998 Wimbledon semifinals.
Henman reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002, losing to Pete Sampras in four sets in the first two before the five-day five-set epic against Goran Ivanisevic and finally a seven-set defeat against Lleyton Hewitt.
When he faced Sampras, who finished his career with seven Wimbledon titles, Henman was the underdog, but said he “supported me” and that it is crucial that Norrie do the same.
“It was a big step forward, probably the most intense match of my life at that stage because it’s magnified: you’re a British player playing at home and we hadn’t had any British players in the men’s semifinals since 1973.” remember Henman from his first semifinal.
“I was the underdog, but I supported myself. I was playing great tennis and those were great conditions for me. It was my favorite tournament, my favorite court to play, so I believed 100% that I could go out and “I think it’s important for Cam to have that belief, even though it’s probably the toughest test on a turf.”
Henman believes this will help Norrie’s chances if he engages on the center court on Friday.
“One of the elements that Cam has to use, and he did well against Goffin, is the crowd,” he said.
“Not only can he give it a big boost, but we’ve seen that he can put himself under Djokovic’s skin. He’ll be an important man for Norrie, number 12.”
What would be your last piece of advice for Norrie?
“He just accepts the opportunity,” Henman said. “Being in a Slam semifinal, playing at home at Wimbledon Center Court, going out there and enjoying it and giving it the best of your chance and believing you can do it.”