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The one that got away: But Cameron Norrie’s triumphs show Kiwis can make to the top.

Marvin France

He’s the long-awaited star Tennis New Zealand let walk out the door, but those close to new British No 1 Cameron Norrie are hopeful his success will ultimately be seen as a positive for the sport in this country.

Norrie has been repeatedly referred to as the one that got away from New Zealand after winning the Indian Wells Masters tournament, otherwise known as the unofficial ‘fifth major’ – his second title in a phenomenal year that included four other finals.

But the 26-year-old could have easily been flying the Kiwi flag had he received more support by those running Tennis NZ at the time before switching allegiances in 2013.

Despite reaching No 10 in the world as a junior, the South African-born, Auckland-raised Norrie was not deemed worthy of significant funding from the national organisation, which eventually led him to the UK, who he qualifies for through his Welsh mother and Scottish father.

But his impressive rise has come as no surprise to former Davis Cup captain and Tennis Auckland Academy head coach James Greenhalgh, who helped nurture the formative years of Norrie’s career after spotting him at a young age.

‘‘I’m just extremely pleased for him that he’s reached this level of his craft and achieving the goals now that he dreamed about when he was younger,’’ Greenhalgh told Stuff.

‘‘Talent ID picked Cameron when he was 11 for an elite Tennis Auckland regional programme and chose to work with him individually for seven years. One of the things I can be proud of is that I always showed belief in Cameron, perhaps when others didn’t. I believe that had an impact on his level of confidence when he took the court and I think that helps.

‘‘It would’ve been nice to have seen him play under the New Zealand flag but that wasn’t his pathway. I still believe he would’ve made it, it just would’ve been a different journey.’’

That faith was shared by Norrie’s parents, David and

Helen, who spent a small fortune to fund his trips overseas as a junior.

But you don’t overcome such setbacks in a globally competitive sport like tennis without being incredibly resilient.

It’s a trait that has been evident throughout his career, said David Norrie, which was again on display when the Bucklands Beach Tennis Club product found his shoes had been stolen just before the biggest match of his life last Monday (NZ time).

‘‘He said to himself, ‘well, I’m either going to use this as an excuse and let it get to me, or I’m going to forget about the fact the shoes are new and tight, and not great, and just get on with it’. And he did,’’ Norrie Snr said.

‘‘Mentally, you’ve got to be really tough in tennis. Things get thrown at you and you’ve got to cope with them – and there’s noone else out there but yourself to cope with them.

‘‘He’s obviously quite good at that.

‘‘He’s competitive, everything he does is competitive.’’

While Norrie’s maiden Masters 1000 title has seen him surge to No 16 in the world, New Zealand’s long wait for a topranked men’s player continues.

The last Kiwi male to reach the top 20 was Chris Lewis in 1984, and the closest since then was Brett Steven when he climbed to 32nd in 1996.

‘‘I would hope that young players in New Zealand can take a lot out of the fact that Cameron learned his craft in New Zealand.’’ James Greenhalgh Tennis Auckland Academy head coach

There are a number of barriers for aspiring Kiwi tennis players – a lack of high-level competition at home and the huge financial resources needed to crack the elite the two most notable.

Unless there is a significant funding boost, David Norrie does not see it getting any easier.

‘‘Whether he remained a Kiwi or went to the UK, he wasn’t going to stay here,’’ he said. ‘‘There’s no career here for a tennis player.

‘‘So there was an inevitability about him leaving these shores.’’

That’s the stark reality for any Kiwi with a desire to reach the pro circuit.

But Cameron Norrie has shown that it’s not impossible, and both his father and Greenhalgh believe the next generation should be encouraged by what he’s achieved.

‘‘I would hope that young players in New Zealand can take a lot out of the fact that Cameron learned his craft in New Zealand and his fundamentals of the game, which are obviously standing the test of time at the highest level now,’’ Greenhalgh said.

‘‘It should give us a belief that if you’re a good enough player and you have those right opportunities, you can do it through developing your skills in New Zealand and schooling here as well.’’

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2021-10-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

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