Buoyant Norrie ready to cross swords with Djokovic

It was not until the Miami Open three months ago that Cameron Norrie truly understood that his entire approach to his career needed to change.

- Tumaini Carayol

Although the 29-year-old had once established himself as one of the best players in the world, reaching world No 8, his results and ranking were in freefall. Already out of the top 80 for the first time in six years, he was brushed aside in straight sets in the first round by the unheralded Bu Yunchaokete.

Despite how hard he tried, Norrie could not pin down the root of his struggles. On and off court, he continued to work tirelessly and he felt he was striking the ball better than he ever had. Still, he kept on losing.

Late last summer, the Briton sustained the first significant injury in his career, a torn biceps that forced him to withdraw from the Olympic Games and the US Open, sucking away all remaining confidence. His struggles, however, had preceded that three-month layoff. The sheer physical and mental effort it took to reach the top of the game and maintain his spot there had left its mark. As he began to lose, frustration and doubt only pushed him further down.