Last Brit out of singles as Norrie falls to familiar foe

The British resistance at the 2026 Australian Open is over. Cameron Norrie failed in his pursuit of a place in the fourth round having lost 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Germany’s Alexander Zverev.

- MICHAEL JONES

The pair had famously played out a thrilling five-set contest at the Australian Open two years ago and the promise of a repeat was on the cards in the tense early stages.

Norrie has never beaten Zverev in tour-level matches, with his record now sitting at seven losses from seven, but he started impressively with a rapid hold of serve in the first game before an aggressive strategy of baseline hitting clinched a break of serve in the very next game. Zverev, almost shocked by the sharpness of Norrie's opening, responded in kind with a break of his own before the first set devolved into a series of holds.

The Briton looked composed throughout the set, finding the correct moments to place dainty drop shots and backing his stubborn nature to get across the court and return Zverev's deep strokes.