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Rio Open: ‘Proud’ Cameron Norrie triumphs to continue title defence, to face Argentine qualifier Mariano Navone next
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Published 24/02/2024 at 10:43 GMT
Cameron Norrie eased his way into the Rio Open semi-finals with another convincing display, impressively moving past home player Thiago Seyboth Wild in three sets. The defending champion continued his blistering form as he bids to become the first player to win two titles in Rio. Norrie matched Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz as the third player to reach the last four as the current holder.
Highlights as Norrie beats Wild to book spot in semi-finals of Rio Open
Video credit: SNTV
Cameron Norrie became the third player to reach the Rio Open semi-final while defending the crown after defeating Thiago Seyboth Wild in the last eight.
The Brit joined Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, who reached the last four as defending champions in 2015 and 2023 respectively, following his composed 6-1 3-6 6-2 triumph over the home player.
After taking the opening set, Norrie held off a comeback from the Brazilian to seal victory with his fifth match point and confirm his first ATP Tour semi-final since May.
"I was just really proud of how I fought hard," Norrie said after the match. "It was so humid and it was tough physically. I managed to break there in the end, so I'm proud of myself."
On reaching a Tour-level semi-final, Norrie added: "It's massive. I had a tough patch at the end of last year and I just wanted to stay strong. It's wins like this that make it count."
Norrie will face Argentine qualifier Mariano Navone in his 24th Tour-level semi-final, as he bids to become the first player to win the Rio Open on more than one occasion.
The 28-year-old took just 30 minutes to wrap up the opening set in style, but an error-strewn second set gave Seyboth Wild a lifeline.
Norrie shrugged off his dip and raced to 5-1 in the deciding set without facing a break point before he impressively closed out the match, despite the raucous home support for the Brazilian.
Following his run in Rio, Norrie is set to make his debut in the top 100 of the ATP Rankings on Monday, where he is expected to rise from his career-high position of 113 to the top 80.
He convincingly beat Hugo Dellien in the first round, before dispatching Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera in the second, both in straight sets.
Seyboth Wild was the first player to take the defending champion to three sets, but Norrie was too strong for him as he edged towards a record-breaking campaign.
Elsewhere, Casper Ruud overcame defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-final at the Los Cabos Open in Mexico.
The Norwegian player beat the Greek 6-4 7-6 (4) and will face either top seed Alexander Zverev or Jordan Thompson in the final.
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