As if the sight of two British men competing in the third round of the French Open were not bizarre enough, Cam Norrie’s victory over Jacob Fearnley was set to the deafening tune of nearby fireworks.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final against Inter Milan may have been 500 miles due east in Munich and several hours away from kick-off but that did not stop the locals going – literally – ballistic. Court Simone Mathieu, where this battle of Britain was contested, is at the extremity of Roland Garros closest to the Parc de Princes, where the match was being screened.
The result was playing conditions that were right on the borderline of acceptable. Tennis can be po-faced about the need for total silence during play, but the boom of fireworks and firecrackers, plus the crazed honking of car horns, really was a little much. We are used to complaints of noise during French Open matches but this time we could not blame the rowdy fans – at least not those inside the stadium.
What a contrast to the quaint surrounds of this wonderful court, which is set amid a botanic garden. It was like people loosing smoke bombs outside Kew Gardens.
With all this going on, it was no surprise the more experienced man triumphed. The 29-year-old Norrie won 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 and has now reached the fourth round or better at all four Grand Slams.
In Monday’s last 16 he will play the winner of Saturday’s night match between Novak Djokovic and Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic. If, as expected, Djokovic comes through, Norrie would be the lowest ranked player left in the draw, at No81.
Cameron Norrie beats fellow Englishman Jacob Fearnley in straight sets at the French Open
He advances to the fourth round at Roland Garros, where he could face Novak Djokovic
Fearnley is only just completing his first year on the tour and is on the cusp of the top 50
Novak Djokovic will have to beat Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic to set up a clash with Norrie
As the match began to slip away from Fearnley, a more hardened campaigner than he might have used the extreme situation to his advantage by kicking up a fuss and arguing for the match to be moved, in an attempt to disrupt Norrie’s flow.
But Fearnley is only just completing his first 12 months on tour – hard to believe given how stable his game looks, with a ranking on the cusp of the top 50.
The 23-year-old – like Norrie, a graduate of Texas Christian University – also appears to be one of those men to whom strange things happen. In one clay court season, Fearnley has: in Madrid, had his match cancelled for the day due to a sudden meltdown of the national grid; in Rome, been on the main court when a new Pope was announced on the big screen; and now in Paris, playing through an adjacent firework display.
Fearnley’s big chance in this match came as he recovered from 0-4 to 6-6. The tiebreak was greeted by an especially loud volley of pyrotechnics, perhaps to celebrate the announcement of the PSG line-up, for we were now just one hour from kick-off.
But in the breaker, Fearnley put a routine forehand in the net on the first point and Norrie surged clear. Things quietened down considerably in the third set, as kick-off approached and most of the revellers headed into the Parc de Princes.
This partially-ticketed court would normally be bustling for the final match of the day, but all the locals filtered to watch the main event.
Noisy or quiet, empty stadium or full, Norrie continues on his relentless, steady way. And it is fitting, given the superb showings by the three GB men in this event, that it took one of our own to deliver the first British casualty.
