SEVENTH seed Brit, Cameron Norrie has advanced through to the second round at the US Open courtesy of an unusual straight sets win over Frenchman Benoit Paire. Taking on the former top 20 player – who now resides at 189th in the men’s singles – Norrie might not have the weapons that his opponent has, but he outworked him with sheer consistency during a 6-0 7-6 6-0 victory.

Norrie has an incredibly consistent serve, putting down nine aces and winning 84 per cent of his first serve points off a 71 per cent clip. He was able to deliver when on the baseline – hitting 25 winners in total, including 14 from in-play – as well as at the net (eight from 10 at 80 per cent efficiency). By comparison, Paire was anything but consistent, with the flamboyant Frenchman known for floating in and out of matches over time, and his Round of 128 US Open match was no different.

Paire served a whopping 13 double faults for only two aces, hitting an additional nine winners and 44 unforced errors, while Norrie only had 15 unforced error for the match. In true Paire fashion, the Frenchman effectively threw in the towel after losing the second set in a tiebreaker, lasting just 19 minutes.

It was one minute longer than his first set which was just 18, while the second set was 61 minutes. Sitting in the shade of the court’s corners during breaks and packing up his kit bag with a game to go in the third set, Paire’s performance will undoubtedly be looked into, but it will not take away from Norrie’s victory to advance through to the second round.

“Maybe the heat got to him,” Norrie said post-match. “Obviously it was really hot, and maybe towards the end of that third set he was playing really quick and trying to make the points really short, and maybe the heat was getting to him. “He’s a really good guy. Everyone loves him on the tour, and he’s super talented, as well. “Yeah, I think he has days like this, it’s tough to be consistent on the tour playing like that.”

Paire said he was unsure if he wanted to continue beyond Flushing Meadows, and instead, take a break for the rest of the year and reset for 2023.

“It’s a turning point,” he said. “Bad start to the match. It’s a little while since I’ve hit the ball. I stopped after Cincy [Cincinnati Open]. “I took a little holiday. “Now I’m going back on holiday, so it was just a little break between my holidays. “I did what I could.

“I was winning 5-3, I should have been able to take the second set. “It would have done me good in the head, but my demons are back again. “The double faults and that started again, always the same. I do what I can. “I’m 167 in the world (he’s 173rd), I let myself go, we’ll see where it goes. “I’m not sure to continue this season, maybe to stop here and see if I start again next year.”

US OPEN MEN’S SINGLES RESULTS: ROUND OF 128

[2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) defeated Rinky Hijikata (AUS) 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-3
[7] Cameron Norrie (GBR) defeated Benoit Paire (RA) 6-0 7-6 6-0
[8] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) defeated Oscar Otte (GER) 6-4 6-2 6-4
[9] Andrey Rublev (RUS) defeated Laslo Djere (SRB) 7-6 6-3 3-6 4-6 6-4
[11] Jannik Sinner (ITA) defeated Daniel Altmaier (GER) 5-7 6-2 6-1 3-6 6-1
[14] Diego Schwartzman (ARG) defeated Jack Sock (USA) 3-6 5-7 6-0 1-0
[15] Marin Cilic (CRO) defeated Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-3 6-2 7-5
[17] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) defeated Steve Johnson (USA) 6-3 6-2 6-2
[19] Denis Shapovalov (CAN) defeated Marc-Andrea Huesler (SUI) 2-6 6-4 6-4 3-6 6-1
[20] Daniel Evans (GBR) defeated Jiri Vesely (CZE) 6-4 6-1 6-1
[22] Frances Tiafoe (USA) defeated Marcos Giron (USA) 7-6 6-4 6-3
[25] Borna Coric (CRO) defeated Enzo Couacaud (FRA) 6-2 7-6 3-6 4-6 7-5
[26] Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) defeated David Goffin (BEL) 3-6 7-5 6-4 3-6 7-6
[28] Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune (DEN) defeated Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 6-2 6-4 7-6
[32] Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) defeated Learner Tien (USA) 3-6 6-1 6-3 6-3
John Isner (USA) defeated Federico Delbonis (ARG) 6-3 6-1 7-5
Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) defeated Norbert Gombos (SLO) 6-3 6-4 7-5
Federico Coria (ARG) defeated Tallon Griekspoor (NED) 7-5 6-4 6-3
Jenson Brooksby (USA) defeated Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-2 6-0 3-0 RET
Ilya Ivashka (BLR) defeated Sam Querrey (USA) 4-6 6-4 7-6 6-3
Joao Sousa (POR) defeated Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 1-6 7-6 7-6 6-3
Gijs Brouwer (NED) defeated Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 6-3 6-4 6-4
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) defeated Chun-Hsin Tseng (TAI) 6-3 7-6 7-6
James Duckworth (AUS) defeated Christopher O’Connell (AUS) 4-6 7-6 6-2 6-3
Brandon Nakashima (USA) defeated Pavel Kotov (RUS) 7-6 6-2 6-2
Christopher Eubanks (USA) defeated Pedro Martinez (ESP) 7-5 6-3 7-6
Fabio Fognini (ITA) defeated Aslan Karatsev (RUS) 1-6 5-7 6-4 6-1 6-4
Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) defeated Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-2 6-7 6-3 6-3
Richard Gasquet (FRA) defeated Taro Daniel (JPN) 6-4 6-7 6-2 6-2
Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) leads Jaume Munar (ESP) 6-1 6-3 4-6 4-1 SUSP
Jason Kubler (AUS) leads Mikael Ymer (SWE) 7-5 4-6 2-6 2-1 SUSP