Frances Tiafoe has launched a stinging critique of Cam Norrie following his second-round exit at Wimbledon, accusing the British player of employing irritating tactics from the opening game of their Court 1 encounter.
The American, seeded 12th, fell to Norrie 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 on Wednesday afternoon.
"He was super amped. He was saying, 'C'mon,' from the first game, which is definitely annoying, but that part bothered me more than the crowd," Tiafoe revealed in his post-match comments.
The 27-year-old's frustration was evident as he described how Norrie's behaviour had disrupted his concentration during their clash.
Tiafoe went further, suggesting that Norrie's performance was heavily dependent on the partisan British crowd.
"I think the biggest thing is that he kept going and playing much better because of the crowd. I don't think he probably plays as well if the crowd wasn't so far behind him," the American stated.
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The world number 61's victory on home soil clearly rankled Tiafoe, who believed the Court 1 atmosphere had transformed his opponent's game.
"They really pushed him, and he started believing it," Tiafoe added, implying that without the vociferous support, Norrie would have struggled to maintain his level against the higher-ranked American.
Despite the defeat, Tiafoe acknowledged Norrie's serving prowess, though he delivered the compliment with a barbed edge.
"I don't think he served that well in a really long time. He served 75, some stupid per cent. I hardly got looks the second set," Tiafoe admitted.
The American's astonishment at Norrie's service game was palpable as he continued his assessment.
"I was shocked how well he served today. Never really seen him serve like that," he added, suggesting this level of serving was an anomaly for the British number three rather than his standard performance.
Tiafoe offered his own perspective on the tournament's numerous upsets, noting that 23 of 64 seeds had already fallen in the first round.
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"Grass is a tricky surface. The game is getting much deeper," he explained, pointing to Norrie's 2022 semi-final run as evidence of the sport's unpredictability.
"You have to think, not so long ago Cam made the semifinals here, and now I'm playing him the second round," Tiafoe observed.
The American attributed the shock results to tennis's increasing depth, warning that players who aren't fully prepared will find themselves in trouble.
"If you're not ready to go, you're going to lose," he concluded.
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Frances Tiafoe has launched a stinging critique of Cam Norrie following his second-round exit at Wimbledon, accusing the British player of employing irritating tactics from the opening game of their Court 1 encounter.
The American, seeded 12th, fell to Norrie 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 on Wednesday afternoon.
"He was super amped. He was saying, 'C'mon,' from the first game, which is definitely annoying, but that part bothered me more than the crowd," Tiafoe revealed in his post-match comments.
The 27-year-old's frustration was evident as he described how Norrie's behaviour had disrupted his concentration during their clash.
Tiafoe went further, suggesting that Norrie's performance was heavily dependent on the partisan British crowd.
"I think the biggest thing is that he kept going and playing much better because of the crowd. I don't think he probably plays as well if the crowd wasn't so far behind him," the American stated.
JUST IN: Jack Draper dealt surprising blow by Wimbledon officials ahead of second round
The world number 61's victory on home soil clearly rankled Tiafoe, who believed the Court 1 atmosphere had transformed his opponent's game.
"They really pushed him, and he started believing it," Tiafoe added, implying that without the vociferous support, Norrie would have struggled to maintain his level against the higher-ranked American.
Despite the defeat, Tiafoe acknowledged Norrie's serving prowess, though he delivered the compliment with a barbed edge.
"I don't think he served that well in a really long time. He served 75, some stupid per cent. I hardly got looks the second set," Tiafoe admitted.
The American's astonishment at Norrie's service game was palpable as he continued his assessment.
"I was shocked how well he served today. Never really seen him serve like that," he added, suggesting this level of serving was an anomaly for the British number three rather than his standard performance.
Tiafoe offered his own perspective on the tournament's numerous upsets, noting that 23 of 64 seeds had already fallen in the first round.
READ MORE: John McEnroe's wife shared 'deal-breaker' over 25-year marriage: 'That would have split us up'
"Grass is a tricky surface. The game is getting much deeper," he explained, pointing to Norrie's 2022 semi-final run as evidence of the sport's unpredictability.
"You have to think, not so long ago Cam made the semifinals here, and now I'm playing him the second round," Tiafoe observed.
The American attributed the shock results to tennis's increasing depth, warning that players who aren't fully prepared will find themselves in trouble.
"If you're not ready to go, you're going to lose," he concluded.
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