Cameron Norrie lost to world number three Alexander Zverev in the third round of the Australian Open, ending British interest in the singles in Melbourne.
Norrie produced an inspired second set but ultimately fell to a 7-5 4-6 6-3 6-1 defeat at the hands of 2025 finalist Zverev.
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Norrie is no stranger to bringing home hopes, with this fourth consecutive Grand Slam in which he was the last Briton standing in singles.
However, the British number two still faced an uphill task, having lost his previous six Tour-level meetings with Zverev.
This streak included the two Grand Slam matches they played at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2024.
The 30-year-old’s desire to make a dent in the face-off was evident in a fiery second set, but he ultimately couldn’t match Zverev once the German raised his level.
Norrie was well-supported again at Melbourne Park, having enjoyed the best crowd support of his career in his second-round victory over American Emilio Nava.
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The 26th seed had a break in the first set but, after losing it, launched a positive response.
A Zverev shot into the net at 5-4 in the second set allowed Norrie to convert his first break point since the second game of the match and tie things up.
But the Briton, who has yet to beat a player ranked in the top five at a Grand Slam, saw his momentum halted just three games into the third set – and Zverev ensured with a second break to regain the advantage.
Norrie shook his head as he watched the fourth set unfold quickly, with Zverev reaching an effective conclusion.
A 16th ace after two hours and 46 minutes completed a third consecutive four-set victory for Zverev at Melbourne Park, where his quest for a maiden Grand Slam title will continue against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.
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GB’s Cash & Glasspool stunned at Australian Open
Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon (Getty Images)
Earlier, British top seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool suffered a shock second-round defeat to Australian wildcards James McCabe in the men’s doubles.
Wimbledon champions Cash and Glasspool, who last season became the first all-British pair to secure world number one in men’s doubles at the end of the year, lost 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
That leaves fellow Briton Henry Patten and Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara – the defending champions – as the remaining top seeds in a men’s doubles draw that has already lost five of the top 10 pairs.
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German fifth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz, semi-finalists last year, were also eliminated on Friday.
They joined Italian seventh seeds and 2025 finalists Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli, eighth seeds Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys, and ninth seeds Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler, whose bids ended prematurely.
But sixth-seeded Briton Neal Skupski and American Christian Harrison advanced safely to the third round with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Spaniards Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar.
Britain’s Marcus Willis, alongside Switzerland’s Jakub Paul, and Luke Johnson, alongside Poland’s Jan Zielinski, will both look to progress later on Friday.
