The seven-time Grand Slam winner John McEnroe on Wednesday stated he believes that Cameron Norrie would “love” to face Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at Wimbledon.
The former tennis star winner wasn’t shy to admit that he is really impressed with the way Norrie has maximised his potential.
“Is there potential for a grudge match at Wimbledon?” McEnroe asked. “I think Norrie would hope so. I know Novak made a few comments. Like he was being disrespectful. I’m just generally impressed that Norrie has done so well and has really maximised his potential. He should be very proud of that.
“I wouldn’t worry about Djokovic if I was him. I’d worry about some of the other guys, those who have moved past him in the rankings. We’ll see how that plays out. But I’m sure for him he’d love to play Djokovic in the semis. That means he’s in the semis.”
The last time the pair met was in Rome in May 2023, during their last 16 encounter where the Serbian accused his opponent of “not” playing fairly as Norrie smashed a ball into him during a rally which made Serbian upset. Later on, Djokovic was also annoyed by the British’s constant shouting.
Norrie apologised for his actions saying he wasn’t aware of Djokovic’s position when he smashed the ball. The Serbian, who is not known for his patience, gave him a death stare and criticised the British during a post-match press conference.
The last battle between the pair at Wimbledon was in the semi-finals last year where despite losing the opening set, Djokovic won the tie 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Wimbledon 2023 will run from July 3 to 16 and will be held at the All-England Club in London.
Djokovic will be looking to win the men's record-extending 24th Grand Slam single title when Wimbledon gets underway next month but will be seeded second behind world number one Carlos Alcaraz.
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Iga Swiatek will be the top seed while defending champion Elena Rybakina and in-form Aryna Sabalenka will also be among the contenders for the title.