BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Second-seeded Cameron Norrie reached his second final of the year when he beat Juan Pablo Varillas 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the Argentina Open semifinals.
Norrie saved two break points in the last game to wrap up the clay-court match in just under two hours.
The Briton was upset in the Auckland final in January, one of only two losses in 15 matches this year.
In the final on Sunday, he faces either top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz or Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
RIO DE JANEIRO — Dominic Thiem is once again fighting through his matches and enjoying himself, but confidence is admittedly still lacking for the 29-year-old.
Thiem lost in the first round of the Rio Open, falling to Thiago Monteiro 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (2).
The former world No. 3 and 2020 U.S. Open champion, who came in ranked at No. 96 after battling right wrist and abdominal injuries, fell to 1-2 on the year. He missed the Australian Open and got his first win last week at Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“I was not convinced enough. It is a so-so leg of confidence. A leg of one match this year,” Thiem said. “Today was a little bit better than I did in Buenos Aires. But still when I step in it is too many mistakes. I need to find the right timing again, find myself closer at the baseline again.”
Thiem, who won the Rio Open in 2017, dropped the first set against the 83rd-ranked Monteiro in 27 minutes, with the Austrian making a series of unforced errors.
Thiem righted himself in the second set, relying on his forehand and his patience on the baseline. After a back-and-forth third set, the Brazilian won the tiebreaker comfortably to close out the 2-hour, 46-minute match.
“I was never injured before. I didn’t know how long it would take. It is taking as long as it takes. I am not stressing out,” Thiem said. “I have the feeling I was defining myself way too long with results. It is very unhealthy, especially mentally, if I define myself only with results.”
Monteiro will next face either second-seeded Cameron Norrie or Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the clay-court tournament.
Defending champion and second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz faces Mateus Alves in the first round.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz won his first title since his milestone U.S. Open triumph by beating Cameron Norrie in straight sets at the Argentina Open.
The world No. 2 overcame No. 12 Norrie 6-3, 7-5 in the clay-court final.
“I felt very comfortable,” Alcaraz said. “This is the level that I have to play in a final. It is really special, I struggled in these four months.”
A right leg injury sidelined Alcaraz from the Australian Open, with Novak Djokovic reclaiming the No. 1 ranking from Alcaraz after winning the title there.
The 19-year-old Alcaraz dropped only one set – to Serbia’s Laslo Djere – in his first tournament of the year.
After winning the first set in 36 minutes, Alcaraz quickly broke second-seeded Norrie in the second set but the Briton hit back when the Spaniard was serving for the championship at 5-4. Alcaraz broke Norrie with a drop shot to win the title.
Norrie lost his second final of the year after Auckland in January.
Alcaraz next defends his title at the Rio Open.
Source: NBC
