Top Brit Norrie thrills Court One crowd with titanic five-set win over Munar

By Paul Lagan on Court 1, Wimbledon

Norrie v Munar

6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 

Cameron Norrie put the Court One crowd through the wringer before emerging the other side flattened but unbowed having secured a win in a five-set thriller against Spain’s Jaume Munar.

In three hours and 13 minutes of pulsating and sometimes ultra exhausting rallies, Norrie was victorious 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2.

South African-born, but British no1 Norrie couldn’t couldn’t put his opponent away despite winning the first set relatively comfortably 6-4. He was broken in the second and the Spaniard ran out the set comfortably 6-3 to level the match.

The third always felt it could be decisive. Norrie fought back from. Break down to make it 5-4 with Munar serving. But a powerful service game brought the set closer to it’s conclusion with either player capable of notching the key point.

And so it proved with Norrie chasing a vain challenge on the final point – he was adjudged to have put the ball wide, and Hawkeye proved it.

Munar then served to take the set.

He did it to love, with Norrie failing to make a meaningful return.

Norrie managed to hold onto his serve in the opening game of the fourth set – just, challenging and failing on his very first serve which was called out. But he showed sufficient reserve to kick off a few winners and force Munar into an unforced error.

Some aggressive returns and a wonderful lob helped Norrie to a vital break to open up a 2-0 lead.

A near perfect service game saw Norrie take a 3-0 lead in the set.

Munar produced three brilliant points to make it 40-love, but then Norrie turned on the turbochargers and racked off five points in a row to win the game and take a 4-0 lead. Which soon became 5-0, which quickly became 6-0 and the set.

Norrie, sensing his opponent was tiring duly took the opening game in the final set.

Twice the Spaniard tried the drop shot, twice Norrie was quick enough to get to the ball and clip an angled winner cross court.

This set up the perfect opportunity to break Munar and having survived a dubious Hawkeye decision, Norrie forced an error from his opponent to win the game and open up a 2-0 lead.

But eight straight game wins by Norrie came to an abrupt end as he was broken to lead 2-1.

A service win by Munar returned the impetus to him.

Norrie became nervous and a degree indecisive, dinking a drop ball into the net proof that his game was not as assured as it was in the previous set.

But he clung onto his service game, just to go 3-2 up.

But suddenly Norrie broke following a series of pulsating rallies and a Hawkeye decision going his way.

At love 30 down on his serve, he pulled it around to win to force Munar win his serve to stay in the match.

And after three hours and 12 minutes, it was match point to Norrie which he won as Munar smashed a return into his net.

Picture, Cameron Norrie serves on Court One v Jaume Munar Picture: Paul Lagan