Norrie completes Van Assche revenge job in Metz

Payback was sweet for Cameron Norrie on Wednesday at the Moselle Open.

The Briton overcame #NextGenATP home favourite Luca Van Assche 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to book his quarter-final spot at the indoor hard-court ATP 250. Seeking to avenge a three-set loss to Van Assche on the ATP Challenger Tour last month, Norrie delivered an emphatic third-set display to seal a one-hour, 52-minute victory in Metz.

“Luca and I played a couple of weeks ago in Roanne in a Challenger and he got me last time, so it was nice to face him again and have the chance to get revenge,” said Norrie. “I have a lot of respect for him. He’s so tough to play and I had to really serve well and come up with some really good stuff, especially in the third set, to get a break. Then I managed to hold my nerve and serve it out, but a lot of credit to Luca to come out and compete the way he did.”

Lightning fast reactions ⚡️⚡️@cam_norrie pulls through a tight encounter against Van Assche 6-3 3-6 6-1 to make the final 8 in Metz!@MoselleOpen | #MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/hmfFQ7gE6v

Norrie converted three of six break points he earned against Van Assche, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The former No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings, who is this week competing as the World No. 57 after an injury-disrupted 2024, will next take on Zizou Bergs, who eased past Hugo Gaston 6-4, 7-5.

“I’m just trying to play point for point, and really just enjoy competing in the last week of the year for me,” said Norrie, who will contest his first ATP Tour quarter-final since April in Barcelona. “It’s a good week so far. I just want to take it match by match and stick around in Metz another day. I want to keep going and I’m definitely going to have to keep improving my level to have any chance of going further at the tournament.”

Despite Van Assche’s loss, there was plenty for the home fans to cheer on Wednesday in Metz. Quentin Halys kicked off the day by prevailing 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in an all-French clash against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, while Benjamin Bonzi later upset second seed Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4.

Bonzi won 85 per cent (33/39) of points behind his first serve in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with World No. 7 Ruud. It was the biggest win of the 28-year-old’s career, and he will next take on Halys in his first tour-level quarter-final since February 2023.

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