Cameron Norrie wins epic against Thiago Monteiro to make quarter-finals at ATP event in Rio de Janeiro

Cameron Norrie beat Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro 7-5 7-5 in a hard-fought match at the Jockey Club Brasileiro in Rio de Janeiro to progress to the quarter-finals of the Rio Open.

He will play Hugo Dellien in the last eight of the ATP 500 event in Brazil.

Norrie had opportunities to serve it out at 5-4 in both sets, but Monteiro rallied, only to go on to lose in straight sets.

The 28-year-old defended three match points in the 10th game of the second set, but ultimately Norrie’s class paid dividends and he sealed the win on his sixth match point.

Norrie had lost their only previous meeting – on the hard courts in Auckland – but broke in the first game of the match. However, if the Brit thought that would mark the beginning of a rudimentary win, he was sorely mistaken.

A further four breaks followed in the first set and another three in the second as Norrie eventually progressed in a two-and-a-half hour epic.

The victory sees the Brit become the first ATP player this season to record 15 wins.

“It was a great match,” Norrie said in his post-match interview.

“I had a lot of opportunities in that first set and I could have been a lot more comfortable, but he fought back strong and played really well in the bigger moments and served really well. Credit to him, but I was able to tough out the end of the sets.

“I was really hitting my backhand line really well and it made it difficult for him when he was trying to cheat over on his forehand.”

World No. 111 Dellien is up next for Norrie after he beat ninth seed Alex Molcan 1-6 6-2 6-2.

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