Wimbledon 2022: Norrie ready to take on one of the big dogs and prove that he “belongs”

It’s the hat which sticks in Cameron Norrie’s memory. Andy Murray was wearing one as usual but, on this scorching day in 2013, so was Novak Djokovic, who ever since and in all senses seems to have played tennis with hardly a hair out of place.

That was the day Murray won Wimbledon for the first time. “I can remember the match point over and over,” Murray’s successor as British No1 reflected. “The atmosphere, the crowd - incredible. And then watching Andy throw his hat to the ground and look up to the stands was so special.”

Today Norrie attempts to emulate Murray by neutralising the awesome Serb machine in what will be his first Grand Slam semi-final. Easier said than done, of course, but if this contest doesn’t sate you for intrigue then after a few minutes to catch the collective breath it will be followed by the latest instalment in one of the most electrically-charged of tennis rivalries - Rafael Nadal vs Nick Kyrgios.

Two absolute crackers to put before Centre Court and perhaps most will expect Nadal and Djokovic to progress to Sunday to continue their battle for the right to call themselves the GOAT.

But imagine a final between the half-Scots Norrie and the half-firework Kyrgios. That wouldn’t be bad, either.

While Nadal and Kyrgios have played each other nine times, with many of the contests being feisty, tomorrow marks only the second encounter between Djokovic and Norrie. For the latter it wasn’t a performance and result to remember - a 6-2, 6-1 defeat in the ATP Finals last November in Turin - but hopefully it was instructive.

Before the match Norrie admitted that a strategy was virtually useless. “Novak has such a complete game, he’s probably the best mover of Tour, his backhand is insane and you can’t get the