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Match details
Fixture: John Isner vs (6) Cameron Norrie.
Date: 23 February 2022.
Tournament: Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2022.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Acapulco, Mexico.
Category: ATP 500.
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt.
Match timing: 6 pm local time, 12 am GMT, 7 pm EST, 5.30 am IST.
Prize money: $1,832,890.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Tennis TV.
John Isner vs Cameron Norrie preview
World No. 23 John Isner will lock horns with sixth seed Cameron Norrie on Wednesday, with a place in the quarterfinals at Acapulco up for grabs.
Since his title triumph in Atlanta and a run to the semifinals in Canada in August last year, Isner has been struggling for form. The giant American was able to win just a solitary match in his first three tournaments of the new season.
The 36-year-old finally managed to win two matches in a row for the first time this year in Dallas earlier this month. He then went down to eventual champion Reilly Opelka in the semifinals.
Isner had to work hard to secure his first-round victory at Acapulco on Monday. The American faced a match point against Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco from where he fought his way back to a 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3) win.
He will have to raise his level now if he wants to upset the in-form sixth seed Cameron Norrie.
The 26-year-old has been on a brilliant run in the last eight months, winning three titles. After lifting the Los Cabos trophy in July last year, Norrie finished as runner-up in San Diego two months later.
But the Brit didn't let that setback deter him and went on to win the biggest title of his career at the Indian Wells Masters. Following a slow start to the 2022 season, the southpaw soon bounced back to form with his third career title at Delray Beach last week.
The World No. 12 is now on a five-match winning streak after a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over Germany's Daniel Altmaier in the first round at Acapulco on Tuesday.
John Isner vs Cameron Norrie head-to-head
Isner leads the head-to-head against Norrie by a 2-1 margin. Norrie won their first-ever showdown in Lyon in 2018 but the American avenged that loss later that year, picking up a three-set victory in Vienna.
Isner repeated it once again last year in Cincinnati, coming through in yet another three-set battle.
John Isner vs Cameron Norrie prediction
A lot has changed since John Isner and Cameron Norrie last met. While Norrie's career trajectory has soared, Isner's has gone down in the past few months.
Norrie will come into this match as a more confident player than he was in August during their last showdown. The Brit has excellent speed around the court and is an efficient volleyer as well. He will look to move forward at every opportunity and finish points at the net by pinning Isner to the backcourt.
However, his first serve percentage, which was one aspect of his game where he got a lot of help last year, seems to have lost its sharpness this season. Norrie's first serve percentage was a mere 68% in the first round and he even conceded a couple of breaks to lower-ranked Altmaier.
It is imperative for the 26-year-old to improve his serving numbers if he wants to tackle a big server like Isner.
The American thundered 29 aces past Verdasco in the first round and will be keen to replicate that against Norrie as well. But Isner, standing at 6'10", isn't the fastest of movers and the Brit will look to exploit that.
If Norrie can serve well and doesn't feel any fatigue from his recent exploits, he definitely has a shot at leveling his head-to-head against Isner with a win.
Prediction: Cameron Norrie to win in three sets.
