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Match details
Fixture: Tommy Paul vs Cameron Norrie
Date: 1 February 2021
Tournament: Murray River Open 2021
Round: First round (Round of 64)
Venue: Melbourne, Australia
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $320,775
Match timing: Approx. 12 pm local time, 6.30 am IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel
Tommy Paul vs Cameron Norrie preview
15th-seeded Tommy Paul will open his 2021 Murray River Open campaign with a first-round match against Britain's Cameron Norrie.
Paul will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing run at the season opener in Delray Beach, where he lost to his younger countryman Sebastian Korda. Norrie, on the other hand, started his season with a run to the last four.
While the Brit also had to face defeat at the hands of an on-song Korda, he had plenty to take away from his week in the Floridian city.
Norrie, a former star of University tennis, turned to the ATP tour at the start of 2013. He has taken giant strides towards establishing a strong foothold since then, and his first tour final came on the hardcourts of Auckland in 2019.
The Brit has posted a string of solid results in the last few months, including the Delray Beach semifinals and an upset win over Diego Schwartzman at last year's US Open. His neat results have largely come on hardcourts, and that bodes well for him ahead of this match.
Tommy Paul vs Cameron Norrie head-to-head
Tommy Paul leads Cameron Norrie 1-0 in head-to-head matchups. The American had scored a three-set win over Norrie on the hardcourts of California back in 2016.
Tommy Paul vs Cameron Norrie prediction
This match has all the makings of a close contest, as both men have similarly well-rounded games. The duo also enjoy playing in Australia, and have had some of the biggest results of their careers Down Under.
Tommy Paul, in particular, has a lot to play for. He had a very successful time in Australia last year, reaching the semifinals in Adelaide and the third round in Melbourne (his best result at a Grand Slam).
The start to this match will be crucial as both men will look to establish themselves early. In a close encounter like this, the result might just come down to whoever can play the big points better.
Prediction: Tommy Paul to win in three sets.
