By Tennis News Team | April 24, 2025
Norrie Rallies from the Brink in First Round Thriller
Britain’s Cameron Norrie described his gritty three-set win over rising Spanish star Martin Landaluce as “one of my favourite wins” after battling illness to reach the second round of the Madrid Open.
The 29-year-old former British number one came through 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-4 in a tense match that saw him overcome early struggles, save a match point, and outlast the 19-year-old Landaluce in two hours and 42 minutes.
Struggles with Sickness and Form
Norrie, currently ranked 91st in the world, has endured a rough patch in 2025. He hadn’t won an ATP main-draw match since early March and admitted post-match that he had been seriously ill.
“It’s maybe one of my favourite wins,” Norrie said on Sky Sports. “I was feeling absolutely terrible. I wasn’t sure I was going to play. I had no energy, didn’t sleep at all last night.”
He started brightly, going 3-0 up in the first set before losing five straight games. But his experience showed as he clawed back from 3-0 down in the second set and survived a match point to level the match.
Landaluce’s Wild Moment Seals Norrie’s Victory
At 4-4 in the final set, Landaluce, ranked outside the top 200, produced a nervous and erratic service game which handed Norrie the crucial break. The Brit sealed victory shortly afterward and now faces 26th seed Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in round two.
Fearnley Joins Norrie in Second Round
Later in the day, British number two Jacob Fearnley joined Norrie in the second round by beating China’s Yunchaokete Bu 6-3, 7-6 (7-2). Fearnley, who is enjoying a breakout season, will face 19th seed Tomas Machac next.
Tags: Cameron Norrie, Martin Landaluce, Madrid Open, ATP, British tennis, Jiri Lehecka, Jacob Fearnley, tennis comeback, tennis illness, tennis highlights 2025
