Reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, for instance, has misplaced all of her six conferences with Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko.
After shedding to Ostapenko in Stuttgart final season, Swiatek disputed she had a psychological block, saying her head “was far more clear” than earlier matches.
However two-time main champion Coco Gauff, who misplaced her first seven matches to Swiatek, stated lastly beating the Pole allowed her to “play free” after they met.
American Gauff is now on a four-match profitable streak in opposition to Swiatek, though she nonetheless trails 11-5 general.
“It is nonetheless an enormous hole within the head-to-head, [but] I simply erase it from my thoughts. I can not change the previous, however I realized from it,” Gauff stated.
“I do not understand how it will likely be on the finish of our careers, however at the least I do know in future matches I will not be beginning with the psychological deficit.”
Norrie is just not a participant who appears fazed by the participant throughout the web.
However joking or not, reminiscent of beating Zverev after they performed as youngsters over a decade in the past may present an extra increase.
“Since then he is acquired me each single time. He’ll know that,” twenty sixth seed Norrie stated.
“Nevertheless it’s good being the underdog once more. To go and play him, nothing to lose.”
There is no such thing as a doubt 28-year-old Zverev has extra damaging weapons than the Briton, but it surely stays a match-up that Norrie relishes.
Going toe-to-toe with the three-time Grand Slam finalist in a Melbourne five-set thriller two years in the past supplies optimism.
“It is a match I really feel fairly comfy with – particularly within the rally I’ll get rhythm,” stated Norrie, who was ranked as excessive as eighth on the earth in 2022.
“I’ll have to essentially to push him and make him uncomfortable for 4 hours to have an opportunity.
“He is a really full participant and he seems to be like he is taking part in properly. I am wanting ahead to it.”
