Norrie loses to Zverev to end British singles hopes

Cameron Norrie lost out to Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open third round to end British interest in the singles in Melbourne.

Norrie produced an inspired second set but ultimately fell to a 7-5 4-6 6-3 6-1 defeat by world number three Zverev.

Norrie is no stranger to carrying home hopes, with this the fourth consecutive Grand Slam in which he has been the last Briton standing in the singles.

However, the British number two always faced an uphill task, having lost all six of his previous Tour-level meetings with 2025 runner-up Zverev.

That streak included both the Grand Slam matches they contested at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2024.

The 30-year-old’s desire to make a dent in the head-to-head was evident in a spirited second-set display but he was ultimately unable to match Zverev once the German raised his level.

Norrie was again well-backed at Melbourne Park, having enjoyed some of the best crowd support of his career during his second round win over American Emilio Nava.

The 26th seed had been a break up in the first set but, after losing it, launched a positive response.

A Zverev swipe into the net at 5-4 down in the second set allowed Norrie to convert his first break point since the second game of the match and level things up.

But the Briton, yet to defeat a top-five ranked player at a Grand Slam, had his momentum halted just three games into the third set – and Zverev made certain with a second break to regain his advantage.

Norrie was left shaking his head as he watched the fourth set quickly unravel, with Zverev powering to an efficient conclusion.

A 16th ace after two hours and 46 minutes polished off a third consecutive four-set win for Zverev at Melbourne Park, where his pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title will continue against Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.

Earlier, British top seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool suffered a shock second-round defeat by Australian wildcards James McCabe in the men’s doubles.

Wimbledon champions Cash and Glasspool, who last season became the first all-British pair to secure the year-end world number one men’s doubles ranking, lost 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

It leaves fellow Briton Henry Patten and Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara – the defending champions – as the highest remaining seeds in a men’s doubles draw that has already lost five of the top 10 pairings.

German fifth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz, semi-finalists last year, also exited on Friday.

They joined Italian seventh seeds and 2025 runners-up Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli, eighth seeds Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys, and ninth seeds Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler in having their bids ended early.

But Briton Neal Skupski and American Christian Harrison, the sixth seeds, safely progressed to the third round with a 6-3 6-2 win over Spain’s Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar.

Britain’s Marcus Willis, competing alongside Swiss player Jakub Paul, and Luke Johnson, partnering Poland’s Jan Zielinski, will both seek to progress later on Friday.