CAMERON NORRIE became the first Brit through at Wimbledon with a straight sets win over Pablo Andujar.
The in-form British No1 was farmed out to Court No2 to face the 36-year-old Spaniard but put on a rain-interrupted show nonetheless.
Cameron Norrie won his match against Pablo Andujar in straight sets – but it took five hours due to the rain delays
The weather delays meant the match took five hours and ten minutes to complete.
Nervy Norrie also needed four match points before finally getting over the line – taking just four minutes after the second interruption to claim victory.
He said: “It was not easy. I saw the dark clouds coming and then I heard someone shout ‘get it done before the rain starts’.
“I was trying to. Yeah, it was not the prettiest of performances but I’ll take this and move on.”
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Norrie, 26, was forced into a tie break in the second set but still came through 6-0 7-6 6-3 on a testing day.
The ninth seed was playing only his eighth match at SW19 during which time he has faced some of the biggest names in tennis.
He was beaten by eight-times winner Roger Federer in last year’s third round – the furthest he has ever advanced into the tournament.
The left-hander also lost to former French Open finalist Jo Wilfried-Tsonga in 2017.
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World No12 Norrie cruised through the first set in just 23 minutes only for a rain shower to delay progress through the second.
That seemed to put South Africa-born Norrie off his stride as Andujar fought back to take him to a tie break.
But after clinching that, 2021 Queen’s finalist Norrie set sights for home and won the decisive third set 6-3 to set up a second round match although he needed.
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Southpaw Norrie gave home fans some cheer after British No5 Jodie Burrage lost in straight sets to Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko to become the first domestic player out this year.
Burrage’s match was delayed due to a ball-boy falling ill, with the sweet Brit handing out energy drinks and a fan’s bag of Percy Pigs to help.
