- Pavel Kotov defeated Camero 4-6 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in the first round of the French Open
- It is Norrie’s first defeat in the opening round of a major since 2022 in Australia
- Harriet Dart also lost in straight sets 6-7, 4-6 to Czech Linda Noskova
Much like the torrential downpour planned for Paris this week, the forecast for British tennis is looking rather bleak and bleak after Cam Norrie and Harriet Dart made four of four defeats for home interests at the French Open yesterday.
The pair followed Andy Murray and Jack Draper in exiting the tournament in the first round and now there are fears of a total defeat, with Dan Evans and Katie Boulter playing their opening matches today.
That would be the first time since 2020 that all Britons have fallen in the first round, when all six fell in the Covid-hit year. Before that it was 2013, when a Murray back injury exposed the lack of depth in the British game.
Norrie lost after four hours and eleven minutes in five sets – 6-4, 3-6, 5-3, 6-7, 2-6 – to Pavel Kotov, the stocky and round Russian. He failed to deliver at his best and this raises the possibility that he could be usurped by Draper as the British No.1 by the end of the turf swing.
The 28-year-old fell in the first round of a Grand Slam for the first time since January 2022 and said: ‘I’m quite devastated by the result. I didn’t play well at all – thanks to him. There were some concentration problems.
British number 1 Cameron Norrie crashed out of the French Open in the first round on Monday
The Russian Pavel Kotov came from a set down and took the deciding set via a tiebreak
“This one is going to hurt a lot. I’ve had a great preparation. I haven’t performed. I was confident, but eventually came unstuck. It’s a difficult one. I’m so disappointed that I came away without results, but it’s a good learning experience, I think.’
World number 56 Kotov had more power and benefited from a sloppy performance by Norrie. He hailed one of the biggest victories of his career just a year after losing his coach Ivan Polyakov to cancer at the age of 29.
Dart, meanwhile, lost in straight sets 6-7, 4-6 to Czech Linda Noskova. The 27-year-old, who has had a terrible 2024 including spending time in a Bangkok hospital with food poisoning on the way to the Australian Open, put up a good fight but it wasn’t enough.
Harriet Dart also lost in straight sets 6-7, 4-6 to Czech Linda Noskova on Monday
She said: ‘The better players you play, the more you have to take advantage of opportunities. I created a lot of chances today but I didn’t take them or take advantage of them.”
Great Britain’s hopes now rest firmly in the hands of Boulter, who plays in her first French Open against close friend Paula Badosa, who has struggled with injuries this season. Evans, now 34, has won just one of the seven main draw matches at Roland Garros.