Cameron Norrie bemoans ‘strange’ rule benefitting Novak Djokovic

Cam Norrie has suggested Novak Djokovic is receiving favorable treatment as the effects of Wimbledon’s loss of rankings drag into winter.

Djokovic is assured of qualification for this month’s eight-man ATP final in Turin, based on his only Grand Slam title this year, won at SW19 in July.

The existing rule granting that privilege has remained, but for every other player who did well at Wimbledon there was no benefit to their status. Points were stripped due to the ban on Russian players.

Cameron Norrie (left) sees a rule making Novak Djokovic (right) the only player to benefit from a Wimbledon no points ranking in the summer as ‘odd’

Norrie is said to have racked up 720 points to make it to the semi-finals, and the lack of recognition in the rankings has reduced his chances of making the field in Turin.

Not only that, but the lack of points would also plummet Britain’s hopes of making it to the 18-nation United Cup, the £13million mixed team event scheduled for Australia in January.

Djokovic could qualify for the ATP Finals anyway if he wins the Paris Masters this week, but otherwise he relies on regulations that – with apparent inconsistency – still recognize what he did at The Championships.

Norrie was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon and is said to have earned 720 ranking points – only none were made available after Russian players were banned from the grass-court slam

“Novak clearly qualified from Wimbledon, so that seems a bit odd,” said Norrie, who reached the second round in Paris on Monday with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.

“I don’t know if that used to be the rule or not, but it seems unfair, I think for Nick Kyrgios too.

“He lost in the final and gets nothing. I knew I hadn’t had the points all this time, but I still had a decent chance, I thought.’

The Australian would also have been in the race for Turin, but had to give up the bumper 1,200 points he earned at SW19.

Stuart Duguid, Kyrgios’ agent, commented: “First of all, Novak deserves to be in Turin. But it feels arbitrary that he is the only player to benefit from his performance at Wimbledon.

The endorsement contracts of ‘players’ are affected by their ranking at the end of the year and whether they qualify for the final. Many, like Nick, will run out of money while Novak is whole.’

Stuart Duguid, Kyrgios’ agent, described it as “arbitrary” that only Djokovic is benefiting from his Wimbledon appearances, while many others are missing out on huge amounts due to falling rankings.

An ATP spokesperson said: “The removal of ranking points at this year’s Wimbledon has been done on the basis of fairness to all players, and no further rule changes related to the status of the competition were deemed necessary.

“As such, every player who competed in Wimbledon or the other Grand Slams this year had the chance to qualify for Turin through the Grand Slam qualifying rule.”

The lack of points at Wimbledon has had a widespread disruptive effect on the lists for men and women. That now extends to qualifying for the new mixed event taking place ahead of the Australian Open.

The complex entry system is largely determined by the year-end rankings of a country’s best player of both sexes. With Norrie at 14, Britain is currently just outside the border, although that could change.

‘I would really like to play, I think it’s a great event. I’m going to push as much as I can and hopefully I’ll try to help the team get in,” Norrie said. “It’ll be interesting to see how they make the list.”

Britain’s top four men want to end their seasons strong in Paris and Andy Murray faced Frenchman Gilles Simon on Monday night.

Djokovic can still qualify for the ATP Finals if he can win the Paris Masters this week