Cameron Norrie breaks silence after Madrid Open dust-up with Tomas Machac

Cameron Norrie’s win over Tomas Machac at the Madrid Open was overshadowed by a bit of controversy involving a disputed medical timeout.

Norrie, who became the British number one in 2026, has been in good form this season and carried that momentum into his second-round match.

He came through a tough three-set battle against Machac but was frustrated with how the Czech player handled a medical timeout during a key moment of the match.

With Norrie starting to take control, Machac requested treatment but ended up playing on after what appeared to be a lengthy delay for the physio. The British star felt it disrupted his rhythm and questioned whether it had been managed properly.

Norrie stays composed after Machac’s unusual medical timeout

While Machac’s actions could have been seen as an attempt to disrupt the flow of the match, Norrie handled it professionally.

Reflecting on the match, he said: “I’ve been feeling the ball really, really well. I had the chance in the tie-break, but I was a little bit passive on my match point. I was a bit upset with myself, not going after it, not being courageous, but I hung with him in the third set, fought as hard as I could and played some really good stuff in the end, and that’s what mattered.

“Three-setters, it’s classic me. It’s perfect for me, a lot of match court time getting ready for the French Open.”

On how he responded to Machac’s medical timeout, Norrie added: “I managed to dig really deep and break, and then suddenly he called the physio. He was taking forever to come, and then he said, ‘I’m actually OK’.

Cameron Norrie could be set for a first-time-ever clash

Norrie goes into his match against Tirante as the clear favourite, holding a 50-place advantage in the rankings.

He’ll be hoping to capitalise on that edge, with a spot in the Madrid Open fourth round on the line – something he’s never achieved before.

A win could also set up an intriguing first-ever meeting with Jannik Sinner. The Italian needs to get past Elmer Møller, but he’ll be expected to come through that one without too much trouble.

Norrie’s win over Machac has also pushed him back into the top 20 of the ATP rankings. He’s currently sitting at number 19 in the live standings.

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