Cameron Norrie has Novak Djokovic US Open game plan after angering Serb

Cameron Norrie wants to play Novak Djokovic in a pain game after claiming this US Open is his best ever chance to beat the Serbian superstar. The 24-time Grand Slam winner has won all of their six previous meetings, including the 2022 Wimbledon semi-finals. But Djokovic, 38, has struggled in his opening two matches here - his first since Wimbledon - and needed on-court treatment for a blister.

British No.2 Norrie showed his usual relentlessness by grinding out a four-set win over Argentine Francisco Comesana in the second round. "I think the chances are greater for me to win the match than in previous years or in previous form for him," said the world No.35. "I did see the blister on the TV the other day. But I think he's the king of when he's feeling adversity to come up and fight through that and push through it. I'm going to just focus more on myself.

"I'm going to have to beat him with physicality. I'm going to have to beat him with my game, my tennis. I'm not going to be going out and being a serve bot and hitting him off the court. I'm going to stick to the way I'm playing and really, really make it as physical as I can.

"Lucky that's how I play. I'm not going to hit him off the court for sure. I'm going to play my game." Norrie and Djokovic had a tense encounter at the 2023 Rome Masters when the Serb annoyed the Brit by arriving late for their match after treatment.

He then accused Norrie of "not fair play" after Norrie hit him with a smash and repeatedly shouted: "C'mon" in his face. And the former world No.8 added in New York: "The level he brings, the competitiveness he brings is crazy. Every time I've played him, he's changing his tactics and making it really difficult for me to play.

"So I'm just ready for anything. Him to play unreal. Him to play not great. Him to be stopping the match for something and then playing really good. I think he's so, so good at competing and tactics. He's amazing.

"So I'm going to have to be ready for anything and I want to just beat him with tennis. I want to beat him with tennis and physicality. It's going to be very tough. I'm going to have to play close to my best to have a chance with him.

"I think executing a lot when I'm kind of in favour of the point. When I'm having a slight edge, a short ball, and making sure I'm winning those points. It's always helped me a lot. So many times he's behind in the point and he finds a way to get back."

Djokovic comfortably won their last match 6-2 6-3 6-2 in the last 16 at Roland Garros. "I think at the French Open I didn't compete as well as I would have liked at the end of some of the sets," Norrie recalled. "It went very quickly for him.

"So, I just want to play point for point with him. He's struggling with the blister. I think it's shown for me at slams in the French, Wimby and now here, I can be a tough guy to beat over five sets.

"Not playing that good, just kind of being there point for point and wearing guys down. So I'm going to do the same with him. I'm definitely going to have to play better than I did in the French Open to have a chance with him."