Cam Norrie did what he had to do in Montreal, and that matters. The British number two beat Ignacio Buse 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 29 minutes to reach the Canadian Open last 32, a result that extends a much-needed recovery after a six-match losing streak.
This is not the kind of win that changes the wider tennis landscape, but it is exactly the sort of performance that gives a struggling player room to breathe. Norrie has now put together a run that started with his Los Cabos Open semi-finals last week, where he ended that losing sequence, and he has followed it by backing it up in Canada.
A result that restores some momentum
There was nothing flashy about it, and there did not need to be. Norrie was efficient, controlled and clear in the big moments. Against a player ranked world number 70, that is the minimum requirement, but after the sort of run he has had, even a straightforward win carries a little more weight than usual.
The key point is simple: this is now a proper run of results rather than a one-off relief win. Last week he beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli in his opening match in Montreal, then pushed on to this one without any obvious wobble. That is the sign of a player trying to rebuild rhythm rather than merely survive another bad patch.
Of course, the next round is where the temperature rises. Norrie now faces world number seven Alex de Minaur, which is a very different assignment from Ignacio Buse. If he is going to keep this revival going, he will need more than neat scoring lines and tidy margins. He will need the level to rise with the occasion.
Still, for now, the verdict is positive. Norrie needed a clean, convincing response in Montreal, and he produced one. The scoreline says straight sets. The timing says a lot more than that.
