Cameron Norrie claimed the biggest win of his career to date after beating former world number one Rafael Nadal at the United Cup for Great Britain in Sydney.
The British number one beat Nadal 3-6 6-3 6-4 at the sold-out Ken Rosewell Arena to give Great Britain a 1-0 lead over Spain in the first ever international mixed team competition .
Norrie had previously lost all four against Nadal, but made a spectacular comeback after a set loss.
Norrie was in fine form at the start of the tennis season, beating Alex de Minaur in the opening match as England beat Australia 3-2 in the opening match.
Nadal is playing his first game since the ATP finals in November and the Spaniard showed great agility to cover the court in the first set, launching a series of stunning passes to take the lead.
The 36-year-old struggled to maintain his form as the match progressed, as Norrie ramped up the intensity to overtake the Spaniard in fierce exchanges.
Norrie broke Nadal in the sixth game of the second set and continued to dominate in the deciding set, saving two break points while leading 3-2 before holding on to the final victory.
Nadal plays for the first time since the ATP Finals in November
After the match, he said: “It’s crazy. I thought I’d never won a set before (against Nadal) and I wanted to do it first.
“I had to be very patient. It was a super physical match and I enjoyed it. It was amazing to go through that match and finally beat him.
“He beat me with ease the last couple of times, so it was a great way to end the year for me. It was a frenetic atmosphere, thank you guys. It was a great one. crazy game.”
England’s Katie Swan will bid to give England a 2-0 lead in the Group D match when she faces Nuria Parrizas Diaz in the final match of the day.
