- Benjamin Bonzi beat Cameron Norrie 7-6, 6-4 in the Moselle Open final
- It was British No 2 Norrie’s first appearance in a final since February 2023
Cam Norrie fell short of giving his nightmare year a dream ending as he lost in the final of the Moselle Open in Metz.
The British No 2 will take much succour from making his first final since February 2023 but it was French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi who won his maiden tour-level title.
Norrie started the year at No 18 in the world rankings and will finish in 50th place. The 29-year-old can at least carry some form into 2025 but this felt like a big opportunity to end the worst season of his life on a high.
Bonzi had the crowd behind him and played extremely well, but prior to this event he was down at 124 in the world rankings and had not won a single ATP tour match this year.
Norrie will feel like he should have taken the first set. He led by a break and then had 10 break points at 4-4 and failed to convert. He earned a set point in the tiebreak but dragged a routine second-serve return into the net.
Cameron Norrie was beaten by Benjamin Benzo in the final of the Moselle Open in Metz
The British No 2 will take much succour from making his first final since February 2023
That was something of a microcosm of his year: he got close but faltered in the decisive moments.
Coming into this week, Bonzi was as full of confidence as Norrie was bereft. Dropping down to the Challenger Tour the 28-year-old had won 14 of his last 15 matches and then won his way into Metz through qualifying.
And so when Norrie left the door ajar Bonzi showed no hesitation, taking the tiebreak and breaking early in the second set.
‘You played better than me, you stayed tougher than me,’ Norrie said to Bonzi after the match. ‘It’s been a really challenging year but it has been great to make a final in the last event. I’m looking forward to next year.’
‘There was nothing in it, he played better than me in the big moments. I’m too bothered about making the final but just to start playing matches in a row and finding my competitive spirit was the highlight of the week for me after a tough year.’
