Is Norrie getting closer or not really?

The Brit is chasing a head-to-head record that really favors Zverev but has started to win a few sets in their most recent meetings.

The most recent meeting was in Cincinnati, where Norrie took a set off Zverev before losing in a very expected way. The Brit has taken a set in their last two matches, but when you look at how those matches played out, you still get the feeling he doesn’t really have the game to trouble the German. His playing style isn’t very disruptive and he struggles to make an impact on return, which means that in the end, it’s almost always him who loses. Add to that the fact that Zverev is dominant against left-handers, and there’s really not much reason to get excited about the Brit this time either. Norrie also hasn’t played any official match since the US Open. He even withdrew from the Davis Cup because of a minor injury, but I don’t have any more information than that.

On Zverev’s side, it’s almost surprising to see him play this tournament after the run he’s had lately. To sum it up, he won a title at the US Open, flew to Germany to play the Davis Cup, then went back to the American continent for the Laver Cup, and now he’s expected in China. It’s an ATP 500 and he’s having an outstanding year. I would have thought he’d skip this tournament and prepare for Shanghai properly, but he wants to play. However, I can already sense that at the slightest loss this week, he’s going to complain about the schedule or about how the sequence of events is too tough.

The match-up and the recent level of both players obviously tilt things toward Zverev, who is a huge favorite in this match, but the German’s preparation for this tournament is surely much worse than Norrie’s. It’s not much to go on, but shouldn’t we maybe take a small shot on the Brit?