Cam Norrie awarded Player of the Year by British Tennis Journalists’ Association
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Cam Norrie has been named the British Tennis Journalists’ Association Player of the Year in recognition of reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals and eight in the world rankings.
The 27 year old also won his third and fourth ATP titles in 2022 - on the hard courts of Delray Beach in Florida in February, and on the clay of Lyon in May.
Norrie recovered from two sets to one down against both Jaume Munar and David Goffin at Wimbledon, before losing out to the eventual champion Novak Djokovic over four sets on Centre Court.
A lot of highlights for me, and the big one at Wimbledon where the home crowd support was very special.
“It’s been a really great year,” Norrie said in response to winning the award, which dates back in various guises to 1951.
“A lot of highlights for me, and the big one at Wimbledon where the home crowd support was very special. And it’s very special to win this award. A big thanks to all the British tennis journalists for their support this year.”
For the first time, the award was decided by a ballot of BTJA members.
Norrie was a clear winner, but there was also support for Jack Draper, Joe Salisbury, Neal Skupski and Alfie Hewett.
Draper started the year at 265 in the rankings, and finishes it inside the top 50 having won 4 ATP Challenger events. He also reached a semi-final and two quarter-finals at full tour level.
The 2020 BTJA Player of the Year Joe Salisbury won his second US Open men’s doubles title with Rajeev Ram, and then became the first British man to win the doubles at the ATP Finals.
Neal Skupski and his partner Wesley Koolhof were on the wrong end of the scoreline in that US Open final, but won a staggering seven titles together in 2022. Three were at Masters level, and they finish the year on top of the world rankings.
Alfie Hewett, meanwhile, won a third US Open wheelchair singles titles and added a further two Grand Slam doubles titles with Gordon Reid.
Sue Barker is the winner of the BTJA’s Services to British Tennis Award in recognition not only of her playing career - during which she won the 1976 French Open and reached number 3 in the world - but also for the class and good humour with which she presented the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage for nearly 30 years.
Sue admits she took some persuasion to take up such a high profile role
I had a wonderful Wimbledon this year, and those tributes will live with me forever...
“I was introduced to David Hill, the boss of BSkyB, and he said he wanted me to be a presenter. I said there aren’t many women presenting sport, or former athletes - I think there was only Bob Wilson doing it.
“But he believed in me, and a few years later encouraged me to go to the BBC where I enjoyed 30 glorious years.
“I had a wonderful Wimbledon this year, and those tributes will live with me forever, but so will this award. It means so much to get it from people like you, who I respect so much. and I hope that our paths will cross around the grounds somewhere next year.”
The tennis year will be celebrated later today at the BTJA’s annual lunch at the All England Club.
A charity auction and raffle will also be held in support of Head for Change, which supports former athletes whose careers have caused neurodegenerative disease.
The charity was nominated by Maureen Newcombe, the widow of the BTJA’s former chairman Barry, who passed away in October.
