The upsets keep coming at Wimbledon. Following an upset-heavy first round, American Frances Tiafoe added his name to the list of disappointing performers after a loss to Cameron Norrie on Tuesday.
Tiafoe lost the match in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5.
Tiafoe got off to a decent start, taking the first set 6-4. But he couldn’t hold that momentum. Tiafoe dropped the next two sets against Norrie 6-4, 6-3, to fall behind in the match.
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With Tiafoe on the ropes, the American decided to take a lengthy bathroom break ahead of the fourth set. His absence lingered longer than expected, causing some to accuse Tiafoe of trying to halt Norrie’s momentum. Tiafoe was gone long enough that some sites erroneously listed the match as over after just three sets, leading some to wonder whether Tiafoe retired due to an injury.
That was not the case. Tiafoe returned to the court for the fourth set, and initially seemed reinvigorated as he resumed play. But Norrie once again fought back, taking a 4-3 lead in the set. Tiafoe again showed signs of life, taking the next two games to make it 5-4, but Norrie battled back to win the set.
Norrie didn’t miss his opportunity to send Tiafoe packing. The Brit won the next two games, taking the fourth set 7-5 and ending the match.
Tiafoe is far from the biggest name to be eliminated early at Wimbledon this year. The first round of the event saw multiple top seeds fall, including Coco Gauff, Alexander Zverev and Jessica Pegula. Americans, in particular, have struggled in 2025. Following the premature exits of Gauff, Pegula and Tiafoe, sixth-seeded Madison Keys remains the highest-ranked American still standing on the women’s side. Fifth-seeded Taylor Fritz represents the highest-ranked American on the men’s side.
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It’s a disappointing loss for Tiafoe, who made it to at least the third round at Wimbledon in each of the past four years. While the loss likely hurts, Norrie is far from a pushover. He was No. 61 coming into Wimbledon, but ranked as high as No. 18 in 2024 before plummeting down the rankings. Norrie battled injuries and illness since then, which could explain his recent struggles.
If Norrie is back to form, he could prove to be a tough opponent the rest of the way. Norrie ranked as high as No. 8 back in 2022, and has shown the ability to play tennis at an elite level in the past. Tuesday’s win over Tiafoe offered some hope Norrie can turn things around after his recent struggles.
