Norrie hangs tough against Fritz to keep GB alive
The world No.8 managed to avoid being broken at 4-4 and 5-5 in the second set before running away with the tiebreak and serving it out at the second attempt for a win that seemed highly unlikely just 45 minutes into the two-hour, 12-minute contest.
Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury now face Rajeev Ram and Jack Sock in the doubles in an attempt to secure victory and the chance to top Group D before the upcoming showdowns with Netherlands and Kazakhstan.
Great Britain looked down and out as an out-of-sorts Norrie quickly dropped the opening set in the battle of the No.1s. Hot on the heels of Tommy Paul’s opening win over Dan Evans, Fritz blitzed his way past Norrie – a break in the opening game set the tone, the British left-hander broken once more to trail 5-1 before truly getting into the match.
The pair traded breaks early in the second set, Norrie was pegged back after moving 3-0 in front as world No.12 Fritz made light of the heavy conditions with some bombastic forehands. Norrie faced – and saved – break points at 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5 to stay in the match, and in the tiebreak his serve came good as Fritz faltered.
