Novak Djokovic ended Cameron Norrie’s encouraging French Open run with a straight-set victory over the Briton to reach the quarter-finals.
Djokovic, bidding for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam singles title, beat Norrie 6-2 6-3 6-2.
Norrie, playing in the last 16 at Roland Garros for the first time, was looking for another scalp in Paris after stunning 11th seed Daniil Medvedev in the first round.
However, the world number 81 never seriously looked like causing an upset against the 38-year-old great.
If Norrie had taken his chances – particularly in a second set where he led by a break – it would have applied more pressure on the Serb.
“I was a little bit flat in some moments and I think that was the difference,” said Norrie.
“I don’t see too much evolution with Novak – he’s still not missing tennis balls.”
Sixth seed Djokovic will face third seed Alexander Zverev next – having lost to the German in January’s Australian Open semi-finals after suffering a hamstring injury.
Jack Draper’s loss in four sets to Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik later on Monday ended British interest in the singles in Paris.
Norrie is only the fourth British man – after Greg Rusedski, Tim Henman and Andy Murray – to reach the last 16 at all four majors in the Open era
Coming into the French Open, Norrie said he had been playing some of his best tennis, describing his level as similar to when he was a top-10 player back in 2022.
It raised eyebrows – but he proved to be right.
A memorable five-set win over former world number one Medvedev set the tone, followed by victories against Argentine qualifier Federico Gomez and fellow Scot Jacob Fearnley, who replaced him as British number two earlier this year.
Facing Djokovic was a different proposition.
Norrie had lost all five of his previous meetings with the three-time French Open champion, including a three-set defeat in the Geneva Open 10 days ago.
He was quickly outmanoeuvred in the first set and, after Djokovic needed medical treatment on foot blisters, the British number three could not maintain an early break in the second.
Crucially, Norrie could not convert more chances, with Djokovic saving break points in lengthy service games at 2-2 and 3-3.
The former world number one then raced away with the final set, breaking early and reeling off five games in a row before serving out victory.
Despite not being able to end his miserable run against Djokovic, Norrie said it has been “a really enjoyable” clay-court swing.
Earlier this year he had been in danger of tumbling out of the world’s top 100 after a difficult couple of years struggling for form and fitness.
But a reinvigorated Norrie will now move back into the top 60 when he starts the grass-court season back in the UK.
“I played 20 clay-court matches, and for me that’s huge,” he said.
“The way for me to take confidence is playing and then actually getting through some tough matches.”
