Cameron Norrie missed out on a golden chance to win a sixth ATP Tour title after losing to teenager Lerner Tien at the Moselle Open in Metz.
In a fast-paced battle, the British number two fought back from a set down to take a 1-4 lead in the deciding set and 5-1 in the tie-break, but Tien won 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6).
Having lost to Benjamin Bonzi in the final of the same event 12 months ago, Norrie was highly motivated to go one step further and win his first title in almost three years.
However, it was 19-year-old Tien who was able to celebrate his first tour win instead, and he will join Norrie as seeds for the Australian Open.
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Norrie had won three games in a row from a set down, so he shouldn’t have panicked if Tien had taken the lead.
The 30-year-old’s pressure paid off early in the second set as he confidently leveled the match, but found himself on the back foot again early in the decider.
He held on as Tien forced two break points to take a 4-1 lead, but Norrie saved both and the young American seemed to sense an opportunity after three games in a row with things not going his way.
In the tie-break, Norrie looked set to take the title, but the momentum shifted again after he missed a chance to take a 6-1 lead, and although he saved one match point, he scored on Tien’s second chance.
