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Cameron Norrie maintained his focus to beat British rival Jacob Fearnley in a French Open third-round match disrupted by loud fireworks outside Paris St-Germain’s stadium.<\/b><\/p>\n
Norrie, 29, was replaced by 23-year-old Fearnley as the British number two earlier this year, but laid down his authority in a 6-3 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 win.<\/p>\n
Bangs were heard throughout the majority of the match as PSG fans geared up for their football team’s Champions League final against Inter Milan in Munich.<\/p>\n
“It was hard managing the fireworks next door – that was the toughest part for both of us,” said Norrie, who is ranked 81st in the world.<\/p>\n
“I was putting my bag down and the umpire said, ‘There’s just a couple of fireworks. We’ll just play on’.<\/p>\n
“I was thinking it was just going to be a few of in the warm-up, but it was at the most random times.”<\/p>\n
Norrie – playing at his best level for a while after a couple of difficult seasons – used his experience to take control against his fellow Scot.<\/p>\n
The former world number eight managed to subdue French Open debutant Fearnley, who described the noise as “brutal”. <\/p>\n
On the distractions, 55th-ranked Fearnley added: “It’s far from ideal but that’s life. I understand PSG playing is probably a bit more important than this match.<\/p>\n
“It’s definitely not a reason why I lost the match.”<\/p>\n
Fearnley produced a double fault on match point as Norrie reached the last 16 of the clay-court Grand Slam for the first time. <\/p>\n
The reward could be a meeting with former world number one Novak Djokovic, who plays later on Saturday.<\/p>\n
After British number one Jack Draper outclassed Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, <\/a>there will be two British men in the French Open last 16 – for the first time since the Open era was introduced in 1968.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n