Cameron Norrie’s girlfriend has admitted it took her a while to warm to the Wimbledon star, who faces Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, before a trip to watch him in action
Cameron Norrie’s girlfriend candidly confessed that she wasn’t initially attracted to him before discussing her “difficult” relationship with other WAGs.
The hopes of the British public in the Wimbledon singles are now pinned on Norrie, 29, who triumphed over Nicholas Jarry in the fourth round. The world No. 61 is set to face two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz in an eagerly anticipated match on Centre Court on Tuesday.
Norrie is aiming to make it to the semi-finals at SW19 for a second time, having previously taken a set off seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in a last-four defeat in 2022. Despite being the favourite, Alcaraz did show signs of vulnerability during the opening week, losing four sets across his four matches.
Cheering Norrie on from the players’ box will be his partner, Louise Jacobi, a 35-year-old American fashion designer and entrepreneur. The couple have been together since 2019 after being introduced by mutual friends.
Jacobi has previously admitted that their relationship took some time to blossom, confessing she “just wasn’t interested” in him initially. She also expressed concerns about dating someone who is constantly travelling.
However, Jacobi was eventually swayed by Norrie’s persistence and his impressive efforts to maintain contact. Their romance ignited when she travelled to Vienna to see him play, marking the beginning of their journey together.
“I guess this guy doesn’t live a normal life, and it’s not like I can meet [him] down the street and go to dinner together,” said Jacobi, who lost her job in 2019 when her employer went bankrupt.
“So I went on this trip and was only supposed to be in Vienna for five days, and things just went really well. I had a wonderful time with him.
“In some weird way, I was like, ‘Thank God I got laid off when I did,’ because we were able to build the foundation of our relationship before Covid hit.”
Jacobi has become acquainted with the partners of Norrie’s competitors over time, forming solid friendships with several. But she acknowledges the awkwardness when their significant others face each other on the tennis court.
Reflecting on the match where Norrie triumphed over David Goffin, whose wife is Stephanie Tuccitto, at Wimbledon in 2022, Jacobi said: “It’s difficult because these girls are so nice, and then our boyfriends have to play against each other.
“But for the most part, everyone has been really nice, really supportive – good camaraderie. Stephanie even retweeted ‘congratulations’.”
Meanwhile, Norrie is up for the challenge of facing back-to-back Wimbledon king Alcaraz. The Johannesburg-born left-hander said: “I’ve played a lot of tough matches already. Now it only gets tougher. There’s still lots of matches to be played and lots of matches to be won.
“I’m going to play point-for-point as always, and I’m really happy with how I pulled up after the [Jarry] match. My body feels good, and I’m in a good place. I’ve been hitting the ball well. I’m happy to be sure, but [still] a long way away.”