"He took us to this huge spot by a watering hole with hippos, rhinos and crocodiles": Cameron Norrie recalls incredible sunset safari proposal

Cameron Norrie revealed he proposed to his fiancée during a sunset safari surrounded by hippos, rhinos and crocodiles as the British star continued his impressive run at Indian Wells Open.

Norrie was speaking after defeating Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals in the California desert, where he could next face world number one Carlos Alcaraz.

Reflecting on a memorable moment away from the court, Norrie explained how he popped the question during a family trip to South Africa last November. “It was on a safari in South Africa,” Norrie said on Tennis Channel. “I was actually born in South Africa, so it was the first time I’d been back there. It was an amazing trip with my family.

“I told the guide on our first day that I was thinking about proposing on a specific evening and asked if he had a good spot. He said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got you.’

“He took us to this huge spot by a watering hole with hippos, rhinos and crocodiles. There were drinks and snacks waiting for us and they had everything prepared for the sunset.

“At that point I think she knew. I looked at her face and she was kind of smiling, so I thought, ‘Okay, she knows now.’ But she was super happy. It was a special moment with my family there.

“Now the wedding planning starts – so it’s nice to win a few matches here to help pay for it.”

Norrie’s victory over Hijikata sent him into his fourth quarter-final at Indian Wells, a venue where he has enjoyed consistent success since lifting the title in 2021. "I was feeling the ball really well in the warm-up and it was another amazing match to play in the Round of 16 here,” he said. "I’m playing well, injury-free and I’ve got a great opportunity in front of me. Rinky is playing really well and he’s confident, but I’ve been feeling unreal all week here.

“I managed all my service games really well and took my opportunities when I needed to. It’s nice to be back in the quarter-finals.”

The Brit also admitted he feels particularly comfortable on Stadium 2 at the tournament. “It’s my favourite court here. It’s such a nice feeling walking out there,” he added.

Norrie believes the unique conditions at Indian Wells perfectly complement his style of play. “First of all, it’s just an amazing place to play tennis and to be around tennis,” he said. “The weather is perfect every day and it can get pretty windy, which I actually like.

“The whole vibe of the place is great. We stay in a house here every year, so it feels like a home environment with the team. We’ve been watching football and playing a bit of golf, so mentally I feel really fresh.”

On the court itself, he believes the bounce and slower surface play to his strengths. “On my forehand the ball is jumping, and on my backhand when I’m bunting it around it stays really low, below ankle height. It’s a big difference between the two sides.

“I also feel like I move really well here. It’s really tough to hit the ball past someone, so you have to win the point three or four times.

“It’s almost like playing on clay but on a hard court. I love clay, but I move better on hard courts, so it suits me perfectly.”

Norrie also acknowledged how the modern ATP Tour has changed since he first broke through after leaving college in 2017. “There are so many guys now who just absolutely tee the ball as hard as they can from both sides,” he said.

“I haven’t let that bother me too much, but you have to be really solid on serve and return. The fundamentals are even more important now. I played Rafael Jodar last week and he completely took the racket out of my hand, just swinging as hard as he could on every shot. I lost pretty comfortably and there wasn’t much to talk about in the match. There are guys like that coming through more and more now, so you have to be ready from the very first point.”

The 30-year-old has climbed back into the world’s top 25 in the live rankings and believes steady improvements can help him push towards the top of the game again. “I’ve made a lot of small adjustments,” he explained. “Trying to hit my serve a bit bigger, coming forward a bit more and working on my backhand with the open stance. I’ve been volleying really well this week and those little things are starting to come together.”

For Norrie, however, enjoying the journey remains the key priority. “I’m 30 now and I’m enjoying my tennis. Physically I feel really good and there are no secrets to getting back to where I was.

“The most important thing is to embrace the tough moments and enjoy the process. I’ve been loving it this week and I want to keep that going for the rest of the year.”

A potential quarter-final clash with Alcaraz now awaits, a match-up that has produced some memorable encounters in the past.

“You’re making me feel like the favourite,” Norrie joked when asked about his record against the Spaniard. “He’s destroyed me a few times in big tournaments too. But I’m excited if I do play him. We always seem to have crazy matches and he has crazy matches with everyone.”

To have a chance against the world number one, Norrie knows he will need to bring his best tennis. “I’m going to have to fight off multiple break points most games, run a lot and be really solid,” he said. “I’ll also have to be unpredictable.

“He’s playing great and he’s enjoying his tennis more than ever. He looks so relaxed on the court and like he has no pressure. I really admire that about him. If we play, I’ll try to enjoy it just as much as he does.”