Cameron Norrie says he can take confidence from going “toe-to-toe” with the world’s best players at Grand Slams after falling agonisingly short of the Australian Open quarter-finals.

The British number one was beaten by German sixth seed Alexander Zverev in an absorbing five-setter in Melbourne.

Norrie, 28, was knocked out as Zverev won a first-to-10 deciding tie-break.

“I would rather [go close] than not play as well. There were only a few points in it,” said Norrie.

“I think [Zverev] is probably one of the best players in the world at the moment and playing close with him at a Grand Slam is exactly where I want to be.”

After one of his best performances at a major to beat Casper Ruud in the third round, Norrie played even better against Olympic champion Zverev.

Norrie, aiming to beat a top-10 opponent at a major for the first time, was bold and aggressive in the key moments as he twice fought back to level the match.

But mistakes in the tie-break of a tense final set proved costly as 19th seed Norrie lost 7-5 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6 (10-3).

“Cam has been playing amazing tennis and I’m just happy to be through,” said a relieved Zverev, who secured victory after four hours and five minutes.

Zverev, aiming for his first Grand Slam title, will face Spanish second seed Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Two-time major champion Alcaraz, 20, won 6-4 6-4 6-0 in his last-16 match against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic.

How deciding tie-break cost Norrie

Norrie had not beaten Zverev in their four previous meetings – not even taking a set – and planned to analyse videos of those matches to concoct a gameplan which could hurt the former world number two.

Facing a similar winless run against three-time major finalist Casper Ruud, Norrie regularly rushed to the net and played boldly in an attacking display.

The question was whether the British number one would employ similar tactics against Zverev or retreat to a more accustomed style of grinding from the baseline.

While he was not as keen to go forward as often, wary of Zverev’s ability to pass him with his potent backhand, Norrie continued to mix things up in a bid to reach the Melbourne quarter-finals for the first time.

But, after executing so well throughout the contest, the 28-year-old’s game unravelled in the fifth-set tie-break.

“That was the difference. I mis-executed a couple of balls and he served really well,” said Norrie.

“There was nothing in it, and credit to him, I think he played a more complete match than me.”

Two poor drop shots helped Zverev move into a 4-2 lead and from that point, it quickly slipped away from Norrie.

A double fault put Zverev 6-2 ahead and the 26-year-old German used the momentum to seal a victory that ended British interest in the singles at Melbourne Park this year.

‘I have top-10 level in me’

Despite the pain of not reaching the second Grand Slam quarter-final of his career, Norrie will eventually reflect on an encouraging start to the 2024 season.

The left-hander struggled for form at the end of last season but seeing him reinvigorated with extra facets to his game bodes well for his hopes of returning to the world’s top 10.

“I know I’ve got the top-10 level in me. I want to just keep taking steps towards that and I’m having fun playing,” said Norrie, who had never been beyond the Melbourne third round before.

“It was great to see, especially in a Slam that I’ve not really done well at all or felt really comfortable.”

Match briefly disrupted by protest

Midway through the third set, there was a short stoppage when a protester threw ‘Free Palestine’ and anti-war leaflets on to the court.

The woman, who was standing on the front row behind one of the baselines, was booed by many in the crowd before she was dragged out of Margaret Court Arena by two other spectators.

Ball kids quickly picked up the paper as Norrie and Zverev, who was receiving at that end of the court, briefly returned to their chairs.

Shortly after the protester had left the stadium, the pair who removed her returned to huge applause with the match having already resumed.

Zverev criticised the lack of tournament security during the incident, saying it was “surprising” because of the “strict” measures for players in the locker room.

“When something like this happens, it shouldn’t be another fan dragging the other person out,” he said.

“It should be the security guys that should be there quite quickly. It shouldn’t take them three, four minutes, that long.”