British star Cam Norrie shares unlikely tennis bond with Jon Bon Jovi

25 March 2023 , 19:01

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British No. 1 Cameron Norrie trained with Jon Bon Jovi ahead of the Miami Open (Image: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

British No. 1 Cameron Norrie has lifted the lid on his unlikely bond with American rock star Jon Bon Jovi after the pair trained together ahead of the Miami Open.

Fans were shocked when both Norrie and Bon Jovi shared a video on Instagram of them playing tennis together earlier this week. Norrie was invited to Bon Jovi's Palm Beach mansion and the two then visited a local tennis club for practice.

And the 27-year-old has now revealed the unlikely meeting came about thanks to his American girlfriend Louise Jacobi. She went to university with one of Bon Jovi's four children and introduced the pair.

"Louise is friends with the family," Norrie explained when asked about playing tennis with the 'Livin' on a Prayer' hitmaker. "He loves tennis and I hit with him for a little bit and then we went to his house for lunch.

"He is really nice and so cool, a very humble guy. We went to a local club five minutes from where he lives and had the hit, he wasn't recognised and it was very chilled.

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"With some of the people who you come into contact with through your career you get kind of excited, but he's very down to earth." Norrie also revealed Bon Jovi returned the favour by driving to Miami to watch him practice and that the singer could also join him at this year's Wimbledon.

"He came to watch me in practice," Norrie added. "I think in the last two years he just started liking tennis. He used to run a lot and now he uses playing as a workout.

Jon Bon Jovi is a big tennis fan and has regularly been spotted at events over the years (Gotham/GC Images)

"He has a pretty decent technique on his forehand. I thought I would invite him down, and he's coming to Wimbledon as well.

"When I first met Andy Murray I was so excited, you speak to him and then to Roger Federer too. Now I guess it is more normal."

Norrie is set to face Gregoire Barrere in the second round of the Miami Open after the Frenchman defeated Roman Safiullin in the first round. And Norrie will be hoping to build on a decent showing at Indian Wells, where he reached the quarter-finals before getting knocked out by Frances Tiafoe.

Matthew Cooper