ATP Tour
Norrie takes on pyramid puzzles for the Barcelona Lexus ATP Head2Head Challenge
British star challenges Natalie Pike on the clay at the ATP 500
April 18, 2026
ATP Tour
How did Cameron Norrie fare against Natalie Pike in the Barcelona Lexus ATP Head2Head challenge?
By ATP Staff
Cameron Norrie is more than familiar with competing on the clay at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, but the Briton was presented with a different sort of on-court test this week at the ATP 500.
Norrie, who is this week making his seventh appearance in Barcelona, took on host Natalie Pike in the latest edition of the Lexus ATP Head2Head Challenge. The pair put their skills to the test in a game inspired by the Catalan human-pyramid-building tradition of castells: Norrie and Pike first had to build a pyramid with tennis balls, then repeat the trick with tennis-ball cans.
Of course, what goes up, must come down! The next step was simple: Knock down the towers from a short distance away with a tennis ball. Given he is a five-time ATP Tour champion and a former No. 8 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Norrie was tasked with using his racquet while Pike was given the ‘simpler’ task of throwing the ball at her towers.
“Are you fast?” Norrie asked Pike ahead of the start.
“No. Are you?”
“Let’s see. I might copy you.”
So did Norrie deploy copycat tactics to take down Pike at her own game, or did the Briton try and take his own path to victory? Watch the video below to find out whose plan for their pyramids paid off!
