Scotland’s next big tennis star sweeps into ATP world top 100

JACOB FEARNLEY is struggling to believe his “amazing achievement” after becoming Britain’s latest top-100 player.

The 23-year-old Scot sits at 98 in the newly updated rankings, joining Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie in the top echelon of the men‘s game.

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It is the speed of Fearnley’s rise that has been most astonishing.

He was a college student at Texas Christian University (TCU) in the United States until May and was ranked 525th when he turned up for qualifying at the Challenger tournament in Nottingham a couple of weeks later.

Fearnley, from Edinburgh, went on to win the tournament, earning himself a Wimbledon wild card, where he reached the second round and took a set off Novak Djokovic.

Since then he has played four more events on the notoriously difficult second-tier Challenger Tour and won three of them to propel himself into double digits.

“It’s obviously not what I expected,” said Fearnley. “It came definitely faster than I expected but I put in a lot of hard work so I think it’s not too surprising that I was able to reach this level.

“It’s a great feeling and I’m really happy with the way things have gone.

“I’m aware this maybe isn’t the norm so I’m definitely trying to stay in the moment and not let too many thoughts and too much of what is happening outside of the court get to me. It’s very difficult to do.

“It is also finding time to enjoy what I’ve been able to do and be aware it’s an amazing achievement and something I’m not going to take for granted and enjoy it while it lasts.”

A leading junior who defeated both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Fearnley’s progress stalled and he opted to postpone his entry into the professional game to spend five years at TCU.

He combined success on court in the competitive college system with a degree in kinesiology, the study of human movement, and the early signs are that it was emphatically the right decision.

Among those congratulating Fearnley on his milestone was US Open semi-finalist Draper, a former junior teammate, who posted a picture on social media of the pair at Wimbledon as young boys.

Draper wrote: “So happy for Jacob Fearnely…. Top 100!!! A great friend from young but we went on our own paths. An amazing guy and incredible player. You deserve this !!! Only the beginning”..

“That was a really nice thing for him to say,” said Fearnley. “I wasn’t expecting it so to get a shout-out from him was really special.

“I think we started travelling when I was maybe about 11, we went to Winter Cups, European events together. Very fond memories and he’s a great guy. Like he said in the post, we kind of went our separate paths.

“To see what he’s been doing on the tour is very motivational for someone like me. I look up to him a lot.”

Fearnley has achieved his new ranking from only 13 tournaments, substantially the fewest in the top 100, giving him plenty of scope to move higher.

His next challenge is to see if he can replicate his success on the ATP Tour.

He will play qualifying at the Nordic Open in Stockholm later this month, with his immediate target to secure a main draw spot at the Australian Open in January, which he is well on course for.

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Davis Cup captain Leon Smith has known Fearnley since he was an infant and is keeping a close eye on his progress, while another famous Scot is also certain to be taking note.

Fearnley has not yet met Andy Murray but hopes that will soon change.

“I really want to meet him,” said Fearnley. “Growing up he was a big inspiration and he was the figure who I watched the most.

“What he has achieved for himself and his country has been amazing, the way he fights on the court and the way he plays has been special to watch.

“Any tennis player growing up in the UK, and especially Scotland, he is someone we all aspire to be.

“Hopefully I can follow in his footsteps but I know it is a very hard task.”

Coaching is on Murray’s radar following his retirement, so could Fearnley, who has his countryman’s former coach Mark Hilton among his team, be the perfect project?

“Right now I’m very happy with the coaching I have,” he said. “But, if he wants to give me advice and help me in any way, I would definitely not say no.”

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