Fearnley

Fearnley’s progress has been so rapid over the past 15 months, it can be easy to forget how inexperienced he remains at the highest level.

Little over a year ago, the former US college student was ranked outside of the world’s leading 500 players.

Since then he has soared up the rankings – cracking the top 50 in June – after a stunning introduction to the ATP Tour.

Fearnley has a habit of drawing high-profile names early in the Grand Slams and has already played on some of the iconic courts in the game.

But in recent months his form has been compromised by a nervous tension which is particularly damaging to his serve.

Asked how he can solve the issue, Fearnley said: “I’m not too sure. I guess it’s helpful to know that even hitting all those double faults I can win the match – that’s a positive more than anything.

“There are good days and bad days, but in recent matches the doubles faults have been an issue.

“I’ll be playing Zverev next on another big court – a high-stakes, high-tense environment and I think putting myself in those situations will help.”

With Fearnley and Bautista Agut not taking to the court until after 8pm local time, a long night looking inevitable when the British number three finally secured a 62-minute opener.

When Fearnley used greater variety in the second and third sets – to move the world number 47 around – it reaped rewards.

Fearnley closed in on a relatively sharpish straight-setter when he broke serve early in the third – only for more double faults to help 37-year-old Bautista Agut extend the contest.

But he reset admirably in the fourth set, landing more first serves and limiting the double faults, to get over the line.

Surviving the first round meant Fearnley has now completed a full set of victories at the four Grand Slam tournaments.

“It was an extremely tough match, I knew Roberto would make me go right to the end,” said Fearnley, who wrapped up victory about 11:15pm local time.

Britain’s Jacob Fearnley suffered a first-round defeat by Zizou Bergs at the Cincinnati Open.

Fearnley was making his debut at the tournament and was comfortably beaten 6-1 6-4 by the Belgian.

The 24-year-old is ranked 55 in the world – just three places below Bergs – but struggled in his first meeting with the 26-year-old.

Fearnley faced nine break points on his serve, losing four, and could only convert one of the two he earned.

His defeat follows a recent first-round exit at the Canadian Open.

In the women’s draw, Britain’s Katie Boulter faces Olga Danilovic in the first round, with the winner playing British number one Emma Raducanu.

Draper had got off to the perfect start against Nakashima with an early break but the rest of his day was far from straightforward.

But, as he has increasingly been showing in a year that has taken him to a career-high fourth in the world, he manages to bring out his best tennis in the most difficult moments.

From the second-serve ace that warded off a break to a brave drop shot at 15-40, Draper showed he is not afraid to take risks and this confident approach is paying off here.

Having lost the second set to world number 32 Nakashima when he sent a forehand long, Draper tightened up on his errors in the third and broke serve in the seventh game with one of the stunning forehand winners that have become a hallmark of his game.

He had thought he had sealed the game on the previous point with a backhand but the automatic line call of “out” had been drowned out by the crowd’s cheers.

He had to save a break point while serving for the match at 5-4 but recovered to seal victory after two hours and 22 minutes, delivering a 14th ace during that final game.

Draper will now play only his second last-four match on home soil after reaching the semi-finals at Eastbourne in 2022.

His progress here will help his preparations for Wimbledon, which starts on 30 June, and the top-four seeding is a bonus for him going into the grass-court Grand Slam where he will be viewed as the great home hope.

“It’s a definite huge step for me,” Draper added.

“I remember last year going in ranked around 30 or 40. To be inside the top four come Wimbledon one year around, that’s massive progress.

“I live and breathe the sport, and I’m obsessed with progressing and obsessed with becoming the player that I want to become all the time and achieve the things I want to.

“It’s another step in the right direction.”

Fearnley has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the last 12 months, rising from outside the top 500 to now sitting at 60th in the world.

This was just his sixth tour-level match on grass but it did not look like it as he played some brilliant tennis at times that Moutet had no answer for.

The British number two came back from 0-40 down in his first service game of the match before immediately breaking Moutet to take control of the opener.

It looked like a straightforward afternoon for Fearnley as Moutet grew increasingly irked but the Frenchman regained his composure to dominate the second set, the momentum swinging after three double faults by the Scot in his first service game.

However, Fearnley found an extra level in an excellent third set and Moutet had no answer to his big hitting, with his frustrations boiling over as he received a time violation after arguing with the umpire.

But Fearnley kept his composure well to serve out victory and join compatriot and British number one Jack Draper in the last eight.

Norrie and Fearnley may have never previously met on the ATP Tour, but they are well aware of each other, having trodden a similar path into the professional ranks.

The pair both played United States college tennis at Texas Christian University, with the older Norrie often going back to offer wisdom to the younger cohorts.

Norrie has been a shining example to them by maximising his abilities to forge an impressive career – reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2022 on his way into the world’s top 10.

Fearnley did not make his ATP debut until last year, turning professional shortly after completing his kinesiology degree.

At that point, he was still unranked but has since made one of the sharpest rises in ATP history.

Fearnley had not played on clay professionally until last month and a confident Norrie – who beat former world number one Daniil Medvedev in the first round – produced a confident display to win.

“I feel great – it was really tough to get there,” said Norrie.

“It was a tough match playing Jacob. He’s had an amazing season and breakthrough on the tour.”

The pair shared a warm embrace at the net after a three-hour contest played in bizarre circumstances.

Almost 50,000 football supporters were arriving at the Parc des Princes – which is over the road from Roland Garros – to watch the Champions League final on big screens.

Norrie had to abort his serve when he led 4-1 in the second-set tie-break, but refocused to secure a commanding lead.

As well as the fireworks, the players could also hear car horns tooting and police sirens during the opening two sets.

The noise subsided in the third set – as the football match’s kick-off time approached – and Norrie cruised to victory.

Jacob Fearnley moved into an all-British meeting with Cameron Norrie in the French Open third round after his opponent Ugo Humbert retired following a nasty fall.

Fearnley, who replaced Norrie as the British number two earlier this year, was leading 6-3 4-4 when French 22nd seed Humbert quit.

Humbert tumbled as he stretched for a return at 40-40 in the eighth game and instantly clutched his right leg.

After receiving treatment and wearing heavy strapping, Humbert gamely tried to continue and finished the game before deciding it would not be sensible to carry on.

As a result, 23-year-old Fearnley – who is 55th in the world after a rapid rise over the past 12 months – moved into the last 32 on his French Open debut.

Norrie booked his place earlier on Thursday with a 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 6-1 win over Argentine qualifier Federico Gomez.

The 29-year-old has slipped to 81st in the rankings, but has rediscovered his form on the clay and earned one of the most satisfying wins of his career when he beat former world number one Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros earlier this week.

Fearnley was ranked outside of the world’s top 500 just 12 months ago but the 23-year-old has risen rapidly up the rankings to a career-high of 55.

He will face either Christopher O’Connell of Australia or French 22nd seed Ugo Humbert in the second round.

After clinching the opening set via a tie-break, Fearnley broke early in the second and raced out to a 4-1 lead before serving the set out to love.

Wawrinka, who knocked Andy Murray out in the first round last year, dropped serve immediately in the third set but fought back to move level at 2-2 – much to the delight of the crowd on court 14.

However, their joy was short-lived as Fearnley quickly restored his lead and won four straight games to wrap up victory.

Fearnley has now won on his main draw debut at each of the three Grand Slams he has featured at so far – Wimbledon, the Australian Open and Roland Garros.