Jacob Fearnley will tonight compete for a place in his second ATP Challenger tennis final in the space of six weeks.
The Edinburgh tennis prospect, winner of the Nottingham tournament back in June, faces Canadian Gabriel Diallo for a place in the final of the Chicago event having seen off Californian Brandon Holt 6-3, 6-2 in the quarter-final last night.
The Canadian, a year younger at 22, is seeded fourth whereas Jacob has had to come through qualifying.
While Jacob made his mark at Wimbledon by reaching the second round, where he took a set off seven times champion Novak Djokovic, his llatest opponent failed to get through qualifying at SW19.
However, the 169th ranked Diallo did feature in the French Open where he took Kei Nishikori to a fifth set before losing.
Jacob is currently ranked 225 in the world but is expected to rise several places after a Chicago tournament in which he and partner Charles Broom bowed out of the doubles at the semi=final stage last night, beaten in a third set tie-breaker (12-10).
LTA Summer County Cup
Meanwhile, the East men’s and women’s teams were travelling home today after successful LTA Summer County Cup campaigns.
The women swept all before them – five match wins from five – in topping Group Five to which they were relegated last year.
Competing in the rarefied atmosphere of Group One at Eastbourne the men finished runners-up and are pictured with their glassware mementos.
North of Scotland also retained their place at the top table by finishing third overall.
Individual statistics show James McKinlay won 12 out of 14 matches for East and Scott Duncan 11 from 14.
Amongst the women’s squad, who rotated their team regularly, special mention to teenager Aadya Iyer Chadalawada who, in her first county week, won seven out of 10 matches.
Also, Mhairi Beattie had 11 wins from 13 and Braid club colleague Sarah McFarlane 10 from 13.
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