Jacob Fearnley claimed the biggest scalp of his pro tennis career when he defeated three times Grand Slam champion and ex world No 3 Stan Wawrinks 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the French Open today.
Edinburgh’s Fearnley now plays either France’s Ugo Humbert, the 16th seed, or Christopher O’Connell of Australia who is world No 83.
Fearnley fired nine aces within a 70 per cent first serve count while he also struck 22 clean winners in a match where both men relied on heavy firepower.
In the end Fearnley’s weight of shot especially on the forehand side was just too much for the 40-year-old French speaking Wawrinka who enjoyed raucous support from the Court 14 crowd at times.
Typically, though, Jacob kept his cool and responded magnificently when Wawrinka broke back for 2-2 at the start of the third set.
In a interview pre-tournament Fearnley, who was outside the world top 600 a year ago but now ranks No 55 and climbing, told of how he was coming to terms with gaining the acceptance of players he had long looked up to especially as he had opted to enter the pro scene later than most via the American Collegiate circuit.
Indeed, Jacob was aged three when Wawrinka made his Roland Garros debut!
But there was no sign of being overawed – unlike in a couple of winnable recent matches against the likes of Dimitrov and Berrettini where he seemed to be playing the name rather than an opponent – and Wawrinka may well have been shocked at the way his 23-year-old rival, who is expected to play again on Wednesday, went toe-to-toe while his overall class was illustrated by one brilliant backhand smash early on.
In many respects a breakthrough win given the stature of Wawrinka; it will be fascinating to see what it does for Fearnley’s self belief.
