Jacob Fearnley will play Frenchman Kyrian Jacquet on Friday afternoon for a place in the semi-final of the Bahrain Open tennis.
The Edinburgh player came from a set down to beat Lukas Pokorny 3-6, 6-4. 6-1 and make it four wins from four meetings with the Slovakian.
Although his serve continues to develop consistency – only two double faults throughout – former Merchiston Tennis Academy graduate Fearnley did not have things his own way.
He found himself 1-5 adrift in the opening set and the opening of the second set, although fortified by an early break, proved troublesome against a rival who hit 29 winners to the Scot’s 21.
Indeed it was thanks to Pokorny’s high unforced error count that Jacob was gradually able to take control and win going away.
The confidence boost will be welcome and one of Jacob’s two double faults came at the outset while the umpire was remonstrating with a spectator for mobile phone use in the gallery; another distraction for both players was the inexperience of the ball kids who had to be called together at one point for extra instructions.
Two down three to go if Jacob is to return to the winners enclosure ahead of next month’s Davis Cup tie for GB in Norway. But the up and coming Jacquet is currently at an all time high ranking of 128 and is sure to be dangerous.
