Jacob Fearnley bowed out of the Italian Open tennis amidst mounting concerns about the fragility of a vital aspect of his game.
The Edinburgh 24-year-old served 13 double faults in a 6-7, 6-4,2-6 defeat by French No 7 Giovanni Mpetschi Perricard.
Compounding matters was the timing of the double faults including three coming consecutively when attempted to serve out the first set from 5-4 and 30-15.
As one experienced local coach said “If he is doing it (double faulting) on pressure points that suggests more of a case of nerves than a technical problem.”
The Sky sports commentators sounded shocked by Fearnley’s profligacy suggesting he should be looking to ease down on the pace of his second serves to try to gain more control.
Undoubtedly this is a defeat after coming through two qualifying rounds following a six week injury break that will surely take time to get over.
For it was a match that appeared there for the taking against a much higher ranked rival, albeit one with a 6ft 7in frame who boomed down 15 aces overall.
Once into the rallies Jacob, who broke four times, seemed in control only to undermine his good work by pressing too hard for winners.
In his defence he doesn’t carry much luck in terms of disruptions and the latest was when he was forced off court for the night due to heavy rain when leading 5-3 and seemingly in charge on Wednesday.
Contrast that with last year when:
- A match in the Italian Open was interrupted by the announcement of a new pope.
- A Madrid Masters encounter was suspended due to a power outage.
- A French Open tie was plyed against a backdrop of constant fireworks set off by Paris St Germain football supporters awaiting the Champions League final from their own stadium nearby.
All part of life on tour (up to a point) but to do justice to what remains outstanding potential Jacob has to come to terms with – and overcome – what in golfing terms might be described as “the yips”.
It can be done; just as Coco Gauffe and to an extent Carlos Alcatraz who has modified his second serve have done and he in particular hasn’t looked back since. There can be no getting away, though, from the fact that defeat to Mpetshi Perricard in the way it unfolded was a bit of a shocker.
