Jacob Fearnley will play the final of the Lexus Ilkley Challenger against China’s Yunchaokete Bu on Sunday (14th) after an exhausting day when he had to play catch up for rain earlier in the week.
On Saturday he took on both quarter and semi-final ties against rising stars of the highly competitive circuit one below the full ATP tour.
Bu currently ranks 131 in the world a few spots ahead of the Scot having been as high in 65 in 2024.
First up ex Colinton club junior Jacob had to overcome American left hander Darwen Blanch in two tie break sets despite the fact he led 5-0 in the second at one stage.
Consolidating that success Jacob then overcame up and coming Italian Phillipa Romani, 19, by 6-3. 5-7. 6-4.
It was a magnificent performance by Fearnley who had previous struggled for form this year but whose rythmn and timing especially on heavier ground shots which was key to success along with notable athleticism seemed much more like that which carried him to world No 49 a year ago; he has slipped right down to 145 these days.
Drawing on these heavy ground shots which set up a series of winners he also displayed outstanding tenacity and there was no sign of the ankle problem which caused him to take a lengthy time out in the quarter final on Friday against Italy’s Luca Nardi.
Regardless of the final result Jacob will go on to play another Challenger at Nottingham which he won two years ago at the expense of next week’s more prestigious Queen’s Club tournament where he might have expected a wild card, the aim being as much grass court practice as possible ahead of Wimbledon.
