Fearnley not obsessed about breaking into top 100

Jake Fearnley will not obsess astir cracking nan world apical 100 but is happy to linger connected nan fright he gave Novak Djokovic.

The 23-year-old Scot took a group from nan seven-time erstwhile champion successful a three-hour epic connected Centre Court that thrilled location fans astatine Wimbledon this summer.

Fearnley has, meanwhile, won 3 Challenger titles - coming from a group down to hit location dream Quentin Halys successful nan latest successful Rennes this period - since precocious graduating from Texas Christian University.

Now classed 126 - an betterment of 520 places since January - he is knocking connected nan doorway of a existent milestone successful nan ATP standings.

"To beryllium successful nan business I'm in, 3 months aft leaving college, is beautiful spectacular," he told BBC Scotland.

"There are truthful galore incentives to being successful nan apical 100. It's crazy - nan quality betwixt being 102 and 98 is huge.

"Getting into nan main tie astatine nan Australian Open... you're main tie of a Slam, financial incentives, everything is big.

"It tin beryllium a small spot of a trap to group those goals because, if it doesn't happen, possibly I'll comprehend this twelvemonth arsenic being a nonaccomplishment erstwhile successful truth it's been nan complete opposite.

"Even conscionable to beryllium adjacent is exceptional successful itself."

Even if Fearnley did break into nan period club, it would not beryllium nan item of his year. Nor would immoderate of nan awesome wins astatine Challenger level, that he celebrated successful Nottingham, Lincoln successful nan United States and Rennes successful France.

The champion point he did successful 2024 was make a 24-time Grand Slam victor activity really difficult for his spot successful Wimbledon’s 3rd round.

Going toe-to-toe pinch Djokovic astatine nan All England Club is thing he still thinks about, months later.

"He's nan GOAT [greatest of each time] of our athletics and I was capable to play him connected Centre Court astatine Wimbledon successful beforehand of masses of fans, successful beforehand of my family, my champion friends. It was a very typical day," Fearnley said.

"To beryllium capable to make it a adjacent lucifer and to consciousness for illustration I played immoderate bully tennis was very important.

"The truth I sewage to consciousness nan measurement he plays, consciousness nan weight of his ball; it's an highly valuable experience.

"I still spell backmost and watch immoderate of nan points. I still talk astir it pinch my coach astir things that he was doing truthful well, nan measurement he problem solves, his depth.

"All that worldly I tin put into my ain game. If you don't return an acquisition for illustration that and usage it to your advantage, it's a waste."

Fearnley has not had overmuch relationship pinch Andy Murray truthful acold successful his career, but if nan chance came up to activity pinch his chap Scot now nan double Wimbledon champion has retired, he would happily return it.

"Andy's special," Fearnley said. "There's ne'er going to beryllium different Andy Murray. He's a domiciled exemplary for everyone, including myself.

"Having a subordinate for illustration that to look up to since I was a kid has been ace valuable successful itself. Having that Scottish relationship makes it moreover much special.

"I'm not going to scope retired to him - I deliberation that's a small spot crazy - but evidently if Andy wants thing to do pinch my tennis, I would snatch up that opportunity."

Fearnley is encouraged by nan advancement he feels is being made pinch tennis successful his homeland.

"I grew up successful Scotland, and that's wherever I trained until I went to America," said London-based Fearnley.

"It will ever beryllium my location and that’s wherever beautiful overmuch my full family lives.

"Scottish tennis is great. They've appointed caller coaches and they're really trying to make a push towards capacity tennis and bringing caller group up.

"The weather's beautiful harsh. We request indoor courts if we want to nutrient players. So to spot that getting put into spot is great. It’s only going to mean bully things."