Jacob Fearnley wins fourth career Challenger title; Lucy Shuker shines in Sardinia
It’s been another standout week for our British stars across the ATP Challenger, ITF and Uniqlo Wheelchair Tennis Tours. From unstoppable rises through the rankings, to a first title of the year, catch up with all the latest news from the world of British tennis.
Fired-up Fearnley clinches third successive Challenger title
There’s no stopping Jacob Fearnley who continues to make a name for himself on the ATP Challenger tour. The British rising star has added a fourth ATP Challenger crown to his cabinet and joins compatriot Jack Draper as the only British tennis player to have won four Challenger titles in a single season.
It was another impressive week for the 23-year-old from Edinburgh who entered the week in fiery form off the back of winning the title in Rennes. Fearnley was rarely tested throughout the week, with his only three-set match coming in his opening round encounter against Frenchman Jonathan Eysseric.
The Brit sprinted to the final where he set up a clash against Harold Mayot in a bid for the title. Fearnley broke the French youngster four times across the match to eventually wrap up victory and three consecutive titles on the Challenger Tour.
Fearnley’s dramatic breakthrough all began during the British grass court swing where he came through qualifying to lift his first Challenger title at the Rothesay Open Nottingham. From there, Fearnley has continued to build up the momentum and has sealed the silverware at Challenger events in Lincoln, Rennes and Orleans.
This time last year Fearnley was still studying at college full-time at the Texas Christian University in the United States and was ranked 1893 in the world. Now, off the back of his latest title victory, the 23-year-old will now break into the world’s top 100 for the first time in his career after rising to a new career-high of world No.98 and becoming the new British No.3.
Shuker secures doubles delight in Sardinia
Lucy Shuker ensured that she would end the season with her biggest tally of doubles titles since 2019 on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour after partnering Dutchwoman Aniek van Koot to retain their Sardinia Open women’s doubles crown.
Almost a month to the day since Shuker was one of two ParalympicsGB flagbearers at the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, the top seeds beat Dutch second seeds Jinte Bos and Lizzy de Greef 6-1, 6-2 in the final in Alghero, having beaten Emmanuelle Morch of France and Mariska Venter of South Africa in the semi-finals.
Shuker’s sixth doubles title partnering Van Koot was also her fifth doubles title of 2024 and her fourth in Sardinia, coming 19 years after her first in 2005, when she partnered former British No.1 Janet McMorran to victory.
The current British No.1’s singles campaign started well in Alghero after she beat Switzerland’s Angela Grosswiler 6-0, 6-0 and Germany’s Katharina Kruger 6-4, 6-2, but top seed and world No.3 Van Koot ended Shuker’s singles hopes 6-2, 7-6(5) in the semi-finals.
John-Baptiste wins first title of the year
Lauryn John-Baptiste had a week to remember on the ITF tour after she claimed her first tile of the year at the W15 Monastir.
The 25-year-old Brit joined forces with Cyprus’ Daria Frayman for the doubles draw where they proved to be a dominant duo.
John-Baptiste and Frayman sprinted to the semi-finals where they recorded a comprehensive victory over fellow Brit Abigail Amos and Madelief Hageman 6-2, 6-1 to set up a final meeting against all-French pairing Nina Radovanovic and Mariet Villet. After edging a tight opening set tie-break the British, Cypriot pair found a crucial break in the second to seal the crown 7-6(7), 6-4.
This title marks the John-Baptiste’s seventh ITF doubles title of her career so far.
