Who is Jacob Fearnley? Meet the Scottish star aiming to follow in Andy Murray’s footsteps
Roll the clock back to the start of 2024 and Scotland’s Jacob Fearnley was ranked at No 646 in te ATP Rankings, with the story of what happened next proof that dreams can come true.
A stand-out performer on the US college tennis circuit, the experience he gained playing competitive matches on a regular basis in America appears to have been the perfect preparation for life as a professional and his story over the last 12 months is one of the most eye-catching in tennis.
Fearnley started last year with a win on the ITF’s World Tennis Tour in Luxembourg and by the time he got on grass courts in his homeland in June, he was ready to take his career to the next level in double quick time.
His breakthrough win on the ATP Challenger Tour in Nottingham provided the lift-off to his story, with is glorious English summer including a first Grand Slam win at Wimbledon and a fine performance as he took a set off seven-time All England Club champion Novak Djokovic on the Centre Court.
Fearnley backed that up by winning an additional three ATP Challenger titles as he broke into the top 100 of the ATP Rankings.
A run to the third round at the Australian Open started his 2025 in impressive fashion, as he suggests his experiences in America were the catalyst for his rapid rise up the ATP Rankings.
Now he is playing in the main draw at the Miami Open after coming through qualifying, as he reflects on his story with a mix of pride and surprise.
“I don’t think that college tennis is in any way a step back. It’s actually a step forward,” he says.
“You get to work on your fitness, be part of a team and when you come out of college there is no doubt about what you want to be as you move into professional tennis.
“If you use your four years wisely in college, you can set yourself up brilliantly to do some damage on the tour. A lot of the guys are going down the college route now.
“It has been encouraging for me to see I can compete against the best players in the world and I’m learning a lot about my game and what I need to do to get better.
“To have played so many big matches seven or eight months into my career is a great experience.”
Fearnley stayed in Melbourne after his exit from the Australian Open and had an opportunity to hit with one of his heroes after getting a call from Djokovic’s camp.
“It was cool. It came a bit unexpectedly. It was really fun,” he added of his practice session with the 10-time Australian Open champion.
“One of his other coaches came up to me and asked in the locker room. I was about to leave, and he was like: ‘Would you want to hit with Novak?’
“I was like: ‘Yeah, sure!’. It was really cool. He was warming up for a match, so it’s a little bit different, but to hit with him is always great. And Andy (Murray) was on the court as well, which was cool. It was a good experience for me and my coach.
“It was a little bit of a surreal moment. It’s amazing to get those opportunities. When you get that kind of opportunity, you do it and you try and enjoy it. I was obviously a little bit nervous still, especially before a match because you want to make it as good as possible.
“It was a little bit of a surreal moment. It’s amazing to get those opportunities. When you get that kind of opportunity, you do it and you try and enjoy it. I was obviously a little bit nervous still, especially before a match because you want to make it as good as possible.”
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When he looks around his new world on ATP Tour, he admits he has to pinch himself, but he is now very much at home in a professional world that seemed a long way in the distance a year ago.
“When you are in the locker room and all these top players are around, it is a little bit surreal. It’s amazing as well, obviously,” he added.
“I’ve played [Alexander] Zverev, to play Djokovic, Kyrgios – although he wasn’t at his best, there were 10,000 people there all against me. Those experiences I take, I learn from and hopefully in a big tournament I can use those experiences as well.”
Fearnley has broken into the top 80 of the ATP Rankings after coming through qualifying to play in the main draw at the Miami Open and with limited points to defend over the next couple of months, he can be eying up a place in the top 50 soon.
That would secure him automatic entry into a host of high-profile tournaments and a chance to climb the rankings further.
With so much debate over the challenges facing young players as they look to fund their rise in tennis, Fearnley’s career path is a blueprint for how
