Jacob Fearnley has battled through to the second round of the US Open.
The Briton entered this year’s edition of the American Grand Slam having never won a match in the main draw.
Standing in Fearnley’s way of a first victory at Flushing Meadows was ATP veteran Roberto Bautista Agut.
The Spaniard is one of the toughest players to beat on tour, but Fearnley dug deep to secure a win at the US Open for the first time in his career.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesJacob Fearnley says he needs to have clear plans in key moments of matches
Jacob Fearnley was pleased with his 7-5 6-2 5-7 6-4 win to kickstart his US Open campaign, but one thing will bother him.
He served 18 double faults in the three-hour and 26-minute contest, some of which contributed to Bautista Agut taking the third set.
Fearnley said that nerves were getting the better of him before he turned things back in his favour to win the match. after the contest, the world number 60 explained what he needs to improve on in key moments during matches.
“It’s definitely nerves. Obviously you’re going to double fault, you’re never not going to double fault, but 18, that’s too much,” Fearnley admitted.
“If you look at when the double faults are happening, it’s when I’m serving for the match, serving to stay in the set. It’s at the highest tension moments.
“Even though I’ve had some pretty big match experience, it’s still all relatively new for me and being in these kind of moments and these matches, it still gives me a lot of nerves.
“Maybe more than it necessarily should. I’m sounding like I’m a nervous wreck, I’m not, I’m fine. Just sometimes in those big moments, I need to be a little bit more clear and that will come with experience. It’s not something I’m worried about.”
Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty ImagesWho is Jacob Fearnley playing next?
Fearnley has set up a second round match at the US Open against Alexander Zverev. The pair have faced each other twice in 2025, and the German has won both matches without dropping a set.
He finished his opening match at 1am local time and thanked the fans for staying to watch him beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-4.
“It’s great to see the love for tennis in New York, every single year. It’s almost 1 a.m. and it’s a Tuesday, not a Saturday night… So thank you to everyone who stayed,” Zverev said in his on-court interview.
“Coco had a fantastic match, so I would’ve probably gone home myself after that match! It’s great to start a tournament with a night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the biggest stadium that we have in the world.
“It wasn’t great at times, but I won in straight sets and I’m through. It’s also very important that I finish at 1 a.m. and not 3 a.m., just looking ahead to the tournament. There is a lot to build on, a lot to improve, and I’m looking ahead to Thursday.”