Jake Fearnley will not obsess about cracking the world top 100 but is happy to linger on the fright he gave Novak Djokovic.
The 23-year-old Scot took a set from the seven-time former champion in a three-hour epic on Centre Court that thrilled home fans at Wimbledon this summer.
Fearnley has, meanwhile, won three Challenger titles – coming from a set down to beat home hope Quentin Halys in the latest in Rennes this month – since recently graduating from Texas Christian University.
Now ranked 126 – an improvement of 520 places since January – he is knocking on the door of a real milestone in the ATP standings.
“To be in the situation I’m in, three months after leaving college, is pretty spectacular,” he told BBC Scotland.
“There are so many incentives to being in the top 100. It’s crazy – the difference between being 102 and 98 is huge.
“Getting into the main draw at the Australian Open… you’re main draw of a Slam, financial incentives, everything is big.
“It can be a little bit of a trap to set those goals because, if it doesn’t happen, maybe I’ll perceive this year as being a failure when in fact it’s been the complete opposite.
“Even just to be close is exceptional in itself.”
Even if Fearnley did break into the century club, it would not be the highlight of his year. Nor would any of the impressive wins at Challenger level, that he celebrated in Nottingham, Lincoln in the United States and Rennes in France.
The best thing he did in 2024 was make a 24-time Grand Slam winner work really hard for his place in Wimbledon’s third round.
Going toe-to-toe with Djokovic at the All England Club is something he still thinks about, months later.
“He’s the GOAT [greatest of all time] of our sport and I was able to play him on Centre Court at Wimbledon in front of masses of fans, in front of my family, my best friends. It was a very special day,” Fearnley said.
“To be able to make it a close match and to feel like I played some good tennis was very important.
“The fact I got to feel the way he plays, feel the weight of his ball; it’s an extremely valuable experience.
“I still go back and watch some of the points. I still talk about it with my coach about things that he was doing so well, the way he problem solves, his depth.
“All that stuff I can put into my own game. If you don’t take an experience like that and use it to your advantage, it’s a waste.”
‘There’s never going to be another Andy Murray’
Fearnley has not had much interaction with Andy Murray so far in his career, but if the chance came up to work with his fellow Scot now the double Wimbledon champion has retired, he would happily take it.
“Andy’s special,” Fearnley said. “There’s never going to be another Andy Murray. He’s a role model for everyone, including myself.
“Having a player like that to look up to since I was a child has been super valuable in itself. Having that Scottish connection makes it even more special.
“I’m not going to reach out to him – I think that’s a little bit crazy – but obviously if Andy wants anything to do with my tennis, I would snatch up that opportunity.”
Fearnley is encouraged by the progress he feels is being made with tennis in his homeland.
“I grew up in Scotland, and that’s where I trained until I went to America,” said London-based Fearnley.
“It will always be my home and that’s where pretty much my whole family lives.
“Scottish tennis is great. They’ve appointed new coaches and they’re really trying to make a push towards performance tennis and bringing new people up.
“The weather’s pretty harsh. We need indoor courts if we want to produce players. So to see that getting put into place is great. It’s only going to mean good things.”
