THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 30, 2026

Jacob Fearnley

Press Conference

J. FEARNLEY/A. Michelsen

3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Jacob, must feel really good to get that win under your belt.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, no, it was a good win. Obviously a tough match. My first five-setter. So no, yeah, really happy with how it went.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You mentioned it was your first five-setter. What was it like going through that and having to come back from two sets down, as well?

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, it was actually all right, to be honest. My body feels good. Actually, even though it was a five-setter, I don't think it was the longest match I ever played. It was actually all right.

Obviously coming from two sets down, it felt like a decent little mountain to climb. I feel I handled it well. Actually, once I got that break in the third, I kind of felt like things were going. I ended up carrying the momentum forward and forward for the rest of the match. So it was good.

Q. Maybe this year hasn't gone how you would have expected to do. What does a win like this do for your confidence?

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, of course it helps confidence. Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say it's like necessarily a turning point or anything like that. I just, yeah, I'm honestly just happy to get the win, to be honest.

I just try and stay in the present, keep it match by match, and obviously just try and do my best every match. You know, recently, I think I said it in my pre-tournament press, that I have just been trying to enjoy playing again and enjoy, you know, life outside of the court, as well. So far it's been helping me a lot on the court.

Yeah, I'm just going to try and keep that going, because yeah, when I'm enjoying my tennis, that's when I play my best.

Q. I reckon it might be your longest match ever.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Oh, really? How long was it?

Q. 3 hours 31.

JACOB FEARNLEY: I feel like I played a 3 hours 40 at US Open, maybe.

Q. I have that down as 3 hours 24.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Maybe you're right.

Q. I wonder, unique situation for to you come back from two sets down. When you sat there two sets down, guy top 50, smoking it around, what do you say to yourself to try and say, Well, I'm just going to win three sets in a row? What's the mindset?

JACOB FEARNLEY: I don't think there is a real huge shift. Obviously I knew that there was a lot of things that I could do better, but I almost felt that I was there, you know. I had a lot of chances, and because of the player he is, you can see why he is where he is in the rankings, because he played the big points extremely well.

Like, I had chances. He comes up with a serve that's a millimeter on the line. You know, I feel like those are the type of moments where if I get that point, break back, it's 4-All, anything can kind of happen.

I kind of knew I was close, and that's what I was trying to tell myself or my team were telling me. Once I got the break in the second - in the third, sorry - yeah, I relaxed a little bit and started playing better, started hitting through my shots more, because yeah, that was the thing that was lacking. I didn't really feel like I was imposing my game as much as I should have done.

I was happy for the last three sets that I did that.

Q. I wonder whether you feel playing five sets, three-and-a-half hours, a very long match, I wonder whether you almost feel like you played yourself into a bit of form by getting loads of time on court.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, most positive way to look at it. Obviously you'd prefer to get it done quick. But I think for me, like, to have an experience of coming back from two sets to love down and winning a match like that, it's extremely valuable. I don't think there is a whole lot of opportunity to have that, you know, so I'm glad that I was able to do it.

Yeah, to have my first five-set win at Wimbledon is also pretty special for me.

Q. At the end there looked like you went over to coaches or family. Just what was that moment like to share at Wimbledon?

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, it was cool. You know, all those guys, I had my college coach there, Devin, who I owe a lot of my tennis journey to, incredible coach, incredible person. So to have him there...

Obviously my coach Juan, Hilts from the LTA, my girlfriend was there, one of my best friends Luke. It was really special. My mom was there, but she was on the other side. But she's also there, I have to add.

But yeah, I think it was really special. I give those guys a hug. Obviously those guys see the good stuff, the bad stuff, behind the scenes. Just to have a win like that is really important.

For me personally one of the things that drive me is to, you know, make those guys proud and to see a smile on their face after a win like that.

That's the thing that I care most about honestly today is I'm obviously happy with myself, but to see how happy they are, it means a lot for me.

Q. What was the atmosphere like out there? Getting late in the afternoon, a Brit is coming back from two sets down, it's what Wimbledon is all about, isn't it?

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, it's cool. I think yeah, you kind of do sense as the match goes on, you know, the crowd start getting behind it bit more, a little bit more noisy.

Yeah, no, it was good fun. I thought the atmosphere was great. Obviously I wasn't playing on the biggest court, but I often feel that those kind of smaller courts really you do really get to feel the atmosphere a little bit more just because it is, you know, you're just a lot more closer to the fans.

No, it was really cool. Cool atmosphere.

Q. Can I just ask about obviously there was a bad day for British players yesterday. Are you aware of that when you prepare? Do the statistics and history come into your mind when you're playing? Or do you look at it, or did you look at it this morning to sort of change the atmosphere around British tennis?

JACOB FEARNLEY: You mean like statistics in history as in...

Q. Ten British players lost yesterday.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Is that a record?

Q. 16 is the most that's ever been eliminated in the first round, and potentially there was a potential for 18 defeats.

JACOB FEARNLEY: I didn't know that.

Q. What I'm saying is are you aware of like the results that happened on Monday?

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah.

Q. Do you see today as a start off fresh?

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, I think so. Obviously I was aware of it, but I also understand that, you know, it is difficult. I felt that a lot of the guys and the girls had very tough draws. I thought there was also some really good performances yesterday.

You know, I definitely took a lot of confidence from watching those guys play and competing out there. I know that it's not easy, and I felt like everyone did their best. That was what I wanted to do. If I did my best today, that was all I really wanted to do. Win or lose, it's kind of out of my control.

Obviously, yeah, I would have wanted to win for the fans, for Britain. You know, it's Wimbledon. It's our home slam. And obviously, yeah, I don't need any extra motivation to win, if that makes sense, because it's Wimbledon, yeah.

Q. And you can't do it in a better way, really.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah.

Q. Once-a-year view that we'll see a Brit two sets down and comes back and does it. That grips you.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, I think so. Especially from a wildcard, as well. That's the great thing about Wimbledon, you get guys like myself who are a bit lower ranked and they have an opportunity to play some bigger names, bigger guys. I feel like upsets happen all the time.

Yeah, I was just happy that I got an upset today. Obviously the fashion did I it, yeah, definitely I think got the crowd going, and I was really happy for that.

Q. Usually your draws are pretty daunting, but have you had a chance to look at who you have next and your thoughts on it?

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, I have Munar, right? Obviously I know Munar well. I have practiced with him a lot. It is not an easy match, but there are worse draws out there. Two years ago I drew Novak.

Yeah, it's nice. You do kind of go into the match thinking you're in it, where sometimes when I have drawn Zverev second round, you know, you kind of just go in thinking, Well, I'll try and get some games.

But, you know, this one, it's a good match. I have never played him. And yeah, just really happy to be in the second round and have another opportunity to play on the grass at Wimbledon.

Q. Regarding bigger court, I know you have played on some of the biggest courts around, including the U.S. and Australia as well?

JACOB FEARNLEY: Yeah, of course, anytime you get to play on a big court it's really cool. I don't want to say I have only played on Centre Court, but I have played on Centre Court here and I haven't really played on any of the other -- and Court 1. Yeah, I played on Court 1. The bigger outside courts I haven't played on.

So I would imagine, you know, if I get to play on Court 18, Court 12, any of those courts would be really cool. But depends. Doesn't matter.

Q. A bit of a follow-up on awareness of Brits on the circuit, but a more positive one in the sense there has obviously been other few good wins today in terms of Fery and Swan and Toby Samuel is putting on a good display at the moment. Tiebreak in the fifth set at the moment.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Cool.

Q. Is that success you share with each other and chat about? How much can that kind of spread to each other in sharing that?

JACOB FEARNLEY: No, I think it's good. You know, obviously maybe this tournament hasn't gone the way that we Brits would have hoped for so far, but I also think that British tennis is in a really good place.

You know, I think we have the most guys ever in between 100 and 250. You know, we had record numbers in the French Open for people in Grand Slam quallies, and I think that's really special.

Everyone's still pretty young. I'm probably one of the oldest at 24 of all those kind of guys. I think it is really cool, and obviously these guys are guys I have grown up with. We have pushed each other since we were 12 years old.

Obviously there is that extra support. Even after I come off today, I see six of those guys, they all say, Well done. They all seem genuinely seem happy for me and everyone else involved. I think that's really healthy. It's a healthy rivalry, and that's something that I'm, you know, really grateful to be a part of.

Q. On a slightly different note, Arthur Fery, his match today, he was playing Damir Dzumhur, quite a chatty chap. He put some earplugs in at the sit-down, because Dzumhur was having a go at the umpire for the duration.

JACOB FEARNLEY: Fery did?

Q. Have you ever seen anyone do that? You've played in some noisy environments, I would imagine. Have you ever even heard of anyone doing that?

JACOB FEARNLEY: I haven't. I have played Dzumhur a couple of times, and I know what he's capable of. It's actually a good idea. Wish I'd thought of it the last couple of times I played him. But no, I have never heard of that before. I have heard of people covering their ears, but never heard of physical earplugs.

He must have thought of that before, because it's not really a normal thing to have in your bag. Good effort. (Laughter.)