Meet Jacob Fearnley, the former Horned Frog who can't stop winning in the pros

Jacob Fearnley was destined for pro tennis. He just wasn’t supposed to get here so fast.

After a standout college career at Texas Christian University in which he achieved All-American status four times, Fearnley entered the professional ranks full-time. That was in May. Fast forward five months and there has simply been no hotter player on the ATP Challenger Tour. The Brit from Great Britain has collected four trophies en route to a Top 100 ranking.

How is that for an early arrival?

Fearnley joined the Inside-In Podcast to discuss his seamless transition to the pro game, how he stays in the moment when he’s riding high on the court, and why it might be time to set some new goals.

Each tennis player develops at a different speed, and Fearnley would classify himself as a late bloomer. He holds junior victories over Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but he cheekily reminds everyone that he’s glad he faced them so young.

College was the right move for Fearnley, and his time at TCU helped mold him into the man he became. He was a major factor on their National Team Championship this past May, ending his collegiate career on the ultimate high note.

He turned pro by entering the Nottingham Challenger, where he started off in qualifying and ended up in the winner’s circle.

“I wasn’t really expecting what happened, coming out of the gate at Nottingham,” Fearnley recalled. The adjustment to the pro game can be grueling, but the young player focused on the positive aspects of that transition. “For a player like me, I feel like you build up momentum and you kind of build confidence as the week goes on. That’s something that I really like about it.”

Wimbledon was when the entire tennis world met Fearnley, as he secured his first major win and a date with the most accomplished player in the history of the sport: Novak Djokovic. A match with Djokovic is always special, but this one took place on Centre Court at the All England Club. It was surreal moment, and a tough task for a pro athlete to focus on the match and not the titan of athletic excellence.

“I just didn’t really want to get smoked, that was the main thing,” Fearnley stated. He competed admirably, losing in four tight sets and earning the respect of everyone, especially Djokovic.

“Right before I went on court, I was waiting and Djokovic was at the bottom warming up. He has so much aura about him. He just kind of makes you sense him. I’ve never really experienced it before, but it was very cool for sure.”

After his match with Djokovic, Fearnley hit the Challenger Tour and embarked on a searing run. He went 20-1 in his four tournaments, reaching the Chicago final and then winning his next three events. Fearnley defeated several strong players on that streak, including Harold Mayot in the Orleans final to reach the Top 100 of the ATP rankings.

But for the young player it was just business and preparation as usual, and he continues to trust the process he has embarked upon as a pro.

“I try and be as smart as I can with scheduling. If you look at my results, after I win a tournament I try and take a few days off,” Fearnley explained.

While being fresh puts him in the best position to succeed, he acknowledges that winning a title at any level usually takes some good fortune along the way.

“I also think that in these weeks, you play some matches that you’re very lucky to win,” he clearly stated. “I firmly believe that in every tournament you’re going to have a match where you could’ve lost. And it gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the week.”

Jacob Fearnley’s appearance on the Inside-In Podcast pulls back the curtain on one of the fastest rising players in the men’s game. He discusses his childhood friendship with compatriot Jack Draper, describes what his game looks like when he’s firing on all cylinders, and explains what he’s hoping to accomplish in the next step of his pro journey.

Fearnley possesses a lot of great characteristics on and off the court, but there is one resource he has on his side that is immeasurable: time. At 23 years old, there is still much to write in his tennis story. But those first few chapters certainly have us hooked.