Jacob Fearnley beaten in straight sets by world No 2 Alexander Zverev as Brit’s fairytale Australian Open run comes to an end
- Jacob Fearnley took on second seed Alexander Zverev in Melbourne
- The 23-year-old Briton lost in straight sets, but he put in a courageous performance
- Fearnley took home a check for £150,000 and a new career-high ranking of 77
Jacob Fearnley’s Australian Open adventure is over as he was outclassed by No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev.
After two raw and compelling victories this week, the 23-year-old Scot found himself in the more clinical environment of the Margaret Court Arena and was surgically taken apart by Zverev.
But this 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 defeat was far from an embarrassment. The Scot was the first man to break Zverev’s serve at this Australian Open and he did so twice. It wasn’t as impressive as last year with Novak Djokovic to four tight sets on Center Court, but Fearnley acquitted himself well in his first two attempts with greatness.
“He’s an incredible player,” the 27-year-old Zverev said after the match. ‘He has gone through all the stages: he went to university, Futures, Challengers and now he is in the third round of a Grand Slam. I have enormous respect for him and the effort he has put into the sport.”
Fearnley will leave Australia with a check for £150,000, a new career-high ranking of 77 and, importantly, plenty of confidence and experience as he embarks on his first full season on the tour.
He will also leave after making a name for himself here in Melbourne.
Jacob Fearnley’s Australian Open run came to an end when he was defeated by Alexander Zverev

World number 2 Zverev defeated the Briton 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets, but Fearnley was brave

Zverev was full of praise for Fearnley after the match, calling him an ‘incredible player’
When I told my taxi driver where I was from on Friday morning, he didn’t want to talk about Jack Draper or Emma Raducanu, but Fearnley.
Just under a million Aussies watched Fearnley’s victory against Nick Kyrgios on Monday and he left an impression with his penetrating attacking style and coolness amid the chaos.
After the Kyrgios carnival at John Cain and a wild ride against Arthur Cazaux on Court 6, with a bar on one side and a group of French fans on the other, the atmosphere was very different.
The first few games took place in near silence in front of the sleepy afternoon crowd. They wanted to get behind Fearnley, but he came out nervous and in the opening exchange hit three shots that were probably among the worst shots of his short career: a backhand that missed by miles, a second serve that barely reached singles and then a forehand hit squarely into the bottom of the net.
He still managed to hold the score at 1-1 and that got him going. But at 2-3 he hit a double fault on his way to the breakthrough.
Fearnley took a toilet break after the first set, probably as much to clear his head as his bladder.
He was much better early in the second set. His opponent broke first, but Fearnley immediately hit back and played his best game of the match, breaking the German fortress of Zverev’s serve for the first time this fortnight.
His tactics were perfect: play mainly on the Zverev forehand and when you go to his backhand, go hard; whenever possible, come forward and combine drop shots to punish the German’s tendency to lean back.

Fearnley leaves Australia with a salary of £150,000 and a new career-high ranking of 77
Unfortunately, Fearnley followed his best play of the match with his worst, double faulting and dumping a backhand volley into the net. Zverev served out the second set and was as good as home.
There’s plenty to like about Fearnley’s game. His technique is economical, especially his jab with a two-handed backhand. He is a front foot player and is more comfortable than most when he goes into the net.
The next phase of his development will consist of improving his defensive game and further expanding his serve – a shot he is working hard on.
The tennis world, and especially our little British corner of it, will be watching his progress this season with interest and anticipation.