Fearnley Stuns Cobolli at Eastbourne Despite Injury Scare

Fearnley Shrugs Off Painful Fall in Impressive Cobolli Win

British number two Jacob Fearnley delivered a dominant 6-2 6-2 victory over Italian fifth seed Flavio Cobolli in the opening round of the Eastbourne International, brushing aside a worrying fall late in the match.

Fearnley, 23, showed no signs of nerves on court as he dismantled the world number 24 in just over an hour, producing 21 winners and breaking Cobolli four times. But drama unfolded when, leading 5-1 in the second set, the Scot slipped awkwardly on the baseline while returning a backhand.

The crowd, umpire, and opponent Cobolli all expressed concern, but Fearnley recovered to close out the match confidently. Speaking afterwards, he played down the injury:

“I feel a bit of pain, but I’m sure it’s nothing—just a little tweak.”

The result follows his strong quarter-final showing at Queen’s Club, further cementing his rising form on grass. Fearnley, now ranked world number 51, will face American Marcos Giron in the round of 16.

Harris Upsets Norrie in All-British Battle

Billy Harris reached the final four at Eastbourne in 2024 before a narrow loss to Max Purcell

In another British storyline, Billy Harris upset Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-4 to continue his Eastbourne success. Harris, a lucky loser entry and last year’s semi-finalist, claimed only his second career win over a top-100 player by defeating the former Wimbledon semi-finalist.

Norrie, currently ranked 61st, was error-prone and managed zero aces in a flat performance, committing 13 unforced errors in the opening set alone. Harris broke twice early in the first set and again in the second to take control.

“I had to play a good match, and managed to stay solid in the wind,” Harris said after the match.

Harris now faces Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in the second round.

Tomic Ends Four-Year ATP Win Drought in Mallorca

Elsewhere in Mallorca, controversial former world number 17 Bernard Tomic earned his first ATP Tour win since 2021, coming from behind to beat fellow Australian Rinky Hijikata 3-6 7-5 6-2.

Now ranked 248, the 32-year-old is eyeing a comeback to the top 100 and faces veteran Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut next. Once infamous for his attitude, Tomic is showing signs of a more focused approach.