Confidence growing game by game for Billy Harris

By James Reid

Billy Harris revealed his confidence is growing with every game on grass after advancing to the second round of the LTA’s Rothesay Open.

Harris beat Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong 6-3 6-4 on Wednesday, as the Isle of Man star picked up where he left off after holding a one set lead overnight, with play stopped on Tuesday due to bad light.

The 29-year-old got the crucial break he needed in the very first game after play resumed and never looked back as he went on to seal victory.

Harris will now face Brazilian Joao Fonseca for a place in the quarter-finals but insisted he is not thinking any further than the upcoming contest.

“The more matches you play on the grass the more you get used to it,” said Harris. “Winning a few matches helps with confidence too.

“It was good to get an early break after yesterday. Coming out after just one set, I needed to get a good start and managed to get the break first game so started well.

“My tactics didn’t really change but for him he is going to change something because he lost the first set. You just have to be more ready for him doing something different. I just knew I needed to be on it at the start.

“I am just going game by game, it’s always game by game because you don’t know what’s happening the next day. Just focus on the next day and seeing what you can do.”

Harris arrived in Nottingham off the back of a run to the semi-finals of the LTA’s Lexus Surbiton Trophy before defeat to eventual winner Lloyd Harris in the last four.

That followed Harris just missing out on the main draw of the French Open, as he fell in the third and final round of qualifying.

And the world No.183 admitted he is pleased with the way he is playing as he looks to continue his good form through the rest of the grass season.

“My team all pretty positive, they tell me I am playing well so just keep doing what you’re doing with a couple of little changes here and there,” he added.

“I am feeling good about my game so hopefully I can continue.

“I wasn’t really thinking of results coming into it, just one match at a time and each week focusing on winning the match in front of you.”

For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website