Pinnington Jones rues inexperience despite week to remember in Nottingham

By James Reid

Jack Pinnington Jones admitted inexperience eventually caught up with him but refused to let defeat take the shine off a week to remember at the LTA’s Rothesay Open in Nottingham.

Pinnington Jones missed out on a place in the last four on home soil with a rain-affected 6-4 7-6 defeat to Mattia Bellucci.

The 21-year-old was two points away from taking the second set when play was suspended and was unable to regain his momentum after the restart as Bellucci eventually took victory.

Pinnington Jones, who beat British No.1 Cameron Norrie to reach the quarter-finals, admitted there were plenty of lessons on offer in Nottingham.

“It was a tough match,” he reflected. “There were loads of stop-starts and the weather wasn’t great the last two days, but I thought he played a really good first set and I felt I was playing a really good second set until we got rained off.

“A bit of inexperience, I tried to rush two points to try and win the set and then we got called for rain. That’s something I can learn from in those situations.

“My body is pretty beat up, it has been a lot of matches for me, but I felt I didn’t execute in the big moments like in the other matches I’ve played and that was the difference.

“By the tiebreak he had a lot of momentum, and I felt the adrenaline of the chances I didn’t take catch up with me.”

Despite defeat, a run to the quarter-finals was an impressive way for Pinnington Jones to mark his return to the UK after playing college tennis at Texas Christian University.

A victory against fellow TCU alumnus and former Wimbledon semi-finalist Norrie was the perfect way to make others sit up and take notice, as Pinnington Jones also beat compatriots Arthur Fery and Felix Gill.

And while the 21-year-old would have loved to have gone further, he admitted it was a memorable week on the grass.

“It was a really good week,” he added. “I got my three or four best career wins in one week, so I am definitely not complaining.

“It was a tough one to lose but it has been a great week for me in my first step back into pro tennis since being away.”

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