Pinnington Jones shocks Norrie with best-ever victory

By Paul Eddison, Sportsbeat

Jack Pinnington Jones got the better of his mentor in the biggest match of his career to move into the quarter-finals of the LTA’s Rothesay Open in Nottingham.

The 21-year-old came from a set down to defeat former Wimbledon semi-finalist Cameron Norrie, winning 1-6 6-4 6-4.

The duo know each other well, with Norrie having convinced Pinnington Jones to follow in his footsteps and play college tennis in the United States at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.

And, having got to know each other well, Pinnington Jones was thrilled to have come out on top in the battle of the Brits.

He said: “It was a slow start from me. He’s a very good player so when I wasn’t playing my best, he punished me. I felt like I settled in towards the end of the first, I started finding my level a bit more.

“In the second set I felt pretty settled, I played well and had a great game to break him. In the third I was 2-0 40-0 down and somehow managed to hold. I felt momentum shifted my way. He was not playing his best in that match, so I’m just happy I played as well as I could in the big moments to get the win.

“I knew I was going to play a very good tennis player and I needed to play well. It’s the biggest match I’ve ever played but I was just trying to remind myself to enjoy it, you don’t get to do this every day.”

Pinnington Jones is one of two current TCU students still going in the men’s singles in Nottingham, with good friend Jacob Fearnley also in the quarter-finals.

And it is Norrie, who has been as high as No.8 in the world, who showed the way for the duo, with Pinnington-Jones turning to him regularly for advice.

He said: “Noz (Norrie) has been amazing as a mentor to me and Jake (Fearnley). He’s such a big advocate for college tennis, he knows how good it is. I hit with him last week and even this morning we were chatting in the gym.

“He’s a great guy and a big mentor and inspiration for me coming through TCU. I’m sure Jake would say the same.

“Jake is staying at my house the whole grass court season. He’s doing well, I’m doing well, so it’s a pretty special week for us.”

In the quarter-finals, Pinnington Jones will take on Mattia Bellucci, with the possibility of a meeting with Fearnley in the semi-finals should they both triumph in the next round.

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