Briton Paul Jubb enjoyed the best win of his career as he beat world number 14 Ben Shelton to reach the semi-finals of the Mallorca Championships.
The 24-year-old, ranked 284 in the world, came out on top in a mammoth battle on the Balearic island, winning 6-3 3-6 7-6 (8) on his seventh match point.
It was his best win by ranking by a considerable difference, with his previous best against world number 60 Alex Michelsen in Surbiton earlier this month.
Jubb, who came through qualifying, will now face world number 54 Sebastian Ofner in Friday’s semi-final with the hope of making the final in his first ever appearance in an ATP Tour main draw.
Whatever happens against Ofner, Jubb will be high in confidence going into Wimbledon next week, where the decision to hand him a wild card looks particularly savvy.
After a tough spell with injuries, Jubb was revelling in his hard work paying off.
“It just kept getting better and better through the match, so I’m super, super happy,” he said in his on-court interview.
“This is huge for me, last year so was tough, I was injured most of the year and I have been working very, very hard to get to this point.
“This is one of those visions you’ve had in your mind for a long time being on this stage and this is what I have been working for. A bit of belief that I’m here and I’ve done it.”
The way he played against top seed Shelton shows he has a game to compete on grass.
It looked like it might be a quick evening’s work for him as, after winning the first four games of the match, he led the American by a set and 3-1.
But Shelton showed his prowess to rattle off five games in a row to claim the second set and send it to a decider.
Jubb might have feared the worst but he was the better player in the third set and forced three match points at 6-5 but Shelton held each time.
He regrouped in the tiebreak and after three more match points came and went, he saved one of his own before finally sealing glory at the seventh attempt.
