Unsung battler Chris O'Connell has been able to enjoy a rare moment in the tennis limelight, lifting the Nottingham Open grass-court title that's previously been won by more heralded Australian compatriots Nick Kyrgios and Alex de Minaur.
The 32-year-old Sydneysider, who's yet to win on the main ATP tour, might consider the triumph in the traditional Wimbledon build-up tournament to be the biggest triumph of his 15-year career, even if it's deemed a second-tier Challenger event these days,.
For, remarkably, his first grass-court prize on Saturday (Sunday AEST) came after one of his worst spells of his career as he came into the event at the Nottingham Tennis Centre at the start of the week on the back of seven-straight defeats stretching back to mid-March.
