It's Underdog Day at The Shrewsbury Club
British player Harry Wendelken in action during his second round victory over Aidan McHugh at The Shrewsbury Club today. Picture: Richard Dawson Photography
Six British players are through to tomorrow's quarter-finals of the Budgen Motors ITF World Tennis Tour M25 tournament - with Harry Wendelken and Jack Pinnington Jones booking their places in the last eight at The Shrewsbury Club with impressive victories over two of this week’s top seeds.
Wendelken beat No. 3 seed Aidan McHugh, a player more than 700 places higher in the world rankings, in a match which lasted just over three hours, with the 20-year-old from Cambridgeshire eventually winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Wendelken said: “I’ve had some good wins in my career and that’s probably up there with one of the best ranking wise that I’ve won, so hopefully I can use that for confidence tomorrow and go further in the tournament.”
Wendelken, currently ranked 1,037 in the world, produced an excellent performance to beat McHugh, who is ranked in the British men’s top 10: “I was happy to keep composed and try and play the best I can play and get through the match,” he added.
It was also a productive day for teenage Brit Pinnington Jones, 18, the current world No. 655, as he got the better of No. 2 seed Paul Jubb - another top 10 ranked British player, over 300 spots higher than his opponent in the world rankings - 7-6, 6-3.
Pinnington Jones will next face German player Henri Squire, who beat Valentin Royer, from France, 6-4, 6-2 today, while Wendelken will play Felix Gill, a 6-4, 7-6 second round winner against Billy Harris, in one of two all-British quarter-finals tomorrow.
“I was really happy,” said Gill, 19, the world number 560, after beating Harris, a player ranked more than 120 spots higher. "I kept a good performance the whole match, kept a good attitude.”
Gill was beaten by Harris in the final of an M15 tournament in Turkey last October, so was pleased to come out on top this time.
Oliver Tarvet’s excellent week continued as he progressed to the last eight with victory in three sets over Tibo Colson from Belgium.
Playing in his first ever ITF World Tour event, Tarvet, 18, having emerged from the qualifying rounds, was on court for nearly three and a half hours as he secured an exciting 7-6, 5-7, 7-6 win.
Next up for Tarvet tomorrow is fellow Brit Alastair Gray, a 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 winner against eighth seed Anton Matusevich, the UK Pro League men’s champion at The Shrewsbury Club last November.
The remaining quarter-final will be between Stuart Parker, who beat Henry Patten 6-4, 7-6 in all-British second round match, and No. 1 seed Antoine Escoffier, after the French player beat Johannes Ingildsen from Denmark 6-1, 6-4.
Tomorrow’s matches start at 11.30am, with tickets for spectators to enjoy the action from court-side stands costing £12.50.