Seven months after crossing the stage at commencement, former Horned Frog Jacob Fearnley has climbed to No. 77 in the men’s singles tennis players ranking by the Association of Tennis Professionals.
Fearnley is set to play the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in California, the French Open in May and Wimbledon in June.
He credits his success to the lessons he learned at TCU, where he played for five years under head coach David Roditi and assistant coach Devin Bowen.
During his time at TCU, the Frogs won two indoor national championships and an outdoor national championship, compiling a combined record of 155-62. Fearnley was ranked No. 8 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, becoming one of only eight players in program history to be in the top 10.
He also earned a degree in kinesiology.
“Education is important to me and my family, and to get the opportunity to get an education was huge,” Fearnley said.
Speed is important in tennis. Fearnley was quick, and he had an extremely lively arm, kind of like how in baseball a pitcher throws a 100 mph. He was that guy in tennis, Bowen said.
Fearnley’s professional career took off when he started to play world-class players. A breakthrough came at the Nottingham Challenger, where he won the title.
Fearnley beat a French player named Clément Chidekh early on in the tournament.
“From then on, I felt very lucky to still be in the tournament coming through that match,” Fearnley said. “As the week went on, I started playing better and better. I started beating some top 100 players. I managed to win the title. Winning it right after college couldn’t have come at a better time. It was huge for my confidence.”
During the Challenger Tour in late 2024, a series of international tournaments, Fearnley went on a victorious run with a record of 20-1 in the four tournaments.
“I like to think that I work very hard, the people around me work very hard and I surround myself with the right people,” Fearnley said. “Tennis is a sport where you can go on runs like this, and I had a very good run. I trusted myself, trusted the people around me and had some great matches.”
Fearnley said he remains in contact with Coach Bowen from TCU and owes a lot to him.
“Being at this position at any age is incredible. Being in the top 100 is the pedestal you want to reach as a young player growing up,” Fearnley said. “This is going to motivate me to push for more.”
