Toby Samuel, the rising star from Team Bath Tennis, delivered an impressive performance at the Lexus Eastbourne Open this week, setting the stage for his promising Wimbledon 2026 debut. Awarded a ‘lucky loser’ spot after a tough qualifying loss, Samuel capitalized on his second chance by defeating two top 60 players and reaching the semi-finals, showcasing his growing prowess on the ATP Tour.
Seeded 15th and ranked 17th in the world, Czech player Jakub Menšík awaits Samuel in the Wimbledon first round. Menšík’s strong reputation includes a recent French Open semi-final appearance and a third-round finish at Wimbledon last year. Yet, Samuel’s confidence is sky-high after his breakthrough performances on Eastbourne’s grass courts.
Samuel’s path to the semis was marked by key victories over Argentine opponents, including a commanding 6-1 7-6(7) win against World No. 54 Thiago Agustin Tirante and a straight-sets win over Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, who famously toppled World No. 1 Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros. In the semi-final, Samuel came close to sealing his spot in the final but was narrowly defeated by Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, ranked 38th, in a nail-biting 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 match.
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Another standout performer from Team Bath, Giles Hussey, also made waves at Eastbourne, advancing to the last 16 with wins against top 100 players James Duckworth and Marco Trungelliti. His run ended against Quentin Halys, but his efforts highlighted the strength of Team Bath Tennis.
As the spotlight turns to Wimbledon, attention is also on former University of Bath Sporting Scholar Ben Jones, who will compete in the men’s doubles alongside Joshua Paris. The pair bring momentum from their recent grass-court victory at the ATP Lexus Birmingham Open.
Meanwhile, Esther Adeshina made her Wimbledon Qualifying debut after successfully navigating pre-qualifying rounds. She notched a career-best win over World No. 108 Moyuka Uchijima before her run concluded in the second round against Harmony Tan. Adeshina expressed optimism about her progress and eagerness to continue competing at this level.
With such strong performances underway, Team Bath Tennis players are clearly making their mark and setting high expectations for the upcoming Grand Slam.