The road back to Roehampton has been a long and testing one for Marcus Willis so his emotional reaction to a his first-round win against a player ranked 609 places above him was understandable.
Having earned his first qualifying appearance in seven years by sneaking in last to the pre-qualifiers, Briton Willis put a year of injury and financial battles to one side to beat Japan's No.4 seed Yuichi Sugita 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.
In that first set his shots were not missing by much, but they were missing. Nerves played their part but the world No.708 stuck to his game plan and turned the match around.
“It’s been a tough few months,” admitted 25-year-old Willis, congratulated by spectators and fellow pros on his way back to the locker room. “I’ve tried to find my own tennis over the past year, but it’s been very difficult. I got injured, twice, and I’m coaching (tennis) at the Warwick Boat Club alongside training.
I’ve had a bit of a rough time, but I’ve got a great group of people around me
“Over the last year I’ve had a bit of a rough time, but I’ve got a great group of people around me. I started relaxing, going for my forehand again, which has been key for me, and playing with a clear head.”
Willis was one of three Britons to win on Tuesday and join Monday’s winner Daniel Cox in the second round of the men’s qualifying draw, along with Londoner Joe Salisbury, a 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3 winner over Italy’s Alessandro Giannessi, and Ed Corrie, who ground out a fine 6-3 1-6 7-5 upset against rising American teen Tommy Paul.
None, though, overcame a gulf in the rankings as dramatic as the 609 places between Willis and Sugita, the world No.99.
The left-hander dug in admirably in the second set, mixing up the pace and spin off both wings and asking uncomfortable questions of Sugita with intelligent, rhythm-busting variety. Sure enough, the shots crept back inside the lines, and when the the world No.99 hesitated while serving to stay in the set, Willis made him pay.
Willis’s nerves had their sternest test while serving early in the third, when a tight, inaudible call on an ace went against him. He railed at the decision, but rallied, and roared after battling to the hold for 2-1 before running away with the decider, setting up a second-round showdown with Russia’s Andrey Rublev in the second round.
“I was the last into pre-qualifying, just sneaked in,” Willis said. “I’ve worked very hard, and it’s a bit emotional. I’m playing lots of French and German League tennis, so I’m working very hard to earn some money.
“I’ve been playing very well in France and Germany, going unbeaten in league matches for a long time, so I’m confident in my game and playing more aggressively now.”
Willis is now looking to returning to the tour full time in 2017 and is older and wiser than the teenager of 2009.
“People look at Murray, Federer and Djokovic, and they’re freaks of the game,” Willis added. “There’s no formula to greatness. The grind of the tour life is very, very difficult. But I’m going to go again in January, and I’m looking forward to it.”
