Christopher Eubanks continued his breakthrough season Saturday when he collected his maiden ATP Tour title at the Mallorca Championships.

Following his triumph, the American is set to debut inside the Top 50 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings at No. 43 entering Wimbledon. The 27-year-old caught up with ATPTour.com to reflect on being crowned champion at the ATP 250 grass-court event.

What does this mean to you to win your first title?
It means everything. It means that a lot of the hard work that I’ve been doing, and the persistence that I’ve tried to have throughout the ups and downs of my career, it’s all worth it. It’s all worth it for this moment right here, to be standing here as a champion of an ATP event. It means the world and it’s something really special.

If someone said to you at the start of the season that you would win your first title this year, would you have picked grass as a surface you would do it on?
Absolutely not. My grass-court season got off to a bit of a rough start at the Surbiton Challenger, I lost in the second round. I began to question whether or not I could be good on the surface. I didn’t think that I could.

But my coach, Ruan Roelofse, and I, we put in a lot of work on the grass to try and understand the footing and the shots and everything that I would need to have in order to be successful. And it all paid off this week.

Take a moment to acknowledge some of the key figures in your life and career who have helped you reach this milestone.
There’s so many of them. I have to start with my family, my family has been behind me. My mom [Carla], my dad [Mark], my older brother [Mark]. Donald Young and his family were so, so influential in my career. He allowed me to travel with him as a practice partner from the time I was 15 years old. So I got to see professional tennis up close and then the more you see it, the more you actually believe that you can do it.

Jarmere Jenkins and his family. He is like a big brother to me, continues to mentor me consistently. Coco Gauff and her family are like a second family, that’s like my little sister, so I’m probably willing to bet I have a text message or something from her. My college coaches Kenny Thorne, Kevin King, and Derek Schwandt, they really pushed me.

Somebody that I really want to shout-out is Kim Clijsters, because after my first week on grass, I sent Kim a text and I said, ‘Grass is the stupidest surface to play tennis on, I don’t know why we’re playing on a court that’s so uneven, I can’t have my footing!’ And Kim sent me a really positive message back, just telling me areas that she struggled on the grass and things to work on to feel more and more comfortable on it. So I have to give her a huge, huge shout-out. I’m looking forward to giving her a call.

You started the year outside the Top 120, now you have cracked the Top 50. Did you think this was possible? What does it mean to be a Top 50 player?
I thought it was possible, I didn’t know if I would do it. I didn’t know if I could be consistent enough to really put together four, five matches multiple times. I was able to do it in Miami, I was able to do it here. So I think it was more so a consistency question for myself, not necessarily if I have the game to do it. And I was able to do it. I think I kind of proved something to myself and now it’s added motivation to continue working harder.

How much confidence and self belief did your quarter-final run in Miami give you?
I think it gave me a lot. It was the first time in which I’ve put together that many matches against those quality of opponents. So after Miami, I had to sit back and look and say, ‘You know what? Maybe I can be consistent, I’m not just one hot match, one cold match, maybe I can put things together.’ I think that was a huge, huge, huge part of my success this week, just believing that I could do it.

How excited are you for your Wimbledon main-draw debut, especially coming to the event with top form?
Really, really excited. Never played Wimbledon main draw. So that’s going to be something new altogether. I’m looking forward to getting there. I have a practice set tomorrow at Aorangi [Park]. I’m really excited to hop on the plane, get to London, and get on the Wimbledon grounds. It’s going to be such an honour.

How did you start playing tennis? What are some of your early memories playing the sport?
I have an older brother who was already involved in tennis when I was born. So when I came along, my dad was working with my older brother. And then I started out at the age where I could run and walk, it was just easy to bring me out of the house to go with them to the tennis courts. And then when I could run and I was athletic enough to kind of stay on my feet, my dad put a tennis racquet in my hand. So it kind of started with my dad and my older brother.

What do you consider to be your biggest passion outside of tennis?
Probably broadcasting. I really, really enjoy doing commentary for Tennis Channel. I’ve been able to do it a few times. And it’s something that sparked my interest back in 2021, when I got to see some of my friends, who unfortunately were out with injuries, start to do broadcasts and I said, ‘That looks like it could be a lot of fun, maybe I should give it a try!’

I think my first time was last year during the clay-court season. I had a chance to do it and I said ‘Man, this is a lot of fun.’ It’s fun to be able to watch tennis, talk tennis, something I do in my free time anyway. So might as well go ahead and do it a little bit more formally.

How will it feel to be playing in your home city of Atlanta later this month when you’re introduced as an ATP Tour champion?
It’s going to be incredible, I’ve had so many memories at that tournament. Some of my best memories throughout my career have come at that tournament, so it’s going to be really fun stepping foot on the court and hearing them say, ‘ATP Tour champion’.

Yuki Bhambri and Lloyd Harris continued the perfect start to their partnership by winning the Mallorca Championships doubles title on Saturday. Now 4-0 as a pair, the Indian-South African duo defeated Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald 6-3, 6-4 in the ATP 250 final, completing their run without losing a set.

The trophy is the first ATP Tour crown for both men across both singles and doubles. Only Harris had previously reached a tour-level final, twice in singles and once before in doubles.

“Definitely a lot of fun. We went in with no expectations I think this week,” said the 30-year-old Bhambri. “We just enjoyed playing, took it match by match and had a great tournament. It’s a great city, a great place and I really enjoyed playing here.”

“We had so much fun out there,” added Harris, 26, who became the first South African to win an ATP Tour title since Raven Klaasen last year in Seoul. “We really enjoyed it. I didn’t even know I was going to play this week. For me, it’s just all a bonus. Super stoked with the title.”

After knocking out fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the quarter-finals and top seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the semis, Bhambri and Harris converted on four of six break points in their final victory. Aided by eight aces, they won 90 per cent of their first-serve points and faced just two break points, saving one.

Bhambri moved up to No. 58 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Live Rankings with the title, setting himself up for a new career high.

Haase and Oswald fell to 1-2 in ATP Tour finals as a team with the defeat.

Daniil Medvedev’s major record is not to be sniffed at. The World No. 3 has lifted the US Open trophy, reached two finals at the Australian Open and the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

The 27-year-old has always struggled to find his top level at Wimbledon, though, with his best result a run to the fourth round in 2021. Medvedev is determined to change the record this fortnight as he seeks a sixth tour-level title of the season in London.

“The fact that Wimbledon for the moment is my worst slam in terms of results, maximum fourth round. I want to try to improve it, I want to try to play well. I have big goals for this year,” Medvedev said in his pre-tournament press conference on Saturday.

“I’m really looking forward because the first two Slams were not as I expected. This can happen. I have even more kind of goals towards Wimbledon to try to show my best tennis.”

Having arrived on Tuesday, Medvedev feels his preparations have gone well at SW19. The 20-time tour-level champion will face British wild card Arthur Fery in the first round and is excited to soak up the atmosphere at the grass-court major.

“I definitely feel like every time you come to Wimbledon, it’s the same feeling, especially the first day… The first day you come, it was the same for me in juniors, you’re like, ‘Wow, that must be the best place in the world’. Every flower seems to be in the right order, the right colour. The locker rooms are unbelievable. Food is great. I mean, the atmosphere around the site itself, first day you always say, ‘Wow, that’s the best tournament’.

“The only bad thing is when you lose, you go crazy. You’re like, ‘No, I played so bad’. That’s why I want to try to make it even a happier place for me.”

Medvedev, currently third in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, has struggled at Wimbledon but has shown promising signs on grass at other tour-level events. In 2021 he lifted his only trophy on the surface in Mallorca, before reaching finals in Halle and ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2022.

“I feel like I can play well on grass,” Medvedev said. “Last year I made two finals in the three tournaments that I played. Just need to find my way, find my rhythm. That’s the last tournament where I can do it.”

Medvedev is in the top half of the draw alongside World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, who Medvedev is seeded to meet in the quarter-finals.

Taylor Fritz will make his seventh appearance at Wimbledon when he takes to court on Monday against Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.

The ninth-seeded American, who advanced to the quarter-finals last year, caught up with ATPTour.com ahead of his opening match to discuss his favourite Wimbledon memories, moments and much more…

What is your first Wimbledon memory?
I didn’t really watch a lot of tennis growing up, but one memory I do have is that crazy Rafa and Fed final. It was some match.

What is your first memory of playing at Wimbledon?
I played as a junior. It was really cool. It is the most prestigious tournament in tennis, so the first time there was a wow feeling. ‘I’m here, I made it’. You take a step back and kind of look at it once you get there.

What is your favourite moment at Wimbledon?
I think just the first time I was there as a junior. I made a really big breakthrough and probably started to think that maybe I could actually be a successful professional tennis player. Because I was not ranked that high or anything as a junior. I made the semi-finals of the juniors when I was 16. And I think that’s really when I was like, ‘Wow, maybe this is something I might actually be good enough to do, to become a professional’.

And then of course, last year winning my round of 16 match to make quarter-finals for the first time. That was a big moment for me. I’d never been to quarter-finals of a Slam.

Do you have a favourite Wimbledon tradition?
I think at times the little details might be a little strict. But at the end of the day, I think all the traditions are a big part. It’s good. I think the tradition in the end is what makes Wimbledon, Wimbledon. And it wouldn’t quite be the same without the all-white, without the strawberries and cream. I think if these things were to change, Wimbledon wouldn’t quite be Wimbledon.

Do you have a favourite court at Wimbledon?
Not yet. But we will see after this year.

What is your favourite part about being in London?
It’s definitely nice after traveling around Europe a lot to be in another English-speaking country. That’s something that you miss a lot. I just enjoy being here. The buzz around Wimbledon’s always great. It’s great to feel the energy of people, who are really excited and care about tennis.

Francisco Cerundolo overcame the Eastbourne rain and American Mackenzie McDonald to reach the final at the Rothesay International on Saturday.

The Argentine led McDonald 2-6, 7-5, 5-2 when the wet weather intervened on Friday evening, but he wasted little time in reaching his fourth tour-level final and first on grass when the action resumed Saturday, advancing 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 in two hours and seven minutes.

Cerundolo, who has earned a career-best 27 wins this season, will continue the quest for his second tour-level crown when he meets second seed Tommy Paul or Frenchman Gregoire Barrere in the championship match later on Saturday. Cerundolo won his only previous tour-level trophy on clay in Bastad last year.

The American McDonald was in control early in the semi-final with a 6-2, 4-1 advantage. But Cerundolo snapped back with four straight games and then won six consecutive games to take the second set and open up a 4-0 lead in the third. McDonald snatched one break back in the deciding set before rain stopped play, but was broken immediately when the action resumed on Saturday.

While some of the most intriguing Wimbledon storylines will play out over the course of the upcoming fortnight, there is sure to be plenty of intrigue right from the start of the grass-court Grand Slam.

Of the 64 first-round men’s singles matches on tap for Monday and Tuesday in London, ATPTour.com highlights five must-see matchups.

[5] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Dominic Thiem (AUT)

The nine previous Lexus ATP Head2Head matchups between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem have come on some of the biggest stages in tennis. In addition to their two Nitto ATP Finals matchups — including the 2019 title match, won by Tsitsipas — they have also played at three ATP Masters 1000s and at Roland Garros.

Thiem leads the series 5-4 but lost a thrilling three-setter in their most recent meeting at the Mutua Madrid Open this April. After Tsitsipas escaped with a 3-6, 6-1 7-6(5) win in their first matchup since 2020, the Greek showed his respect for his opponent with some encouraging words at the net.

“Your best [match] yet. You still have it,” Tsitsipas said to the Austrian, who has struggled to sustain top form since coming back from a wrist injury last season. “Keep going. You’ve got this,” Tsitsipas added.

The Greek enters Wimbledon with a 1-3 grass-court record this season, while Thiem was beaten by Alexander Zverev in his lone grass event of 2023 in Halle. As both men search for the sort of tennis that has seen them make regular trips deep into majors, their opening-round matchup feels very much up for grabs despite the gap of 85 places in their Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

[30] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) vs. [WC] David Goffin (BEL)

Nick Kyrgios was unseeded last year at Wimbledon when he advanced to his first Grand Slam final. Seeded 30th in his return to the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the Aussie was nonetheless handed a major opening test against wild card David Goffin.

Despite his current standing outside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Goffin has reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in each of his past two appearances (2019, 2022). He was one set away from the semis last year, but could not convert on a two-sets-to-one lead against home favourite Cameron Norrie in the quarters. The former World No. 7 is seeking his first Grand Slam match win of the season after pulling out of the Australian Open with illness and losing to Hubert Hurkacz in five first-round sets at Roland Garros.

Kyrgios has played just one ATP Tour event this season after suffering ankle and knee injuries early in the year. He was beaten by Wu Yibing in Stuttgart in his only appearance, after which he asked fans for patience in his comeback.

Can memories of his magical 2022 run spark a return to form on the London lawns?

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. [WC] Ryan Peniston (GBR)

Andy Murray made a red-hot start to the grass season by winning two straight ATP Challenger Tour titles behind 10 consecutive match wins in Surbiton and Nottingham. Though he lost to Alex de Minaur at The Queen’s Club immediately following that two-week stretch, he will enter Wimbledon after two full weeks of rest from competitive action.

The former World No. 1 and two-time Wimbledon champion must face a fellow Briton in the opening round. Ryan Peniston enjoyed a breakout grass-court campaign last year, when he reached consecutive ATP Tour quarter-finals at The Queen’s Club and Eastbourne before advancing to the Wimbledon second round. 

This June, the 27-year-old played the same grass-court schedule as Murray, competing exclusively in Great Britain across Surbiton, Nottingham and The Queen’s Club. Now the two British players will have the full attention of their nation when they meet for the first time at their home major.

[10] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs. Wu Yibing (CHN)

Frances Tiafoe broke into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time behind his first grass-court title in Stuttgart earlier in June. The American has maintained that position to earn a Top 10 seed at Wimbledon, where he will bid to improve upon his career-best fourth-round run last season. With two titles already claimed this year, Tiafoe enters full of confidence. 

Wu Yibing won his first ATP Tour title this February in Dallas and later reached the quarter-finals in Geneva. His grass season has seen him face the likes of Kyrgios and World No. 7 Andrey Rublev, with the Chinese star beating Kyrgios in Stuttgart and losing a three-setter to Rublev in Halle. In his Wimbledon debut against Tiafoe, he will play a Top 10 opponent for the second consecutive match.

[9] Taylor Fritz vs. Yannick Hanfmann (GER)

Taylor Fritz drew one of the toughest opening-round matchups possible for a seeded player both by Pepperstone ATP Ranking and by form.

Yannick Hanfmann moved up to No. 44 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings this week behind his semi-final run in Eastbourne, where the German beat World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas. The three wins Hanfmann earned in Eastbourne trump the two victories Fritz has picked up in three grass events this season.

But the American reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final last year at Wimbledon, only bowing out after a five-set epic against Rafael Nadal. While he entered last year’s tournament on the heels of winning the Eastbourne title, he will have to build his momentum from the ground up this year in London.