Britain’s Willis Earns Shocking Win Over Berankis

June 27, 2016 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
willis_fist bump
Photo Credit: Wimbledon.com

Ranked 772nd in the world, Marcus Willis came into his first-round match at Wimbledon on Monday with low expectations to say the least.

Willis shocked everyone when he upended 54th ranked Ricardas Berankis in straight sets 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round and snag the biggest win of his career.

Willis nearly quit tennis recently as he wasn’t making enough to money to support himself, earning just $356 on the ATP tour up until Wimbledon qualifying. His girlfriend convinced him to give tennis one more shot before starting a coaching job in Philadelphia.

“The end of last year I tore my hamstring again…I was in a really bad place, didn’t want to get out bed. [I] couldn’t find the motivation to do anything really. I was very close to packing it in. I needed to get some money behind me,” said Willis. “I was adamant I was going to American to coach but then I met a girl and she told me I was an idiot and I should keep going.”


Willis celebrates with his friends and family following his win over Berankis.

He listened, and rode that all the way into six rounds of Wimbledon qualifiers and a spot in the main draw, where he shocked Berankis in straight sets. Up next for Willis? A showdown with seven-time champion with Roger Federer who ousted Guido Pella in straight sets.

Defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic had no problems in his Wimbledon opener on Monday, moving past Great Britain’s James Ward 6-0, 7-6(4), 6-4.

“I honestly didn’t expect myself to start that well. Nine games in a row, 6-0, 3-0. I thought it was just a matter of time when James would win his first game. I knew that the reaction of the crowd, and his own reaction, would be the way it was,” said Djokovic. “The first part of the match was almost flawless, so I’m very pleased with the way I started Wimbledon.”

Djokovic will take on France’s Adrian Mannarino who routed Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 on Monday.

Fifth-seed Kei Nishikori came to play in his opener, moving past the big-serving Sam Groth of Australia 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 to book his spot in the second round. He will take on France’s Julien Benneteau who sneaked past Illya Marchenko 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(8).

20th seed Kevin Anderson and 21st seed Philipp Kohlschreiber were both sent packing in the first round. Anderson was outlasted by Denis Istomin in a grueling five-set match while Kohlschreiber lost to France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Americans Sam Querrey and Jack Sock pushed through to the second round with wins over Lukas Rosol and Ernests Gulbis, respectively.

Sixth-seed Milos Raonic, ninth-seed Marin Cilic, 11th seed David Goffin, 13th seed David Ferrer, 16th seed Gilles Simon, 23rd seed Ivo Karlovic, 30th seed Alexadnr Dolgopolov and Grigor Dimitrov rounded out Monday’s early winners on the men’s side.


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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