His surprising victory against tennis 'bad boy' Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open has boosted his public profile without limits.
No wonder then that Scottish tennis fans are pinning their hopes on rising star Jacob Fearnley becoming the next Andy Murray.
And it's not just Monday's victory over Kyrgios that has raised hopes about his prospects.
Fearnley was ranked No. 646 in the world in January 2024 before making a meteoric rise to a career-high No. 86 this month.
With him every step of the way has been his long-time girlfriend, Keagan Polk.
The couple has been together for three years after meeting at Texas Christian.
University, where she is a beach volleyball player. The Dallas-born athlete is often seen cheering on Fearnley from the stands and was in his box at Wimbledon last year. A year ago, she celebrated their anniversary when she shared a photo of them with the caption, “Two years younger,” along with a love heart emoji.
However, some will be perplexed by Fearnley's Scottish credentials when they hear him speak, given that he appears to have acquired an American accent during his time at university in America.
Jacob Fearnley was ranked No. 646 in the world in January 2024 before making a meteoric rise to a career-high No. 86 this month.
British star Jacob Fearnley (left) dispatched Nick Kygrios (right) at the Australian Open
Fearnley has credited his late grandparents for his career after they encouraged him to take up the sport at a young age.
Love Match: Beach volleyball player Keagan Polk, who met Jacob Fearnley in college
When American tennis legend John McEnroe asked him where his Scottish accent had gone, Dalkeith-born Fearnley joked: “It's nowhere to be seen.” It comes back the longer I am away from the United States.
The victory over Krygios is the latest record in an incredible eight months for the 23-year-old that has seen him break into the world's top 100, take a set from Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon and win his first Challenger Tour title.
Fearnley has credited his late grandparents for his career after they encouraged him to take up the sport at a young age.
The Scot rejected the temptation to turn professional when he left school and spent his time at university in Texas studying for a degree in kinesiology, as well as improving his tennis game.
In October, he told the BBC: “I was always a bit underdeveloped physically and school was a big thing; my parents wanted me to have something to fall back on if tennis didn't work out.” I also didn't feel mentally prepared to play tennis.
“I wanted five years to develop my game, develop as a person, socialize and meet new people.”
Fearnley will face Frenchman Arthur Cazaux in the second round of the Australian Open today.
Scottish tennis fans are pinning their hopes on rising star Jacob Fearnley becoming the next Andy Murray (pictured at the Australian Open on January 13).
Kyrgios, the home favorite and Wimbledon 2022 finalist, was hampered by an abdominal strain as Fearnley won 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) in Melbourne on Monday.
After his win, Fearnley told McEnroe: “I was extremely nervous before the match and didn't get much sleep.
“I knew it was going to be a loud match. I've had a few boos thrown my way in college tennis, but this was something I'd never experienced before.
'I feel sorry for Nick. I knew he was dealing with some things, but he played amazing tennis and it was a great match.
“I just tried to focus on myself as best I could. All things considered, it's probably the best game I've ever played.”
Fearnley will face Frenchman Arthur Cazaux in the second round today.