Monday Wraps Up Impressive Wimbledon Debut

Johannus Monday, a rising senior on the Tennessee men’s tennis team, wrapped up an inspiring showing at his first career appearance at The Championships, Wimbledon Monday morning.
 
After toppling Andre Goransson (ATP 70) and Ben McLachlan (ATP 75) in the opening round of the gentlemen’s doubles draw last week, alongside fellow collegiate competitor Jake Fearnley of TCU, the British duo bowed out in the second round Monday.

“To be able to watch Jo compete at one of the biggest stages in tennis was a really cool experience for all of us,” associate head coach James McKie said. “I was very impressed with how he handled himself in front of thousands of people. He didn’t seem to be bothered by who was watching him. He just played and clearly was able to hold his own against some of the best players in the world.”

  

Monday and Fearnley were tasked with facing a pair of ATP top-16 doubles players Monday in Rohan Bopanna (ATP 12) of India and 2022 Wimbledon doubles champion Matthew Ebden (ATP 16) of Australia.

 

The first set saw Monday and Fearnley secure an early break to take a 2-1 advantage. Monday’s serving later kept the British pair up a break at 4-2, with four consecutive unreturnable serves. Later in the set, it was Monday’s powerful left-handed serve that evened the score at 5-all, his second straight service game to love.

an absolutely authoritative service game from @johannus_monday in the first set 😤

📺 https://t.co/VwbLFZATJY // #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ac8emyzDt9

— Tennessee Tennis (@Vol_Tennis) July 10, 2023

 
Bopanna and Ebden would go on to take the opening set, 7-5. Monday and Fearnley went down a break at 1-3 in the second set, before dropping set two, 3-6.
 
“I hope our team can take confidence from it too,” McKie said. “These top players aren’t unbeatable, but they do the small things very well on a consistent basis. I know Jo has taken huge experience from these last couple of weeks and I’m excited to see where he goes from here.”
 
In addition to his doubles performance at Wimbledon, Monday defeated Mili Poljicak (ATP 674) of Croatia in the first round of singles qualifying on June 26, before pushing Radu Albot (ATP 107) to a third set in his next match.