Eubanks Wins First ATP Tour Title In Mallorca

After saving five match points against Lloyd Harris in a dramatic semi-final victory at the Mallorca Championships on Friday, Christopher Eubanks left no doubt in Saturday's final.

Playing in his first ATP Tour final, the American powered to a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Adrian Mannarino. Eubanks did not face a break point in the match and closed out his third Top 50 win in just over an hour at the ATP 250.

"It means the world. It just means the world, man," Eubanks said post-match, later adding that serving and the fan support keyed his run. "It means a lot of the hard work I've been putting in, the ups and downs throughout my career, it all is coming together now at this point in my career. It's just a testament to the hard work. Now I just want to keep working even harder to feel this feeling even more."

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With Frances Tiafoe's Stuttgart title run in June, Eubanks' triumph marks the first time two Americans have won grass titles in the lead-up to Wimbledon since 1984 (John McEnroe at The Queen's Club, Johan Kriek in Bristol).

Eubanks shot up 34 places to No. 43 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings behind his title run, setting himself up for a new career high. His rise up the Pepperstone ATP Rankings received a major boost at the Miami Open presented by Itau in March, when he came through qualifying to reach the quarter-finals — Eubanks' first time beyond the second round at an ATP Masters 1000. He also beat Mannarino in the Miami fourth round and now holds a 2-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head advantage against the Frenchman.

The 27-year-old is set to make his Wimbledon main-draw debut next week, and he will be full of confidence on the London lawns.

"To come into my first Wimbledon with my first ATP title is something that if you had told me when I showed up last Thursday that it would happen, I probably wouldn't have believed you," said the American, who will face Brazil's Thiago Monteiro in the first round. "But here I am standing here today and I'm looking forward to getting out there on Tuesday."