Unseeded Christopher Eubanks shut down fourth seed Adrian Mannarino with a dominant performance to clinch a 6-1, 6-4 triumph after 62 minutes, capturing his maiden title at tour level without facing a break point all match.
After the championship match, Eubanks commented: “This week has been like a dream come true. My first title here in Mallorca is really incredible.”
Adding: “All of this reminds me of all the hard work and persistence I had to do until today because it wasn’t easy to be a Top-100 player without winning any titles yet.”
“Now, I just want to keep working even harder to feel this feeling even more.”
Such a feat has guaranteed a spot in the Top 50 (World No.43) only two months after breaking into the Top 100.
The Georgia Tech-trained player advanced to his maiden career final by earning a dramatic three-setter win over Llyod Harris in which he recovered from a set down, saving five match points in the process.
“Having saved several match balls gave me confidence, but I still didn’t expect to win the title because Adrian Mannarino plays very well on grass,” he stressed.
Across the event, his powerful serve became his most efficient weapon, firing 60 aces all tournament.
A Breakthrough Season in Motion
Eubanks’ passion for the sport has pushed him forwards since he turned pro in 2017.
Ever since, he has been climbing the rankings ladder, going strength from strength, a relentless effort that in 2023 has seen him setting off a breakthrough season in motion on home soil.
In March, the Atlanta born-player showcased an impressive run at the Miami Open, which he entered through qualifying, ranked at World No. 119.
En route to a maiden Masters 1000 quarterfinal, he shocked 17th Borna Coric.
From there, he delivered a stellar performance against Gregoire Barrere, coming from 2/6 down in the second-set tie-break to save five set points, emerging victorious 6-3, 7-6(7).
In the fourth round, he took out Mannarino, sealing his spot in the last eight in their first but not last, meeting on tour.
After five matches and five victories, he set a clash with eventual champion Daniil Medvedev, who edged the American qualifier in straight sets.
By April 3rd, he stood at World No. 85, entering the third edition of the Mallorca Championships in June at World No. 77.
Upcoming
On Tuesday, he will debut at Wimbledon against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro; the pair have never played one another before.
“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,” he asserted.
“But here I am standing here today, and I’m looking forward to getting out there on Tuesday.”
The 27-year-old is a fighter, and as one, he has persisted on his way to achieving his goals by doing what he loves the most, playing tennis.