Queen’s 2024: Britain’s Billy Harris reaches first ATP quarter-final

Britain’s Billy Harris reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final with victory over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at Queen’s.

The 29-year-old defeated the Frenchman 6-4 7-5 in front of 8,000 fans on Centre Court.

Harris has spent most of his career in the tiers below ATP level and used to travel to tournaments in a Ford Transit van to save money.

“It’s massive for my confidence,” Harris said.

“I didn’t know how I would react coming out here today but as soon as I got on court I felt I was getting great support from the crowd and they helped me through the match.”

Harris, who is from the Isle of Man, was ranked outside the world’s top 300 as recently as October.

He will now move inside the top 150 when the latest rankings are updated on Monday.

Harris will make his Grand Slam debut this summer after he received a wildcard for the main draw at Wimbledon, which starts on 1 July.

“I came into this match knowing it would be very tough with his serve – in the first hour I was thinking this serve needs to slow down,” added Harris, who broke at 5-5 in the second set and then served out the match.

“I managed to settle in quickly and just stayed in the zone.”

He will face either American Brandon Nakashima or Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals.

There was more British success in the doubles as Joe Salisbury and American partner Rajeev Ram beat Sebastian Korda and Alex de Minaur 7-6 (8-6) 7-5.

Salisbury will face fellow Briton Neal Skupski, who is playing alongside New Zealand’s Michael Venus, next.