Jubb continues to chase improvement with Roehampton win

This week at the Battle of the Brits saw youngster Paul Jubb sub in for an injured Jay Clarke, and debut with a win. The 20-year-old topped Ryan Peniston on Thursday and gets to test his level against world No. 76 Cameron Norrie on Friday.

Jubb's aggressive all-court game mixed in with his humble outlook has led him to where he is today. The Brit was crowned the NCAA singles champion in 2019, got his first Top-100 win over Andrey Rublev in Eastbourne and made his Wimbledon debut shortly after.

Although he's only 20, Jubb has overcome heavy challenges. The Brit lost both of his parents when he was just a child, and his grandma Valerie would raise him, offering crucial support both on and off the court.

"My grandma is super strong, she played a massive role in my life and is probably the main rock since the start," Jubb said.

Somewhat of a late bloomer, he couldn't travel to many tournaments since his grandma didn't own a car. His coach Jonny Carmichael saw something special in him, and would take him under his wing, becoming a brother figure to the young talent. It was Jubb's completely trust in Carmichael that led him to accepting a scholarship to play for the University of South Carolina.

"When Paul came in, he started out at No. 7 on the team, he had a lot to learn," said South Carolina head coach Josh Goffi.

Jubb quickly soaked up everything he could, making it clear he wanted to be the best, not just in college tennis, but also on the pro tour.

"Paul has been mature," Goffi said. "He's had to earn things on his own for a long time. So he was ready to rock and roll since the day he got in."

Jubb took advantage of everything that was offered by the college experience from fitness sessions and on-court coaching to off-court experiences with his teammates. For Jubb it was all about making the most of every moment and using each day to get better.

During his junior season, Jubb had lost to Nuno Borges three times and faced him again in the final of the individual NCAA Championships. He would get the most crucial win of the year over Borges 6-3, 7-6 (2) to claim the first NCAA title in tennis program history.

"I always believed I could beat the players I was playing against, but it was weird, I never actually thought about the trophy," Jubb said.

After receiving a wild card into Wimbledon following his NCAA triumph, Jubb would turn pro, foregoing his senior year. He has picked up two ITF Futures titles so far.

"One of my biggest drives is making sure that the people that have helped me it's been worth it," Jubb said "It's a team effort the whole way through."

Although the coronavirus has pressed pause on the ATP tour, the United Kingdom recently brought back its first competitive competition in months with the Battle of the Brits. Jubb will make the most out of the opportunity in Roehampton where big names like Andy Murray, Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund are also competing.

“It is a great opportunity to test my game and win or lose get better because of it," Jubb said following Thursday's win.

As Jubb continues to focus on getting better, there's a good chance his journey will continue to bring him more milestones and trophies.