Teenager Paul Jubb lands top prize in United States to open up the tennis world

Not one of the past and present of British tennis accomplished on their journeys to varying degrees of success what a young man born in York, who was orphaned from a young age and raised in Hull by his grandmother, achieved.

For last month, 19-year-old Paul Jubb became the first British player to win the NCAA national men’s singles title in Orlando, Florida.

It is the tournament to decide the hottest college prospect in the United States in a country that takes its collegiate sport very seriously.

It is also an honour won in the past by John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors on their respective journeys to the very top of tennis.

“It’s the biggest title you can win at that level and hopefully it’s a stepping stone for me,” says Jubb, for whom victory has already seen him rise to a level of prominence in the tennis world.

On Monday, he takes up a wild card at the Ilkley Trophy, having just played Challenger Tour events in Nottingham and Surbiton – tournaments he would never have got in before.

All valuable experience that he is banking, alongside his rise to notoriety in America, a climb that was capped by a surprise win over top-seed Nuno Borges of Portugal in the final in Florida.

“I was the underdog, I was against the No 1 seed and the only guy I’d lost to this year, he’d beaten me twice in three sets,” says Jubb.

“But I knew I could beat him in the final.”

And beat him he did, much to the delight of his coaching team at South Carolina University and those that had been with him from the very start.

Those early days were back in Hull when a chance visit from a local tennis coach sparked the promising career of Jubb.

“It was my first year of primary school and a local tennis coach came in and gave us a lesson,” says Jubb.

“He asked me to come down to the local club. I enjoyed playing and after a few years I moved to Nuffield Health (Hull Tennis Academy).”

That first local club was Pelicans in Hull and a lifelong association with Jonny Carmichael began.

A national Under-16s title prompted work with the Lawn Tennis Association’s coaches and from there, three years ago, the path to America opened up.

“It was James Trotman who mentioned the collegiate route. I spoke to Josh Goffi (head coach) at South Carolina and it didn’t take much thinking about,” says Jubb.

“I wanted to get out there straight away.”

Through it all, Jubb has been encouraged and nurtured by his grandmother Valerie, who came to the rescue when unspeakable tragedy struck.

“Both my parents passed away when I was younger,” says Jubb, choosing not to reveal any more about the circumstances.

“My grandmother has been really supportive, my whole family have been really.

“I loved all sport growing up, and they were supportive no matter what I played.”

And so to the future, turning that collegiate prospect into the next Murray or Henman – both of whom took a different path that did not result in a crack at the American collegiate circuit – or Norrie, who did, but never got his hands on the trophy as Jubb has.

“I’ve got a long way to go in my career but that’s what excites me,” says Jubb, who intends to return to South Carolina for his final year in the autumn.

“I’ve got many things to improve about my game, including getting stronger physically.

“For now, it’s just about putting that work in.

“Long term I’d love to get into the top 100. That’s always been the goal.

“From there, more doors should open.”

So what about short-term, and talk of a wild card into the Wimbledon qualifiers?

“I’m not sure, I’m certainly not banking on it,” says Jubb.

“Maybe in years to come.

“Some of the jumps I have made have just been unbelievable.

“My coach always said I have always managed to move upwards and at whatever level I got put at, I’d always get to the best level at that stage and move up and just keep knocking down challenges as they come.”