London: Marcus Willis should have been coaching youngsters and middle aged women for $30 an hour on Monday in the humble surroundings of the Warwick Boat Club in the English midlands. Instead, the 25-year-old, and ranked at 772 in the world, was playing the real-life hero in a Wimbledon rags-to-riches story which has captured the imagination of the All England Club.
The stoutly-built Willis will meet Roger Federer in the next round on the latest stop of his incredible journey from self-loathing to the verge of retirement to the Centre Court, tennis’s most famous arena. Willis credits a dentist with the turnaround, his girlfriend Jenny Bate who talked him out of quitting when he was at a particular low in February this year. He just had returned from a third-level event in Hammamet in Tunisia where his prize money was paltry $65.
A job offer coaching in Philadelphia awaited him, a convenient way for him to earn a steady living and allow him to escape still living with his parents. But Bate persuaded him to give playing another go. “She told me not to go to the States, so I didn’t. I do what I’m told,” he smiled. He squeezed into Wimbledon pre-qualifying in the last slot available where he won three matches and then won three more in last week’s full qualifying tournament.
On Monday, he defeated Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania, ranked 652 places above him, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 out on a raucous Court 17. Willis, nicknamed ‘Cartman’ after the South Park cartoon character’s portly physique, hit 43 winners and saved 19 of 20 break points in an astonishing performance. He is already guaranteed at least £50,000 ($66,000) for becoming the lowest-ranked qualifier to make the second round of a major in 28 years.
Not bad for a man who had never played a match on the full tour before Monday. “I was a bit of a loser. I was overweight. I was seeing off pints. I just looked myself in the mirror, I said, You’re better than this,” said Willis as he reflected back on his past struggles. But what about tackling the legendary Swiss star on Wednesday? “I don’t think I have ever spoken to him. I don’t think he was at the Tunisia Futures event this year,” said Willis.
