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The rise of Jack Pinnington Jones: ‘Chilling is just not in his DNA’

Exclusive insight from Pinnington Jones and his college coach
February 12, 2026

Jack Pinnington Jones, the former college tennis star at Texas Christian University, lost to Gilles Arnaud Bailly in the first qualifying round at this year’s Australian Open. The following evening, the Briton embarked on a 32-hour solo trip to Egypt for an ATP Challenger Tour event.

“I remember when I got to Egypt I thought, ‘Whew, I’m going to be sore for the next few days’. I woke up in the night with jet lag and didn’t know where I was,” Pinnington Jones told ATPTour.com. “It was just a completely new experience and coming from my first experience in Australia [for a] Grand Slam against a Challenger in Egypt where I didn’t know anyone, it was just a bit like, ‘You’re still 200 in the world. It’s all a journey.”

When he was No. 197 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Pinnington Jones had several thoughts going through his mind. The Brit hadn’t been home since Thanksgiving, meaning he’d been on the road for two and a half months in a row. Maybe that wouldn’t be his week to shine.

Instead, Pinnington Jones made the final in Soma Bay and after qualifying for the Nexo Dallas Open and upsetting Flavio Cobolli in the main draw, he is ranked No. 153 in the world.

“My body wasn’t in good shape towards the end, but I made it to the final. I made the best of a difficult situation with traveling and things like that,” said Pinnington Jones. “My team was great, they rallied around me and said, ‘No, you just have to compete every game and keep going, keep going, you never know what can happen.

“I feel like that’s the mentality I try to have week in and week out.”

It has been a learning experience for Pinnington Jones, who entered his final spring season at TCU a year ago, where he competed for three years and earned All-American singles honors twice. The Briton, a former junior world number 6, followed in the footsteps of Top 100 players Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley, who also played for the Horned Frogs.

“It was a big change. It was obviously a big shock to be away from home for so long for the first time,” Pinnington Jones said. “Having other British players on the team like Jake Fearnley and Lui Maxted – who I knew growing up – was a huge help. And the coaches and just the culture of TCU were great. I felt really welcome and a bit comfortable after the first few weeks.”

Pinnington Jones took part under head coach David Roditi, who explained that his former star player was “a big, huge personality” on their team.

“He brought a lot of that competitive spirit and the edge to make everyone go a little further or compete a little harder or every day in practice,” Roditi said. “I think that helped our team a ton. That was all Jack was. Everyone knew that ultimately winning was the main goal. That was his personality on the team.”

Pinnington Jones is the first to admit he enjoyed himself off the pitch too. “He tried to be a superhero: win on the court, and then win at night. I think he learned in the end that he can’t do both,” Roditi said.

“He’s just a big personality, he was very social and very playful. He loves to play, so he would get bored easily, and probably stay in his dorm or stay in his apartment and just chill is just not in his DNA.”

Since deciding to forego his senior season at TCU, Pinnington Jones has entered a new world. Instead of traveling with his team to various doubles matches or tournaments, he climbs the ATP Tour ladder.

“I did the preseason in Florida, did Thanksgiving in Texas, and then I went to Hawaii, Australia, Doha, Egypt, London [and now] Dallas. I’ve actually gone full circle,” said Pinnington Jones. “I’ve got a great team around me, I’m really grateful to have the support of the LTA and I’m leaning on them to help me deal with the stress, the travelling, the things I’m completely new to and leaning on them when I can. That’s the biggest thing.

‘I would say [it has been about] travel, jet lag, and then just trying to control what I can control: going out, competing, practicing as best I can and just trying to improve.

Over the past year, Pinnington Jones has risen more than 200 places in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. His success in college made him a multiple-time qualifier for the Next Gen Accelerator, which allows qualifiers to benefit from direct access to ATP Challenger Tour events.

“It’s amazing. Just look at the guys from my college days that came through: Jake Fearnley, Eliot Spizzirri, Ethan Quinn, just to name a few. Diallo and Shelton were right before me, but all those guys. It just gives them an edge,” Pinnington Jones said. “Their level is there, but they may not be ranked. If they are playing at the top of the lineup for a great college team, the level is very high.”

“I remember thinking all season, ‘I have to keep playing well, I have to make sure I earn these wildcards’, because I know it’s such a big boost to start your professional career.”

Before Pinnington Jones arrived in Dallas, he spent a week at TCU with his former coaches and teammates, some of whom supported him during the ATP 500 event.

“I spent three years at TCU. Fort Worth and Texas feel like a second home in a way. There are so many wonderful people I’ve met throughout my journey through college here and so many of them have come out to support me,” Pinnington Jones said. “It really feels like a home tournament and especially to have the run that I have is very special.”