The progress of FearNley has been so fast in the last 15 months that it can be easy to forget how inexperienced it stays at the highest level.
A little more than a year ago, the former student of the American university was outside the world’s leading 500 players.
Since then he has risen the ranking – in June the top 50 Kraken – after a stunning introduction to the ATP tour.
FearNley has the habit of drawing in the Grand Slams -making names early in the Grand Slams and has already played on some of the iconic courts in the game.
But in recent months his form has been affected by a nervous tension that is particularly harmful to his service.
Asked how he can solve the problem, FearNley said: “I am not sure. I think it is useful to know that even touching all those double mistakes that I can win the game – that is more positive than anything.
“There are good days and bad days, but the double errors have been a problem in recent competitions.
“I will play Zverev next to another large court-a high-stakes, high-visiting environment and I think placing myself will help in those situations.”
With FearNley and Bautista Agut, the local time only goes to court after 8 p.m., a long night that inevitably looks when the British number three finally insured an opener of 62 minutes.
When FearNley used a larger variety in the second and third sets – to move the world number 47 – it picked rewards.
FearNley closed off on a relatively sharp straight setter when he broke in the third in the third for more double mistakes to help the 37-year-old Bautista Agut extend the game.
But he reset admirable in the fourth set, Landen first serves and limits the double errors to get over the line.
Survivor that the first round meant that Fearnley has now completed a full set of victories on the four Grand Slam tournaments.
“It was an extremely tough match, I knew Roberto would let me go to the end,” said Fearnley, who delivered the victory around 11:15 pm local time.
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