Nix wrote:

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Yay. Paul reaches the final and will play Borges.

Way to go, Bubbly Jubbly 

Bob in Spain wrote:

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Wow. I decided to go back and read his "back story" again as provided by CD early in this thread and it makes this achievement that much more impressive and heartwarming. Huge congratulations to Paul, his Grandma and all the others who have helped him on his journey so far. The future is very bright indeed for this young man and nobody can question that he deserves it.

Will be interesting to see if he sees out his college days or makes an earlier switch to the Pro Circuit.

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Yes, his story is inspiring. And, as you say, there are many people behind the scenes who have obviously been SO important, and self-sacrificing.

Just to repeat the original info:

"Playing tennis at such a high level has taken a lot of hard work and commitment from Paul; this has been particularly difficult given his home circumstances. Sadly Paul lost both parents when he was very young, he has been raised by his grandmother, Val from the age of 4. Paul and Val live in a council house in East Hull, Vals only income being her state pension. Paul has 3 aunts and uncles who are very supportive but all work fulltime and have young families which mean that they cannot always assist with his tennis. Pauls training at Nuffield is heavily subsidised and he has been receiving funding from Yorkshire LTA to go towards the costs of competing. Without this help it would not have been possible for Paul to reach the high playing standard he has achieved."

This is from a local solicitors, Williamsons, who funded him £500 and deserve some credit.

As do the Yorkshire LTA.

And Hull CIty Council, the LTA and the Friends of Pelican Park (Jan HOrnby, Chair) for saving four local courts (just minutes from where Paul lived) from closure, and put in floodlights, new surfaces, new booking system and kept them going, and made them possible to play, even when dark or wet.   

But the coaches are the main unsung heroes. Jonny Carmichael sounds like a brilliant man. Kudos to him. As does the team at Hull:

Jonny has always had faith in me. Hes paid out of his own pocket to send me to competitions in the past. The whole team at the Nuffield Health Tennis Academy and my fitness coach, Aaron in the gym have been amazing, I cant thank them enough.

The US Game**** coach, Goffi, also should get a lot of praise. He was in London, checking out players when a friend told him to go to Hull. He saw what many of us had seen, a "young, skinny kid with great balance and coordination".  But the main thing was: The determination in his eyes and what he was telling me, Goffi said. Hes like, Im telling you right now, if I have the same opportunities as the other people around me, I will be the best. And so they 'took a chance' on him. 

That's the key phrase, really - if I had the same opportunities.....

This is undoubtedly a big step for Paul he has improved immensely over his three years in college, to win the No 1 slot as a freshman and be so consistent in that slot against the best players in the SEC is what gives you hope that he will progress to challenger level.

Cam I felt as a junior was the best player in College tennis by a distance although he never won the NCAA ie winning at this level was relatively easy for him the majority of the time. Paul is consistent, has dug it out. Undoubtedly the other side of the draw was tougher so he had a bit of luck there but he put Nuno away (who has earnt his no 1 seed) with the minimum of fuss.

Just a great shame he will not get that US Open wildcard! The LTA should give him a Wimbledon Qualys WC as some form of recognition of the level he has achieved here, apart from the devolved LTA of the nation of Yorkshire he doesnt seem to have had any support from the LTA who generally look on college players as not being good enough although in Pauls case they are so wrong it is not well enough resourced.