He was a freshman in 2016/17, so he is now entering his senior year.
The link below shows his USC career. Because of the site's censorship the url won't show fully, so I've inserted astericks in the middle which are ock if you are unsure.
This article in The Mail on Sunday (I don't buy it. It was brought to my attention by a friend in Yorkshire) puts a bit more meat on the bones of the interview with Alyson Rudd in The Times which MichaelD reposted on here yesterday from the Eastbourne thread. It includes a photo I cut out of the Times article, one of him & his dad (who committed suicide at the age of 30 ) when he was a baby & a shot of the tattoo. So many handicaps to overcome. What a woman his grandma is!
He was a freshman in 2016/17, so he is now entering his senior year.
The link below shows his USC career. Because of the site's censorship the url won't show fully, so I've inserted astericks in the middle which are ock if you are unsure.
Another interview with Stu Fraser in yesterday's Times:
Paul Jubb: I learnt early that bouts of self-pity get you nowhere
Paul Jubb can remember vividly the memory of sitting in the Hull council house belonging to his grandmother, Valerie, and watching the final regarded as the greatest in Wimbledon history, between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in 2008. Next week, the 19-year-old will step on to the pristine match courts of the All England Club as a wild card entrant and complete a remarkable journey that he hopes will act as an inspiration for those who believe that their disadvantaged background is a barrier to success. His story is like no other at the Championships this year.
Jubb is an orphan who has been raised by Valerie, using her benefits and pension, since he was four years old. Her son, Shaun, who served in the British Army in Northern Ireland and Bosnia, committed suicide at the age of 30, shortly after Jubb had turned one. He had recently split with Jubb's mother, Jacinta, who later died of unexplained reasons in 2008. Understandably, on the eve of Wimbledon, Jubb will not divulge any feelings on this personal tragedy. He has paid tribute to the memory of his parents by getting a circular tattoo on his rib cage last Christmas that reads: "Jacinta and Shaun". But he prefers not to ponder his misfortunes.
"Jonny Carmichael [Jubb's coach since childhood] has always ingrained that into my head because I did have a little stage when I was younger when I did get a little self-pity," Jubb says. "He always was like, 'This is your situation and you can't change it, so if you're going to moan about it, you're not going to get anywhere. You've got to make the most of what you've got.' From that point on that's always been the mentality I've had. It is what it is and you've just got to work hard."
Motivating Jubb, who studies retail management at college in the United States, during his rapid rise to prominence is the will to please those who have helped him through adversity. Whether that be Valerie for her care, Carmichael for his teaching on the court, his LTA mentor James Trotman for his advice or Josh Goffi for his coaching at the University of South Carolina, he is indebted to all for enabling him to become one of the most exciting teenage prospects in British tennis.
"A big thing for me is just making the people who have helped me along the way proud," Jubb says. "The ones closest to me know who they are. A lot of the reasons why I push myself so hard is obviously for myself and my self-drive, but a huge part of it is that I've had to have help along the way. A big reason why I try so hard and work so hard is for those people who have invested time into me."
Athletic since a young age, Jubb wanted to become a footballer, idolising Ronaldinho, the former Barcelona and Brazil midfielder, and replicating his tricks in the garden. A talented left-winger, he had the chance to take part in trials with Hull City, but he chose to focus on tennis. Inspiration to pursue a career with a racket in hand did not come from the usual suspects - such as Roger Federer or Andy Murray. Jubb followed the story of Frances Tiafoe, the American who was making waves on the junior circuit at the time after living in the office of a Maryland tennis centre with his father, who was an immigrant from Sierra Leone and worked there as a janitor. Tiafoe, 21, is now a top-40 player.
"I was watching a load of stuff about him on YouTube," Jubb says. "Obviously his background was pretty tough. He gave me a lot of belief to think that I can do it as well. From that point on I was fully invested in doing whatever I could to progress and hopefully make it on the pro tour one day. That was probably the big decisive point for me. It would be nice to give people the belief that, if you do have a tough background, it shouldn't be an excuse. At the end of the day, it's down to you. If you're willing to put in the hard work, anything is possible."
Technically, as an amateur, Jubb can only claim from his £45,000 prize money what is necessary for travel and accommodation expenses. He intends to become a professional after completing his studies next year, but admits that transition could come sooner. "If I won Wimbledon, maybe," Jubb jokes. "I am just figuring out what is best for me really. I am still young. I don't feel a rush right now to go on to the pro tour. I am still developing my body physically. I am happy to go back to college. Whatever is best for me I am going to choose."
* Much of that is now fairly familiar territory, but there's still some new stuff, especially the bit about Frances Tiafoe's story being his inspiration. There's an interesting interview with him in today's Times (behind a paywall). Other papers are starting to pick up on Paul's story now, too. There was even an article in the Evening Standard on Wednesday.
Yes, that is interesting Tiafoe serving as his role model rather than the usual suspects. I can see there will be the temptation to turn pro soon, but I do hope that he finishes his course first.
He was a freshman in 2016/17, so he is now entering his senior year.
The link below shows his USC career. Because of the site's censorship the url won't show fully, so I've inserted astericks in the middle which are ock if you are unsure.
This feature on the ATP site rehashes some familiar material/quotes, but also fills in a few more blanks - includes photos (one with Tiafoe) & very brief Twitter footage of the last point in his match against Thiago Monteiro at the Ilkley Challenger.
Its interesting that he is one the Tigers let get away, ie he actively choose Tennis over football. I cant be bothered to even attempt to discuss the metaphorical mountain of self interest that is a barrier to youngsters or are elite athletes but without at least a couple of K of disposable income to chuck at junior tennis coaching getting a sniff. I am just so glad Paul found the support he did and sneaked through a crack, should he go back to college?? If the LTA step up, perhaps he could potentially get higher quality practice, he knows what hes got at USCarolina, ideally he need to be in a position where he leapfrogs futures and is winning regularly on the challenger tour.
Good move I think for Paul. Looking at his points, he doesnt even have a full rack of counters yet and half his points where from the grass last year. He really can get a lot higher in the rankings, that is clear and I reckon a full 12 months of play would see him definitely in the top 300 or quite possibly into the top 200.
Looking forwards to seeing how it goes when he gets back into play
Interesting development given the fact that it's unlikely there will be much tennis, if any, for the rest of 2020 whereas he could study online. Although I have a work colleague whose son plays football in college in the states and so far they've been told they need to go back for pre- season training in July.