The rise of Jack Pinnington Jones: ‘Chilling is just not part of his DNA’ | ATP Tour

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The rise of Jack Pinnington Jones: ‘Chilling is simply not a part of his DNA’

Unique perception from Pinnington Jones and his school coach

February 12, 2026

Jack Pinnington Jones, the previous school tennis star at Texas Christian College, misplaced within the first spherical of qualifying at this 12 months’s Australian Open to Gilles Arnaud Bailly. The subsequent night, the Briton started a 32-hour solo journey to Egypt for an ATP Challenger Tour occasion.

“I keep in mind once I received to Egypt, I used to be like, ‘Oof, I’ll be hurting for the subsequent few days’. I awoke within the evening, jet lagged, did not know the place I used to be,” Pinnington Jones instructed ATPTour.com. “It was only a fully new expertise and going from my first expertise in Australia [for a] Grand Slam to a Challenger in Egypt the place I did not know anybody, it was only a bit like, ‘You’re nonetheless 200 on this planet. It is all a journey’.”

Then No. 197 within the PIF ATP Rankings, Pinnington Jones had completely different ideas going via his thoughts. The Briton had not been dwelling since Thanksgiving, that means two and a half consecutive months on the highway. Possibly that may not be his week to shine.

As an alternative, Pinnington Jones made the ultimate in Soma Bay and after qualifying for the Nexo Dallas Open and upsetting Flavio Cobolli in the primary draw, he’s as much as No. 153 on this planet.

“My physique by the tip of it wasn’t in good stead, however I made the ultimate. I made one of the best of a troublesome state of affairs with journey and every thing like that,” Pinnington Jones mentioned. “My crew was nice, rallying round me and saying, ‘No, you’ve simply received to compete each match, and maintain going, maintain going, you by no means know what may occur.

“I really feel like that is the mindset I am attempting to take week in, week out.”

It has been a studying expertise for Pinnington Jones, who this time a 12 months in the past was starting his closing spring season at TCU, the place he competed for 3 years and earned All-American singles honours twice. A former junior World No. 6, the Briton adopted within the footsteps of High-100 gamers Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley, who additionally performed for the Horned Frogs.

“It was an enormous change. Clearly being away from dwelling for such an prolonged time period for the primary time, was an enormous shock,” Pinnington Jones mentioned. “Having different British gamers on the crew, like Jake Fearnley, Lui Maxted — who I knew from rising up — was an enormous assist. And the coaches and simply the tradition of TCU was nice. I felt actually welcomed and simply type of settled in after the primary few weeks.”

Pinnington Jones competed beneath the management of head coach David Roditi, who defined that his former star participant “was an enormous, big persona” on their crew.

“He introduced loads of that aggressive spirit and that edginess of getting everyone to go just a little additional or compete just a little tougher or each day in observe,” Roditi mentioned. “I believe that helped our crew a tonne. That was all Jack. Everyone knew that on the finish of the day, profitable was the primary objective on the market. That’s what his persona was on the crew.”

Pinnington Jones is first to confess that he loved himself off the court docket, too. “He was attempting to be a superhero: win on the court docket, after which win at evening as effectively. I believe ultimately he discovered that he can’t do each,” Roditi mentioned.

“He is only a large persona, and he was very social, and really playful. He likes to play, so he would get bored simply, and doubtless staying in his dorm or staying in his condo and simply chilling is simply not a part of his DNA.”

Since deciding to forego his senior season at TCU, Pinnington Jones has stepped into a brand new world. As an alternative of touring together with his crew to completely different twin matches or tournaments, he’s climbing the ATP Tour ladder.

“I did preseason in Florida, did Thanksgiving in Texas, after which I went to Hawaii, Australia, Doha, Egypt, London [and now] Dallas. I’ve principally finished a loop,” Pinnington Jones mentioned. “I’ve received an important crew round me, I am actually grateful I’ve received assist from the LTA and am leaning on them to type of assist information me on how one can handle the stresses, the journey, the stuff that I am fully new to and leaning on them once I can. That is the largest factor.

“I would say [it has been about] journey, jet lag, after which simply attempting to manage what I management: going out, competing, practising one of the best I can, and simply attempting to enhance.”

Previously 12 months, Pinnington Jones has climbed greater than 200 locations within the PIF ATP Stay Rankings. Because of his school success, he was a multiple-time qualifier for the Subsequent Gen Accelerator, which permits qualifiers to profit from direct entry into ATP Challenger Tour occasions.

“It is superior. You have a look at simply the fellows, once I was in school who’ve come via: Jake Fearnley, Eliot Spizzirri, Ethan Quinn, simply to call a number of. Diallo and Shelton have been simply earlier than me, however all of these guys. It simply offers them a leg up,” Pinnington Jones mentioned. “Their degree is there, however they may not be ranked. After they’re taking part in on the high of the lineup for an important school crew, the extent’s actually excessive.

“I keep in mind all season lengthy considering, ‘I’ve received to maintain taking part in effectively, I’ve received to verify I am incomes these wild playing cards’, as a result of I do know it is such an enormous enhance to start out your professional profession.”

Earlier than arriving in Dallas, Pinnington Jones spent every week at TCU together with his former coaches and teammates, a few of whom have been supporting him on the ATP 500 occasion.

“I spent three years at TCU. Fort Value, and Texas looks like a second dwelling in a approach. There are such a lot of nice those that I’ve met alongside my journey via school right here and so lots of them have been popping out to assist,” Pinnington Jones mentioned. “It actually looks like a house event and particularly to have the run I am having, it is actually particular.”