Wimbledon ace Chris Eubanks branded ‘giraffe and daddy lengthy legs’ as star sighs
Chris Eubanks’ title could not have been too well-known in UK tennis circles earlier than the Wimbledon Championships bought underway final week, however everybody is aware of who he’s now. The world No. 43 has rocketed into the media glare after grafting his approach into the Grand Slam’s quarter-finals with a smile and a swagger which can be equally as endearing as his obvious skills with a racket.
The 6ft 7″ American can rely British hopeful Cam Norrie and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas among his scalps on a debut appearance that has already seen him sworn into The Last 8 Club at the first attempt.
Eubanks has spent most of his career struggling to break into the top 100, but that hurdle is a distant memory for the 27-year-old, who has followed up on his first-ever ATP tour title in Mallorca with a memorable run at SW19 that his elevated his profile forever.
The likeable debutant may have made a name for himself in the UK this week, but it turns out that his fellow American tour colleagues have got a few names for him themselves.
WTA stars Sloane Stephens and Maddison Keys were asked about Eubanks in a tour interview from the Dallas Open shared on social media by tennis writer Blair Henley.
A sighing Stephens said: “Oh lord, do not even get me began on that giraffe. Jesus,” as Keys struggles to contain her laughter. “We love Chris. We love Daddy lengthy legs.”
Wimbledon No. 10 seed Frances Tiafoe added: “Well Eubanks’ nickname is de facto toothpick as a result of he is so skinny.”
Eubanks’ considerable height and slender physique may be the butt of some jokes on tour, but the rising star is certainly having the last laugh at the All England Club. With Sloane and Tiafoe already eliminated from their respective singles campaigns, only Keys and Jessica Pegula have joined Eubanks as US representatives in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Should Eubanks defy all expectations and go on to win the grasscourt Grand Slam, he would be the first American male to do so since Pete Sampras in 2000.
The US has not had a female singles champion at SW19 since Serena Williams won the last of her seven Wimbledon titles in 2016.
Eubanks will face World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev in the last eight on Wednesday, where he will look to harness the power of the crowd to push him onto an even greater height than he has already achieved at these championships. He certainly won’t mind being the first giraffe to win Wimbledon.