Historic Wimbledon run started in South Fulton

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On Tuesday, Christopher Eubanks shocked the tennis world by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas to advance to the Wimbledon Quarterfinals.

His electric 5-set win left Eubanks as the only American player remaining in the Men’s Singles draw at Wimbledon.

Eubanks, 27, grew up in south Atlanta, graduating from Westlake High School, where he was a standout tennis player.

“He developed his passion here at Westlake High School and it just springboarded through his collegiate career, and now his professional career,” said Westlake High Principal Jarvis Adams.

Adams was the assistant Athletic Director at Westlake when Eubanks was a student.

Before Westlake, Eubanks crafted his game on the tennis courts at the South Fulton Tennis Center.

“He comes from these courts. He comes from this city. What else can you do, you’ve got to be proud of him,” said Sam Kennedy, coach for the South Atlanta Community Tennis Association.

Kennedy helped coach Eubanks when he was growing up. Kennedy’s two sons also played tennis with Eubanks at Westlake High School.

“When I got to Westlake we had a very good tennis program thanks to me and a few friends of mine that came together,” said Eubanks, in a 2017 interview with Atlanta News First.

“Due to our success. So many more people have grown and started to pay attention to tennis, and maybe grow a love for it,” Eubanks said.

Kennedy said Eubanks, after he turned profession, returned to the South Fulton courts to help coach and mentor.

“My kids now, that’s all they want, they want to hit the court, everyday. And they’re so excited that Chris is winning, coming where he came from, he came from here. He’s a hometown boy and we’re proud of him,” Kennedy said.

Eubanks’ recent success is serving as a positive model to aspiring tennis players in south Atlanta.

“Very inspiring to see someone from my city doing so well at an event, at the highest, Wimbledon, making it to the Quarters, it’s just inspiring,” said Kamrin McIntosh-Ross.

McIntosh-Ross, who is Black, said Eubanks’ success can help leverage more Black representation into the sport.

“And make us see that we can, we can do it. And once we have that belief that we can, you’ll see more of us out there in the future,” McIntosh-Ross said.

Eubanks will play Daniil Medvedev Wednesday morning in the quarterfinals.

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