The tennis world proudly presented the French Open trophy to Carlos Alcaraz and ended the clay season on a high note. While many others envied the trophy but had to walk home with disappointment, there are some who just wish to step foot on the clay courts once. ATP pro Billy Harris recently narrated how hard it could be to navigate a path that leads to the glorious European clay.

The 2024 Wimbledon wildcard’s rise in the tennis world has been anything but easy. The 29-year-old British player is something of a late bloomer, facing struggles on his journey, especially during his travels across Europe. Harris, who carries a deep desire to play on clay, often used to travel in a Ford Transit van to make ends meet. “I took the van round Europe so I could play on the clay and it’s a cheap way of doing it,” he said in an interview.

But this wasn’t the only thing that he had to do. Things started to get more serious when he gave a tour of his accommodation in Europe. This van, which he used to navigate from court to court, wasn’t just for transportation but also played the role of his home.

“I could sleep in the back of it and park up either at the tennis club or the local McDonald’s, they are the best because you can normally stay overnight. It kind of sounds fun but occasionally it’s scary because there are some strange characters around,” he added. Many players have spoken about the financial difficulty of starting a career in tennis and this Briton is no different.

Billy Harris made his ATP debut at the 2023 Sofia Open, where he achieved a notable win against defending champion Marc-Andrea Huesler. Harris continued to work hard and therefore secured a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 162 along with a wildcard entry into the prestigious Queen’s Club Championships, where he has already defeated Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the first round. However, his journey on the grass courts isn’t just limited to the ongoing event.

Billy Harris set to be a part of the Wimbledon roster

This season has marked the most remarkable achievements in Billy Harris’ career. Along with shooting up the ranks to earn a position in the top 150, the young Briton is also set to be a part of his first grand slam event. Recently, the tournament authorities announced a list of the wild card entries, and soon after testing his levels at the Queen’s Championship, Harris is set to be a part of the major event as well.

Along with getting his name on the list that includes the topmost-ranked players, Billy Harris will also enjoy the favors of a massive $5,35,89,000 prize pool. Although his opening-round battles would surely be matched against tough competitors, a sum of $60,000 is still reserved for him, setting the bar high for his biggest paycheck so far.

Now that the Briton looks forward to experiencing the arena graced by the presence of legends, it would surely act as an exposure which could prove to be the start of greater things!