Lexus Eastbourne Open 2026: Toby Samuel wins first ATP tour-level match to reach quarter-finals
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What a day it's been for Britain’s Toby Samuel who claimed his first ATP Tour level win to reach the quarter-finals at the Lexus Eastbourne Open for the first time.
Samuel secured the biggest win of his career by ranking after he defeated world No.54 Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-1, 7-6(7) in an hour and 23 minutes.
He becomes just the second British main to reach his maiden Tour-level quarter-final at Eastbourne after James Ward in 2010.
Samuel had originally competed in qualifying, where he narrowly missed out on a place in the main draw after a three-set defeat to Roland Garros semi-finalist Matteo Arnaldi.
However, following the withdrawal of recently crowned HSBC Championships winner Francisco Cerundolo due to a hip injury, Samuel was handed a place in the draw as a lucky loser where he received a first-round bye into the second round.
It’s been an incredible few months for Samuel, who was ranked outside the world’s top 1000 this time last year. The 23-year-old - who played in the NCAA system for the University of South Caroline - broke into the top 200 in March after going on a 15-match winning streak that saw him claim two ATP Challenger titles.
He then went on to qualify for the main draw at Roland Garros, where he set up a first round clash against eighth seed Alex de Minaur - marking his Tour-level debut.
This latest milestone will undoubtedly fuel him with confidence heading into Wimbledon next week, where he’s been rewarded with a main draw wild card off the back of an incredible year.
It was an impressive display from Samuel who made a lightning fast start on his debut at Devonshire Park.
Samuel took the first set in just 21 minutes after dropping just one point on serve and converting both of his break point opportunities to place himself just a set a way from a spot in the final eight.
The Argentine raised his level in the second and was the first to edge ahead before the Brit immediately recovered the break to force a tie-break. The pair exchanged mini-breaks, with Tirante bringing up set points to threaten a decider but the Brit responded well - winning four of the last five points to close out his first victory over a top 100 player.
Samuel will now bid to reach his first ATP semi-final when he takes on another Argentine in eighth seed Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Thursday. Cerundolo closed out his place in the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 7-6(2) win over Britain's Arthur Fery.
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