Billy Harris sees Queen’s campaign reach end of the road with quarter-final loss

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Louise Thomas

Editor

Van man Billy Harris hit the skids in his bid to reach the semi-finals of the cinch Championships.

The 29-year-old wild card from Nottingham was a surprise quarter-finalist at Queen’s Club having spent most of his nomadic career travelling to lower-ranked tournaments in a transit van.

But his journey in west London ground to a halt against turbo-charged Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who won 6-3 7-5 in an hour and 39 minutes

However, Harris can now treat himself to a new set of wheels with a hefty pay cheque for four days’ work.

Having been guaranteed £60,000 by being granted a Wimbledon wild card on Wednesday, his run to the last eight took his earnings for the week to £121,000.

Prior to Queen’s, Harris’ total career prize money was £230,000.

“It’s definitely going to help, it’s expensive getting around in this sport so any money you can get is a massive help,” said the 6ft 4in right-hander.

“Will I treat myself? A new van, maybe, potentially. I drive a Mini Cooper at the moment.

“It’s a bit tight, I get in and out of a van a bit easier.”

In the doubles, Neal Skupski won the battle of Britain against his Olympics partner Joe Salisbury.

Skupski and New Zealand’s Michael Venus beat Salisbury and America’s Rajeev Ram 7-6 (5)  7-6 (6).