Toby Samuel says he wants to maintain his winning momentum after a winning streak took him from 1,405th in the ATP rankings to 171st in a year.
The Bath-based 23-year-old has won seven singles titles in the last six months and the rise in ranking means he is likely to enter the qualifying rounds for the next three Grand Slam tournaments this year for the first time.
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“If someone told me I would be in the top 200 this year I wouldn’t believe it,” Samuel told BBC Radio Somerset.
“It’s crazy. I really feel like I’m starting to become a real professional tennis player now, which was always my dream growing up.
“It’s just surreal and being able to share this with my family and all the people who have supported me along my journey has been incredible.”
Samuel, originally from Winchester and who trains at the University of Bath, has won four trophies on the Challenger Tour since November, including back-to-back titles in Greece this month.
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He credits this good form with everything starting to line up in terms of the work he has put in during training and him enjoying an injury-free period.
He missed most of the 2024 season after suffering bone bruises and it wasn’t until mid-2025 that he felt healthy and recovered.
“It’s been good the last six months, I’ve won quite a few things which is a nice feeling and I’m just trying to keep the momentum going each week, one game at a time, not too far away and focus my efforts on each week,” Samuel said.
Samuel’s next goal is to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam – he played at Wimbledon in 2023 in doubles, reaching the last 32 matches, but has never competed in a singles event.
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“That’s my next big goal,” Samuel said.
“It’s crazy that I can even say I’m playing Grand Slams. When I was a kid, you watch it on TV and think ‘one day maybe I can be there’, but you don’t really believe it – but now it’s amazing.”
