Black History Month Profile: Chris Eubanks

In celebration of Black History Month, USTA.com is taking a look at several talented, young African-American players who are following in the footsteps of pioneering players like Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe and the Williams sisters and seem ready to make their own mark in tennis. Here is a look at Chris Eubanks.

Chris Eubanks has only been a full-time professional for three calendar months, but he has already made a name for himself in the tennis world with a stellar three-year career at Georgia Tech. On Oct. 23, 2017, Eubanks announced he would turn pro and forgo his senior year with the Yellow Jackets. Prior to that decision, he enjoyed a strong summer at the tour level, highlighted by making his US Open main-draw debut and a quarterfinal run at the BB&T Atlanta Open, where he picked up his first ATP World Tour victories. Here's more on the rising American.   

Age: 21

Height: 6-7

Residence: Atlanta

Current rank: 313 

• Eubanks was born and raised in Atlanta, where he began playing tennis at the age of 2, looking up to Arthur Ashe and Roger Federer. As a junior, Eubanks was a traveling hitting partner for Donald Young, a friend and mentor who also resides in Atlanta. 
• In three years at Georgia Tech, he was a two-time All-American and ACC Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017, peaking at No. 4 in the college singles rankings. He was honored with the ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award for the Southeast Region in May 2017 and also earned the USTA/ITA Sportsmanship Award at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in November 2016. 
• Eubanks made his ATP World Tour main-draw debut in July 2015 at the BB&T Atlanta Open as a 19-year-old wild card, losing to Czech Radek Stepanek. He also paired with Donald Young to reach the Atlanta semifinals with two wins in what was his first tour-level doubles competition. In June 2016, Eubanks earned his first professional singles victory in the Tulsa Pro Championships, a USTA Futures event.
• In July 2017, the American earned his first ATP World Tour wins at the same Atlanta event, as he fired past Americans Taylor Fritz and Jared Donaldson en route to the quarterfinals of his hometown tournament. The three-set triumph over Donaldson, then ranked No. 59, remains Eubanks' best victory to date. He followed that up by battling through qualifying to earn a spot in the Cincinatti Masters.
• A 2017 US Open wild card was his reward for a strong summer, and in his Grand Slam debut, Eubanks fell to world No. 71 Dudi Sela. The Open did provide Eubanks his first taste of Slam doubles success, as he advanced to the second round with fellow American Christian Harrison.
• In an article in "The Undefeated" last summer, Eubanks reflected on the value of his time around the pro circuit as a junior supporting Young: “I got a chance to see some of the best balls in the world up close and personal on a daily basis. And I got a chance to see the commitment of professionals all the time. It made everything else easier to deal with."