Looking back at 2020 I went into the year with high hopes.

I wanted to stay fit and compete at a high level throughout – I felt that at the end of 2019 I was in a really good place mentally and physically and was starting to play my best tennis. It didn’t matter what surface I was playing on, I managed to produce a good level. I wanted to keep improving on my ranking too after getting just outside the top 150 in the world late last year, but sadly that didn’t happen and it was a frustrating year on the court for me. I started the year brightly by reaching the semi-finals of a Challenger event in Australia, but in my first match after that I tweaked the tendons in my wrist and it took me a month and a half to get over that. But then just as I was ready to go out and compete again Lockdown happened.

If I’m honest, being at home in Lockdown was actually a really nice experience.

I was at home with my family in Derby and my older brother Curtis, who is also my coach, which was great. I've always had a member of the family coach me – before Curtis it was my sister and before that my dad. I know they always want to give me the best advice they can. I’d never spent so much time at home since I was 11 years old. As a professional tennis player you’re always on the road going to tournaments so I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with my family as we’re really close. It was also nice being around my dogs too who I don’t get to see as much as I’d like!

There were a lot of big moments for me personally last year.

The biggest was my sister having a baby – she had a little girl in August. It was amazing becoming an uncle and getting to see her grow has been really special. I can’t believe how much she’s changed already. When something like that happens it puts everything into perspective. Tennis is my passion but it reminds you that it’s only a sport. There’s always bigger things – family in particular – and the fact that we’ve had a new addition to our family this year really brings that home. Going through that experience relaxes you too – and I think it’ll be a positive going forward. It puts tennis back where it belongs – there are always bigger things than winning or losing tennis matches.

I did a lot of hard work to prepare for the Battle of the Brits – but sadly I got another injury.

Just before the first Lockdown I was walking back from Putney after going out for some food when a cyclist clipped a car and went over the handlebars and came tumbling into me. They hit me in the back of the knee, and it became really swollen but with everything shutting there was no treatment I could get on it. Because I couldn’t do anything super high intensity at home I wasn’t sure about the injury and I couldn’t feel it in everyday life. I got back on court and it seemed okay, but in my first match back against Dan Evans I went for a shot and landed at an awkward angle and tore the small fibres that connect the side of my IT band to my knee. I was out then for six weeks, tried to come back a bit soon and hurt my back, then tried to come back again but wasn’t fully fit. The whole year was – if I’m honest – a bit of a mess from hurting my wrist, knee and back. It was a lot of little things, but they’re still things that stopped me from playing my best last year.

I’m feeling better now, though, and can’t wait for the year ahead.

I managed to get on court at the back end of 2020 and was just trying to start building to find a good level again. My family, and me, always say ‘the end goal doesn’t change but the path might along the way’ and that’s definitely my outlook. I may have had a few setbacks in 2020 but it’s not been the worst year to get injured with so many events getting cancelled. I’ve had a really good pre-season, and my brother and I are working with a new coach, Alexandre Lisiecki, who is very experienced and knowledgeable on the court. I am really hungry to achieve my goals and I’m doing everything I can to get better in 2021.