Jonny O’Mara has reached the dizzy heights of a Wimbledon semi-final after another stunning mixed doubles scalp.
The Arbroath ace and his playing partner Olivia Nicholls saw off Australian fifth seeds Matthew Ebden and Ellen Perez 7-5, 7-5.
That earned them a Wednesday semi-final meeting with Mate Pavic and Lyudmyla Kichenok and a guaranteed minimum share of £32,000.
Courier Sport watched the action unfold on court 12 and here are three talking points:
Court chemistry and secret signals
Once again, O’Mara and Nicholls were underdogs.
That’s despite them knocking out fourth seeds Wesley Koolhof and Leylah Annie Fernandez in the last round.
This time they were up against Australians Ebden and Perez.
But they picked up where they left off on Monday with some very secure tennis.
SEMI-FINALISTS 🤩@Jonny_OMara & @OliviaNicholls pull off a sensational win at @Wimbledon 💪#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/iWCkqA9XiM
— Tennis Scotland (@tennisscotland) July 11, 2023
There is a real court chemistry between O’Mara and Nicholls.
They instinctively knew how to play to one another’s strengths.
O’Mara’s behind-the-back hand gestures on Nicholls’ serve also paid off to give him advantage on returns.
And with a tense opening set going all the way, O’Mara played a crucial crossfield winner in game 12 to claim the first set.
In the second, O’Mara intervened on game four with a net volley to make it 30-40 on the Perez serve before a stunning cross court return to break.
O’Mara stubbornly held his serve in game five to go 4-1 up in the second set.
But the Aussies showed incredible resolve to break back and get it to 4-4.
That made game nine, on O’Mara’s serve critical and he held it to love.
Once again, the second set went to game 12 and O’Mara was in sparkling form on the Perez serve.
Winners from O’Mara and Nicholls gave them three match points and they won it on the third.
Jonny O’Mara: A coach who can also play a bit
O’Mara has taken on a new coaching role in Andy Murray’s team and was a warm-up partner for fellow Brit Liam Broady at Wimbledon.
There’s a talk that this may be his last major appearance at Wimbledon.
Could he quit to move into a more permanent coaching role with Murray?
Surely not on this display.
At 28, O’Mara and his men’s doubles playing partner Broady won their first title together in June as they lifted the Lexus Surbiton Trophy.
Unfortunately, the duo couldn’t replicate that success as they fell at the first hurdle at Wimbledon to Rafael Matos and Francisco Cabral.
However, O’Mara picked himself back up in the mixed doubles.
Take a bow @Jonny_OMara 🏴
Doubles champion at the ATP Surbiton Challenger alongside @Liambroady 🏆👏 pic.twitter.com/mTGXH9oe7U
— Tennis Scotland (@tennisscotland) June 10, 2023
In reaching the last four, O’Mara and Nicholls have played some fine tennis.
O’Mara’s serve was unblemished in the last 16 win over Wesley Koolhof and Leylah Annie Fernandez and he played some winning shots.
And on Tuesday he was at it again.
His serving was powerful and his net play was devastating. This was an immensely deserved victory.
Wimbledon isn’t a new experience for O’Mara
This was Jonny O’Mara’s sixth year at Wimbledon as a senior player.
He’s starred at the All England Club in five of the last six years and looks comfortable in that environment.
He looked at home in the players’ box on Centre Court as he encouraged Murray from the sidelines.
Arbroath’s @Jonny_OMara is doing a brilliant job of motivating Andy Murray at Wimbledon in his new coaching role. pic.twitter.com/1eb9hOyD9G
— 𝐄𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 📝 (@ewansmithpr) July 6, 2023
And on the court, alongside Nicholls, he looked comfortable and in control.
O’Mara is playing with a heavily strapped left calf but there’s no sign of pain or grimacing from the Scot.
In fact, he bounced about the court with a beaming smile as he hit some fine shots after a nervy NINE-MINUTE opening game.
The game whizzed past after that with O’Mara’s bubbly on court demeanour inspiring an on-form Nicholls.
