British Wimbledon star ranked No. 281 addresses 'extravagant plans' for £99k prize money

Jack Pinnington Jones is already thinking about how to spend his £99,000 prize money after reaching the second round of Wimbledon as a wildcard. Ranked down at No. 281 in the world, the Brit recently decided against returning for his final year at Texas Christian University in America, and he's now dreaming of cracking the world's top 100.

After losing to 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli on Thursday, the 22-year-old was asked whether he had any "extravagant plans" after banking the biggest cheque of his career. But he wants to keep things simple and put the money straight back into his tennis.

The wildcard said: "Extravagant plans... I haven't got a clue. I'm more than happy. I still live with my parents in Cobham and my three sisters. Maybe move out there. That would be nice to get my own place.

"I think obviously for me, I'm looking at it as an investment in my tennis. It's peanuts to what tennis players can make, for me top 50 in the world, wherever you want to be. I'm looking at it as an investment in myself and my career and my team around me.

"Whether that's hiring a physio on the road or having my coach for certain weeks or blocks, whatever it may be, that's what I'm sort of looking at it as.

"It's obviously amazing that I've been given the opportunity to be able it play here and win a round. It's almost double the prize money. That's amazing. As I said, it's a weight off my back knowing that I can fund my tennis myself without going through my parents. You know, that's huge to me."

Before his Wimbledon run, Pinnington Jones had banked £106k across singles and doubles, so he's almost doubled his total career earnings. But he knows tennis is an expensive sport, and if he wants to get to the next level, he will need to spend wisely.

He added: "For me, at least I'm looking at it, as I said, like an investment in my tennis. If I believe I need more focus on the physical training side, I'm going to invest in a trainer to have him maybe on the road at some tournaments so I can train if I lose early, little things like that.

"If it's injury risk, maybe a physio or travelling with my coach more weeks and developing that side of things. For me, yeah, I want to be a top-100 tennis player in the world. I want to try and maximise my potential. For me it's an investment.

"Whatever that may be, I don't know right now what I'm going to invest it in towards my tennis, whether that's -- oh, God knows, anything to do with it -- rackets , whatever.

"For me that's what I want to put the money towards, and hopefully it will pay off in the long run if I fulfil my potential where I think I could be."

Pinnington Jones is now set to rise to a new career-high ranking inside the world's top 220. And he wants to fight for a place in US Open prize money to see if he can enjoy another fairytale Grand Slam appearance.

"I'm playing Nottingham Challenger next week to try and sneak into US qualifying. I think I'm right on the borderline. So sort of straight back to it," he said.

"I've got one more chance to try and sneak that, which would be awesome to be in US Open qualifying, just sort of out of the gate. That's sort of my goal."