# James McCabe (tennis)

James McCabe (born 5 July 2003) is an Australian professional tennis player. He has a career high ATP singles ranking of world No.184 achieved on 17 March 2025 and a doubles ranking of No. 302 achieved on 31 July 2023.

## Early life

McCabe was born in Iba, Philippines to an Irish father and a Filipina mother. At six months of age he moved to Sydney, Australia where he was raised and attended Trinity Grammar School. A prodigiously talented junior, McCabe broke the national U10 beep test record in 2013, was crowned the Australian national junior 200m butterfly swimming champion, won the 2019 U16 Australian national championship in tennis as well as being an accomplished flutist with an AMusA (Associate in Music, Australia) diploma.

## Professional career
### 2021

McCabe began competing in professional events in late 2021 and was able to reach the quarterfinals of the first ITF Futures event he entered in Tunisia in October 2021 after winning all three matches in the qualifying draw. He continued playing Tunisian ITF Futures tournaments for the remainder of the 2021 season which included a second quarterfinal appearance in November and his results during this period boosted his singles ranking to finish the year at No.1209.

### 2022–23

In January 2022, he was rewarded for strong finish to the 2021 season with a main draw wildcard into his first ATP Challenger in Bendigo as well as a qualifying wildcard into the 2022 Australian Open. McCabe was also rewarded with a main draw wildcard entry into the doubles draw and partnered Alex Bolt. The pair were defeated in the first round by eventual champions Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
McCabe won his first professional tournament in February 2022 when he defeated Dane Sweeny in the final of the ITF Futures tournament in Canberra and followed it up the a second Futures title the following month in Bendigo.
He spent the 2022 season playing on the ITF Futures and ATP Challenger circuits and was able to improve his singles ranking to No. 405 in 2022 and No. 272 in 2023.

### 2024–25: ATP and major debuts and first win, top 250

In January 2024, it was announced McCabe was awarded a wildcard for the 2024 Australian Open main draw singles event making his Grand Slam debut.
He entered the main draw of the 2024 Adelaide International as a lucky loser, making his ATP debut. He also entered the main draw of the 2024 Hangzhou Open as a lucky loser.
Ranked No. 258, McCabe was awarded a consecutive main draw wildcard at the 2025 Australian Open where he recorded his first Grand Slam win in straight sets over qualifier Martin Landaluce.

## ATP Challenger and World Tennis Tour finals
### Singles: 4 (2–2)

* Legend
* ATP Challenger (0–0)
* ITF World Tennis Tour (2–2)
* Finals by surface
* Hard (1–2)
* Clay (0–0)
* Grass (1–0)
* Carpet (0–0)
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | 0–1 | Feb 2022 | M25 Canberra, Australia | World Tennis Tour | Hard | Dane Sweeny | 7–5, 6–7$^{(6–8)}$, 3–6 |
| Loss | 0–2 | Mar 2022 | M25 Bendigo, Australia | World Tennis Tour | Hard | Omar Jasika | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 1–2 | Jul 2024 | M25 Nottingham, Great Britain | World Tennis Tour | Grass | George Loffhagen | 6–0, 6–1 |
| Win | 2–2 | Aug 2024 | M25 Roehampton, Great Britain | World Tennis Tour | Hard | Masamichi Imamura | 7–5, 4–6, 6–3 |