Tommy Paul opens up on setback, now returns to Wimbledon: 'I am going to give it my best'

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Paul opens up on recent setback, now returns to Wimbledon: 'I am going to give it my best'

American suffered with an ab issue following Roland Garros

Getty Images Tommy Paul reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2024. By Sam Jacot

Tommy Paul’s road to Wimbledon has been anything but smooth. The American suffered an abdominal injury during his run to the Roland Garros quarter-finals, forcing him to miss the ATP 500 event at The Queen’s Club, where he was the defending champion.

“When I got home, we were kind of struggling to figure out if it was ab, adductors, kind of everything was hurting in that area,” Paul said to a small media huddle on Saturday in London. “I jumped onto the court after three, four days. And it clearly wasn’t ready. So we ended up taking another 10 days off.

"We then practised a little bit and kind of figured out what the problem was and I was able to get six days rest before coming over here, making the decision to sign up for Eastbourne and playing Wimbledon. Obviously, it is not the ideal prep that you want for a Slam.

“It sucked missing Queen’s Club. I love that tournament,” Paul later added. “This is the first year I haven't really prepped for grass too much.”

Paul finally arrived on UK soil a little more than a week ago but couldn’t find his winning groove in Eastbourne, falling to British wildcard Daniel Evans in his first grass-court match of the season. Still, the American found positives amid the setback.

“Physically, [I feel] a lot better,” Paul said. “Obviously, not perfect. I don’t think anyone is ever really perfect in the Slams. But it was nice to be home for a little bit and reset. I got a match in last week and I was actually kind of happy with how I played. I could’ve moved better. But overall, with Evans, I thought the quality of the match was pretty good. So, that’s all I really wanted to come into Wimbledon. I didn't really exhaust myself the week before. Now we’re here at Wimbledon, and there is no better place in the world to be. So, I am excited to get started.”

Despite growing up in the United States, where grass-court tennis is a rarity, Paul has quietly built a strong resume on the surface. In 2023, he reached the final in Eastbourne, then backed it up last year with a title at Queen’s Club and a quarter-final showing at Wimbledon, his best result at the All England Club.

He is not alone in the American charge on the surface. Taylor Fritz lifted his fifth grass-court trophy in Eastbourne just days ago, while Ben Shelton reached the semi-finals in Stuttgart earlier this month.

“Mostly Americans grew up on hard courts, and we are still more exposed to clay court tennis than grass. The Brits and Australians are really the only countries that grew up playing tournaments on grass. For us, we don’t really see it. I just think we don’t have as much time on the surface compared to Brits or Australians," Paul said when asked about his thoughts on grass. "But I think it is such a special surface. Everything is so different about the way you move, the way the ball goes through the court. The balls are different. Everything is different. I think it takes experience on the surface.”

Like many of the top seeds at Wimbledon, Paul is settled into a rented house in southwest London with his team. The setup is quiet and familiar: home-cooked meals, streaming shows, and, when matches begin, plenty of Wimbledon viewing.

Paul is hoping his routine can help aide him on court, with the American determined to find his A-game despite recent setbacks.

“I want to win. I don't like losing in any situation. I am a competitive guy. I want to win and I am not coming into the tournament like, ‘I'm going to play Wimbledon, if I lose it’s okay.’ I am going to give it my best, and I feel like I have prepared as well as I can in this situation,” Paul said. “I am excited to see how it all goes and from there get ready for the US Open Series. It is not like I am showing up just to show up.”

Paul’s Wimbledon campaign kicks off Tuesday when he faces British wild card Johannus Monday. Further down the track, a blockbuster fourth-round showdown looms with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Paul was not willing to look too far ahead when asked about his draw but left the Wimbledon media centre with a simple message.

“There is no better place in the world to be.”

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