Tommy Paul

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Damian]

Paul sinks Ruud to stay alive in Indian Wells

Spoiler:

American chasing first Masters 1000 title
March 14, 2024

Tommy Paul defeats Casper Ruud to earn his ninth Top 10 win.
By ATP Staff
Is this the week Tommy Paul wins his first ATP Masters 1000 title?

The American advanced to his second semi-final at this level on Thursday at the BNP Paribas Open where he defeated ninth seed Casper Ruud 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.

"I am really pumped with how I am playing," Paul said. "I like how I am playing on the pressure points, on the big points. I am excited for another match."

In a topsy-turvy clash, Paul played close to his best at the opening and closing stages of the match. The 26-year-old struck 35 winners and recovered from squandering a break advantage in the third set to improve to 2-4 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

"Casper came out in the second set and changed the momentum," Paul said. "His energy was way better and I was playing the match on his terms in the second. I think in the third game of the third set he had some chances and it was tough game to get out of and it kind of set the tone. He got the break back and I could have got down on myself but think I did a good job regrouping."


The 17th seed saved two break points when serving out the match, sealing victory on his second match point. He let out a roar before embracing Ruud at the net.

With his two-hour, 11-minute win, Paul earned his ninth Top 10 win and first since he beat then-World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz en route to the semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Toronto last year.

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Paul, currently No. 14 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, will try to reach his maiden Masters 1000 final when he faces Daniil Medvedev or Holger Rune. Paul clinched his second tour-level title earlier this season in Dallas.

Ruud was aiming to reach his eighth Masters 1000 semi-final and first since Rome last May. Earlier this week the Norwegian defeated #NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils and veteran Gael Monfils.

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IW24: 2. półfinał M-1000.

[17] Tommy Paul d. [9] Casper Ruud 62 16 63

[Art]

[Damian]

[Art]

[Damian]

6) American Charge: Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe will lead American hopes on home soil in Florida. Fritz reached the quarters in Miami last year, while Paul arrives in form, having advanced to his second Masters 1000 semi-final in Indian Wells. Shelton is 10-6 on the season, and Tiafoe is looking for an upturn in results, having won consecutive tour-level matches at just one event this season (Delray Beach).

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[Damian]

Paul's Argentinian universe: Maradona, mate and asados

Spoiler:

World No. 14 is competing in Miami
March 23, 2024
Tommy Paul is hoping to bring his Indian Wells semi-final form to Miami.Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Tommy Paul is hoping to bring his Indian Wells semi-final form to Miami.
By ATPTour.com/es Staff
Tommy Paul should feel right at home in Miami as he prepares for the season's second ATP Masters 1000. Not only because he lives in nearby Boca Raton, but the south Florida city is also home to more Argentines than any other US city and while Paul may not speak Spanish, he has developed a strong affinity for the South American nation.

Paul developed an interest in Argentina given his taste for mate, barbecues and his habit of warming up by imitating Diego Maradona’s iconic Life is Life routine. The American’s penchant for all things Argentina comes from those around him.

It all began years ago when he was under the tutelage of coach Diego Moyano and fitness coach Gabirel Echevarría, both Argentinians, only to intensify with his current team. Although Paul is coached by his countryman Brad Stine, the rest of his entourage have ties with Argentina. His fitness coach Franco Herrero and physio Sebastián Cozzarín are natives of the South American nation. Paul's second coach Hugo Armando was born in the United States, but comes from an Argentinian family.

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Paul's team breakfasts, whether in Boca Raton or at a tournament, always include mate. Even the World No. 14 in the PIF ATP Rankings has his own mate cup with his name, an American flag and an Argentine flag on it.

“At first he would say to us: ‘What’s that? I’ll never drink it!’ And he would screw his face up at us,” Cozzarín told ATPTour.com.

“Now all team breakfasts include mate. And we travel to every tournament with our mate cups and a bottle from Roland Garros that we keep the leaves in,” added Cozzarín, who is also Jessica Pegula’s physio.

Herrero explained, “It’s very unusual for someone who’s not Argentinian to like mate. People from other countries try it and in general, they don’t like it. That wasn’t the case with Tommy and now the most Argentinian thing about him is mate.”

It is more than the flavour of the Argentinian infusion, which is quite bitter to some palates, that appeals to Paul. But rather, it is the concept of drinking it as a group, enjoying the company of each other. “Tennis players are very solitary, so Tommy likes to have company. He understands that mate is a social time,” adds Cozzarín. “Mate is for sharing a moment in a group. In Argentina, you connect by preparing mate when you get together with others to have a barbecue.”


Argentine barbecue, or asado, is also a staple in the 26-year-old's team when they are in Boca Raton, where he and his team live close to each other. Cozzarín generally is in charge of the cooking and it doesn’t matter the kind or cut of meat. “The most important thing for Tommy is the time spent with people he loves,” explains Herrero.

The valued time together means that everyone has an influence on the lives of each other. Tommy’s passion for fishing, sailing, windsurfing, listening to country music and watching the Philadelphia Eagles has rubbed off on his team members.

The Argentinians on his team have not only taught him about mate and barbecues. Paul can occasionally be heard uttering the word ‘boludo’, which is never far from the lips of a true Argentine, and he is now getting a taste for soccer.

Herrero is in the process of making Paul a Boca Juniors fan. “He’s not that much of a football guy, but I have to make him like Boca. The problem is that he kind of likes River Plate because Diego [Moyano] and Gabriel [Echevarría], who used to train him, support that team.”


One player has particularly caught Paul’s eye: Diego Maradona, particularly his famous warm-up with Napoli against Bayern Munich in the 1989 UEFA cup. The World Cup champion started to dance while juggling the ball, giving a new meaning to Life is Life, the song that was playing in the background of the Olympic Stadium in Munich.

Paul has been trying to imitate Maradona when he warms up before a practice session or a match. “He saw the video and he liked Diego’s magic. It really captured his imagination. So now he does that and laughs because he knows that we’re big Diego fans. It’s funny when he imitates him and even puts his hands up like he did,” explains Cozzarín.

The 13th seed in Miami has certainly given a reason for the Argentine natives to support him this fortnight at the ATP Masters 1000.

Editor's note: This story has been translated from ATPTour.com/es.

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[Damian]

In other early action, Tommy Paul survived a scare against Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein to advance 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4. The American is competing in his first clay-court event of the season after missing Monte-Carlo due to injury. Paul will next play Francisco Cerundolo after the Argentine downed Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 7-6(5).

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[Damian]

Tommy Paul's successful return after Miami ankle injury

Spoiler:

American next faces Cerundolo in Madrid third round
April 26, 2024
Tommy Paul improves to 15-6 on the season after winning his Madrid opener.Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Tommy Paul improves to 15-6 on the season after winning his Madrid opener.
By ATP Staff
Tommy Paul's strong start to the 2024 season was met with an abrupt setback in Miami, where the 26-year-old suffered an ankle sprain while leading Martin Damm in his opening match.

Thankfully, the American’s injury was nothing severe and on Friday, Paul was back in action at the Mutua Madrid Open, where the 15th seed defeated Slovakian Lukas Klien 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4. The two-hour, 20-minute battle allowed Paul to gauge his fitness level after a month of rehab and training.

“The goal was to get back for this tournament. I got two really good weeks of training, pretty much running side to side, [that’s] how we train for the clay-court season,” Paul said during a post-match interview with Tennis Channel. “I was really happy with how everything went.

“I got a few weeks to really put some work in. We always get it in the gym also. I feel like I’m coming here fit.”

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Paul won his first tour-level title since 2021 in February at the Dallas Open and extended his winning streak to seven by reaching the Delray Beach final the following week. After his second ATP Masters 1000 semi-final appearance in Indian Wells, the No. 16 player in the PIF ATP Rankings was poised to build upon his momentum during the second leg of the 'Sunshine Double'. Then, adversity struck in south Florida.

“It kind of sucked. We were waiting for the swelling to go down to get the MRI so it was two, three, four days there that we didn’t even know the severity of the injury,” Paul said. “We didn’t know what the ligaments looked like in there. After the swelling went down, we got pretty good news, it wasn’t anything too bad. Kind of routine for an ankle sprain. We got back to work. We spent a lot of time on the table, a lot of time rehabbing the ankle.”

The time away from the match court was not all bad news for Paul, who made sure to soak in any off time enjoying one of his hobbies.

“I actually got my boat. I got a fishing boat, so I’m dialled [in] when I go back,” said the North Carolina native, who next faces 21st seed Francisco Cerundolo in what will be their fifth Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting (2-2).

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