Tommy Paul (tennis)

Thomas John Paul (born May 17, 1997) is an American professional tennis player. He has a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 8, achieved on 9 June 2025, and a doubles ranking of No. 97, achieved on 12 September 2022. He has won four ATP Tour titles, and reached a major semifinal at the 2023 Australian Open. He won a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in men's doubles, partnering with Taylor Fritz. He is currently the No. 4 American singles player.

Junior career

Paul was consistently one of the highest ranked juniors of his class. Paul reached a career-high ITF junior rank of No. 3 on December 9, 2015.

Paul reached two junior Grand Slam finals in 2015. He won the 2015 French Open boys' singles title by defeating fellow American Taylor Fritz in the final in three sets. At the same tournament he reached the final in doubles partnering fellow American William Blumberg. He also reached the final at the 2015 US Open boys' singles, this time losing to Fritz in three sets.

Professional career

2015: Grand Slam debut

Paul turned pro in 2015. Although unusual for an American male, Paul has shown a preference for playing on clay, having won the Junior French Open and his first five ITF Futures singles titles on clay. Paul was just the second American boy to win the French Open since John McEnroe in 1977, twenty years before Paul was born. He qualified for the main draw of a major for the first time at the 2015 US Open, losing to Andreas Seppi in the first round.

2016: First top 100 and ATP level win

In March 2016, Paul cracked the top 200 for the first time by qualifying for the Miami Masters. In April, Paul was awarded a wild card into the 2016 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships at Houston, and defeated 53rd-ranked Paolo Lorenzi in the first round for his first career ATP level win.

Paul would then mainly compete on the ATP Challenger Tour and ITF Circuit for the remainder of 2016.

2017: First ATP 500 quarterfinal

He continued competing in Challengers and ITFs in first half of 2017. In July 2017, after going through qualifying at the Atlanta Open, he defeated seventh seed and 53rd-ranked Chung Hyeon in three sets. He then went on to defeat Malek Jaziri in three sets to advance to his first ATP Tour-level quarterfinal. Then he was defeated by third seed Gilles Müller. Following his performance in Atlanta, Tommy was awarded a wild card into the ATP 500 Washington Open. Paul defeated Casper Ruud to advance to the second round. He then played Lucas Pouille and achieved the biggest win of his career, defeating the Frenchman in straight sets. In the next round, he faced Gilles Müller again, but this time came out on top in three sets to reach his first ATP 500 quarterfinal. He lost to Kei Nishikori in three sets.

2019: Top 100 debut

In September, Paul broke into the top 100 for the first time in his career having won his second ATP Challenger title of the year in New Haven, after winning in Sarasota earlier in the season.

2020: Major singles third round, quarterfinal in doubles

Paul started his season at the first edition of the Adelaide International. Getting past qualifying, he reached the semifinals where he lost to fellow qualifier Lloyd Harris. Ranked No. 80 at the Australian Open, Paul reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career by beating 18th seed and world No. 20, Grigor Dimitrov, in the second round. He was defeated in the third round by Márton Fucsovics.

2021: Top 50, first top 5 win, maiden ATP title

Paul started his 2021 season at the Delray Beach Open. Seeded fifth, he lost in the second round to compatriot and eventual finalist, Sebastian Korda. Seeded 15th at the Murray River Open, he was defeated in the second round by Australian Alexei Popyrin. Ranked No. 53 at the Australian Open, he lost in the second round to 24th seed Casper Ruud.

In March, Paul competed at the Rotterdam Open. He reached the quarterfinals where he fell to qualifier and eventual finalist, Márton Fucsovics. At the Abierto Mexicano in Acapulco, he was eliminated in the first round by fourth seed Milos Raonic. In Miami, he was beaten in the first round by Marcos Giron.

Paul started his clay-court season at the Sardegna Open. Seeded eighth, he lost in the first round to Yannick Hanfmann. At the Monte-Carlo Masters, he was defeated in the second round by ninth seed Roberto Bautista Agut. In Madrid, he was ousted from the tournament in the second round by sixth seed and world No. 7, Andrey Rublev. Getting past qualifying at the Italian Open, he lost in the first round to tenth seed Roberto Bautista Agut. At the Lyon Open, he was defeated in the second round by second seed, world No. 5, and eventual champion, Stefanos Tsitsipas. Seeded sixth at the first edition of the Emilia-Romagna Open in Parma, Italy, he reached the semifinals where he lost to Sebastian Korda. Ranked 52 at the French Open, he beat Christopher O'Connell in a first-round five-set thriller before he lost in the second round to world No. 2, Daniil Medvedev. As a result, he entered the top 50 on June 14, 2021.

Paul missed the grass-court season due to a foot injury.

Paul qualified to represent the United States at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He lost in the first round to 11th seed Aslan Karatsev of Russia.

Paul started his US Open Series at the Washington Open and lost in the first round to Daniel Elahi Galán. Getting past qualifying at the Canadian Open in Toronto, he was defeated in the second round by tenth seed Roberto Bautista Agut. Making it through qualifying at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, he beat 16th seed, Cristian Garín, in the first round. He was eliminated in the second round by Lorenzo Sonego. Ranked 54 at the US Open, he lost in the first round to Roberto Carballés Baena in four sets.

During the week of September 27, Paul competed at the San Diego Open. He lost in the first round to Sebastian Korda. At the Indian Wells Masters, he recorded one of the biggest wins of his career, defeating fourth seed and world No. 5, Andrey Rublev, to reach the round of 16. Previously, he had never made the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event. This was his second win against a top 10 opponent after he defeated Alexander Zverev in Acapulco in 2020. He was beaten in the fourth round by 21st seed and eventual champion, Cam Norrie. At the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, he lost in the second round to sixth seed and eventual finalist, Marin Čilić. In St. Petersburg, he was defeated in the second round by fifth seed and eventual finalist, Taylor Fritz. Getting past qualifying at the Paris Masters, he lost in the second round to seventh seed and world No. 10, Hubert Hurkacz. Paul played his final tournament of the season at the Stockholm Open. He reached the first ATP final of his career, defeating fifth seed, Taylor Fritz, in the second round, former world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion, Andy Murray, in the quarterfinals, and eighth seed, Frances Tiafoe, in the semifinals. He won the title, defeating third seed and defending champion, Denis Shapovalov. He became the 10th first-time titleist of the year.

Paul ended the year ranked No. 43.

2022: Two top 3 wins, Wimbledon fourth round, top 30

Paul started his 2022 season at the Adelaide International 1. Seeded sixth, he reached the quarterfinals where he lost to top seed and eventual champion, Gaël Monfils. At the Adelaide International 2, he made it to the quarterfinals where he was defeated by fourth seed Marin Čilić. Ranked No. 41 at the Australian Open, he was eliminated in the second round by Miomir Kecmanović.

Seeded fourth at the Delray Beach Open, Paul reached the semifinals where he fell to top seed Cam Norrie. At the Abierto Mexicano in Acapulco, he won his first-round match when his opponent, world No. 6 and fifth seed Matteo Berrettini, retired due to injury. He was beaten in the quarterfinals by fourth seed, former world No. 1, three-time champion, and eventual champion, Rafael Nadal. Representing the U.S. in the Davis Cup tie against Colombia, Paul played one match and won over Nicolás Mejía. In the end, the USA beat Colombia 4–0 to make up for Colombia beating them last year. At the Indian Wells Masters, he upset world No. 3, Alexander Zverev, in the second round for the biggest win of his career to reach the third round for a second time. He lost in the third round to 29th seed Alex de Minaur. The following week at the Miami Open, he defeated 23rd seed, Karen Khachanov, in the second round to reach the third round for the first time. He was ousted from the tournament in the third round by 11th seed Taylor Fritz. As a result, he reached the top 35 at world No. 34 on April 4, 2022.