American Ethan Quinn Coming of Age on the Big Stage

Ethan Quinn won the NCAA men’s singles title as a Freshman, becoming the first Georgia Bulldog to win that prestigious title since 2002.

Since then he’s done nothing but improve.

The American, a Fresno, California native, turned pro in 2023 and cut his teeth on the Grand Slam stage at Roland-Garros last year, qualifying for the main draw and defeating Grigor Dimitrov on his main draw debut, before reaching the third round.

In Melbourne, it has been more of the same. The 21-year-old with one of the biggest forehands in the men’s game weathered the Hubert Hurkacz storm on Day 5, earning a 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-1 win that was backed by 11 forehands off the baseline (against just two from Hurkacz) and eight of eight break points saved.

The world No.80 was a picture of poise against Hurkacz, fighting off the Pole’s booming serves to earn seven break points, three of which he converted.

It’s all more proof that Quinn, who is coached by Brian Gables and mentored by Brad Stine, is headed in the right direction. He’s one of two unseeded American men to have reached the third round in Melbourne, along with fellow collegiate compatriot Eliot Spizzirri, who hails from the University of Texas.

For a guy who has just played his ninth Grand Slam main draw match, credit Quinn for being a quick study in the best-of-five format. He admits that he was sheepish about playing marathons when he first started, but he has quickly figured out what allows him to thrive in the format.

“I think my first five-set match that I played I was really neurotic about how to get ready for it,” he told reporters. “I remember calling my coach and being, like, Do I set an alarm every half hour in the middle of the night to hydrate? So I wasn’t really prepared for it.

“But now I feel like I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with I know that my training has got me ready. I know how to hydrate the day before. I know how to kind of stay off my feet the day before. Now kind of going into five sets, you know it’s all about being physical early, if you are able to set the tone early. Sometimes you can see guys tap out a little bit.”

Quinn hit 41 winners to just 24 from Hurkacz, and that says a lot about his capacity to dictate against the ATP’s most powerful players, but what also sticks out about the young American is his mental game.

Seven was his lucky number today, and he explained why after his win.

“I think every time I was down break point, I made sure that I found my seven,” he said. “That’s kind of the number that we tend to use in my team. Just a place where there’s still a little bit of pep in your step but also where it’s relaxed and ready to go. My team yells it throughout the court, so if you’re sitting in the stadium, you’re going to probably hear them say, Ethan, find your seven, something like that.

“I think every single time before a break point I was able to kind of find that moment. I didn’t feel rushed. I was able to pick my spot on the serve and just go after it.”

Quinn isn’t just playing the sport, he’s thinking it.

He’ll take his cerebral approach into a third-round match with another powerful player on Day 7 when he faces Jakub Mensik of Czechia.

In the meantime, he’ll keep soaking up the good vibes at the Happy Slam.

Even when they root against him, he enjoys the energy, he says.

“As I’ve now gotten in the main draw here, I’ve realized, you know, how rowdy it is, how electric it is, especially now playing on a stadium court,” says Quinn. “You know, there was a lot of Polish fans out there, which kind of reminded me as if I was in college. There was a lot of people yelling and chanting, whatever.

“Some people, you missed the first serve, and they’re chanting that you missed the first serve. So it really reminded me of college, and you know, kind of brought me back to this, like, whoa, I’m-here-now moment.

“I think that was really, really special.”