At 28, Paul Taps Experience More than Ever

Tommy Paul was a bit of a late bloomer on the ATP Tour. Preternaturally gifted but not exactly the most disciplined chap in his early twenties, it took the American a while to find his top tennis. But now that he has, climbing as high as No.8 in the ATP rankings last June after reaching quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, Paul is eager to use the lessons learned to propel him higher.

Injuries sapped his energy and eventually forced him to cut his season short in 2025, and his ranking sank as he idled off the tour, so Paul enters the season ranked 21, but he’s already off and running at the Australian Open.

Paul eased past compatriot Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4 6-3 6-3 on Day 2 in Melbourne, and afterwards he talked to reporters about his journey through an injury-marred 2025 and how experience now works in his favor on tour.

Paul, who will face Argentina’s Thiago Augustin Tirante in round two, said he had about four matches in 2025 in which he felt completely fit. Not ideal for any player but especially one like Paul, who wins points with agility, quickness and resilience.

“I knew at some point in the year I was going to have to be shutting it down,” he said. “I kind of just extended maybe a little too long. Probably shouldn’t have gone and played Wimbledon. Probably shouldn’t have played US Open.

“At the same time I’m happy I did it. I think the time that I stopped was good, right after the Open. Got to stay home for a bit, fully reset my mind to get ready for this year. In some sort of ways it was a blessing for me, you know, to be home, fully reset, get completely healthy. It had been, like I said, it had been eight months at the time I was really fully healthy. It was definitely necessary.”

Starting a new year with a healthy body is a boon. Paul says he may be more careful about his schedule in 2026, but more than anything he’s looking forward to playing – and winning – a lot of matches when his body allows it.

And as he approaches his thirties (Paul will turn 29 in May) Paul is hoping to use what he’s learned in his career to help him against the young guns that hope to knock him off his perch.

“I’m getting older. I’m seeing a bunch of kids come through, that seem so young now,” he said. “But, I mean, I think for me it helps. Experience, it means a lot in this sport. I feel like you gain a lot from experience coming down here. Playing in the first round when you are in your younger years, you feel so nervous. You don’t know really what you’re getting yourself into.”

There’s comfort in knowing the lay of the land at each tour stop, at having been there and done that in all situations, whether it be a five-setter in the heat or facing a Frenchman in Paris. The cumulative experience makes all of tennis trials by fire relatively easier.

“I know what I’m getting myself into every time I play,” Paul said. “Three out of five sets, it’s very challenging on the body, but I think over the years, I’ve learned how to deal with that, how to manage that.”