Tommy Paul has seen his dreams of reaching the ATP Tour Finals in Turin next month evaporate into the Paris air.
The American was surprisingly beaten by home favourite Adrian Mannarino in straight sets and he’s now snookered in the race to reach Turin.
Mannarino is the world number 44 and given the incentive for Paul, he will feel desperately disappointed to lose this one.
What will prove more frustrating is that Paul has enjoyed a pretty solid year on the tour in 2024 and lifted the Queen’s title in June.
The 27-year-old is currently the world number 12 and he’s striving for a really big run at a Grand Slam event.
In 2024, he made the quarter-final at Wimbledon before losing to Carlos Alcaraz but got no further than round four in the other three.
Paul won a bronze medal with Taylor Fritz at the Olympics and this represents a disappointing end to his year from a solo perspective.
Tennis fans in agreement after Tommy Paul loses at Paris Masters
It’s fair to say that some fans have made their minds up on Paul after this crushing defeat – with his credentials now coming into question.
Fans have taken to X to ask the question of whether Paul will ever enjoy that breakthrough period and prove he can become a top player.
Another critical fan wrote: “He will never be a top player. This was his peak and it’s been ended by Adrian Mannarino. A true embarrassment to American tennis. Luckily better and younger Americans about to take his place.”
Another tennis follower believes Turin will be better without Paul and wrote: “For the best really, he’s nowhere near the quality of player that should be in the finals.”
Finally, one tennis fan was short and sharp suggesting he was never going to make the finals, posting: “When did his dream ever begin?”
Paul must prove himself all over again in 2025
Clearly, he’s talented but Paul must be concerned that other American players are starting to take over him when it comes to their success stories.
For example, his doubles partner Fritz has now reached a Grand Slam final and that might be leaving him wondering when it will be his turn.
Given the brutal nature of professional tennis, the harsh reality might be that it will never be his turn to grace a Grand Slam final.
However, at 27, he does have some time on his side and after these comments from this loss to Mannarino, he has a point to prove all over again.
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