Tommy Paul has roared into the quarter-final of the French Open, thrashing Australian star Alexei Popyrin in straight sets on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
The American star has produced a wonderful return to form after a pretty indifferent first half of 2025, with the player slipping down the ATP rankings to number 12 in the world.
Paul is a very capable player, however, and at 28-years-old, he might feel that the time is now for him to make a genuine fist of getting himself a first Grand Slam title.
The New Jersey native had never been beyond round three of the French Open previously, and he can now look forward to facing either Carlos Alcaraz or Ben Shelton in an eagerly anticipated last-eight match later this week.
Tommy Paul does something that no American has done since Andre Agassi in 2003
It’s been a long time coming for American tennis, but things do look to be on the up, and it’s certainly been a very long time since anyone made the last eight of Roland Garros from the United States.
Not since Agassi in 2003 has any American player made the last eight of the French Open. On that occasion, the eight-time Grand Slam champion lost in four sets to Argentine player Guillermo Coria.
Agassi did win the tournament in 1999 to claim his only French Open crown, and now, Paul will be dreaming of doing the same should he come through his next match against either Alcaraz or Shelton.
Paul came through three gruelling matches to reach the last 16 against Popyrin, playing 14 sets in his three opening clashes, making it interesting to see just what energy he will have left in reserve when he plays his quarter-final.
Tommy Paul has done something no other American has done in history
It’s turning into quite the tournament for Paul, who has now done something that no current American on the ATP Tour has been able to do during their career to date.
The likes of Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz are all proving to be very capable players, and it does feel like a Grand Slam champion can come from the United States in the future.
Paul is now the first current American player on the ATP Tour to reach a quarter-final of a Grand Slam on all three of the active surfaces after reaching a maiden last eight on clay.
The challenge of going any further in this tournament will be tough with Alcaraz likely to be his next opponent, but Paul is still in the competition and you can bet he will provide a stern test for whoever he comes up against.
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