Tommy Paul Sets 2025 US Open Goal: Reach Quarterfinals

Tommy Paul outlines wanting to make quarters in the 2025 US Open as his minimum objective in this year;s tournament. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Tommy Paul wants to make an impact in this year’s US Open.

It’s no secret that the US Open is one of the four most prestigious tennis events out there, along with Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the French Open. It’s the final of the four grand slam tennis events on a yearly basis and takes place in the bright lights of New York City.

The glamour, the attention and the fact that it takes place in America’s bigest media market is what makes the US Open stand out.

“What makes it stand out is, it’s the energy,” says Paul in a one-on-one interview. “New York City energy is just unmatched. No matter what anybody tells you, New York City is different. It’s amazing playing there.”

Over one million fans attended the US Open during its three weeks last year. The tournament has been around since 1881 and it has the largest prize pool in tennis history. The total player compensation will reach $90 million this year, including $5 million for men’s and women’s singles competitions.

Paul acknowledges he initially felt the pressure of playing in the US Open, but has since become used to it. The 28-year-old says once he won his first match there, a “crazy weight” was lifted off of his shoulders.

“The biggest challenge of the open for me was actually early on, when I first started playing pro and started playing the US Open,” says Paul. “I struggled because I felt that extra pressure of all the people, maybe a ton of people that I know are watching my match, but that’s something that once I won one match there, it felt like I had a crazy weight lifted off my shoulders.

“I felt free, and I felt like I could play there,” Paul continues to say. “Now I feel like I play some of my best tennis there. It’s something that I kind of had to learn and experience to get over that. Now I feel like there’s nowhere I’d rather play.”

The US Open often attracts some of the biggest celebrities due to it taking place in New York City, with known figures such as Steph Curry, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes attending last year’s event.

“Absolutely,” says Paul when asked if playing in New York City makes the US Open stand out. The energy, you get people showing up to US Open that don’t show up to any other tennis events. It’s in the state, so you know it’s on a different level.”

While Paul obviously would like to win the US Open, he mentions one clear objective in this year’s tournament – advance to quarters. Paul has never advanced past the fourth round in the tournament, with that marking his best finish in both 2023 and 2024.

That would make Paul one of the eight remaining men in the tournament. He previously reached a career-best No. 8 ATP singles ranking just a couple months prior in June, which means he’s in the midst of his best season at age 28.

“I’ve made quarters in every slam besides the open,” says Paul. “If I didn’t make quarters, I would leave the tournament not happy. My goal starting the year was to make quarters in all four slams. I made quarters in the first two, and then kind of Wimbledon didn’t work out. I’ll take three out of four now.”

Tommy Paul Dislikes Travel, Mentions Why Protein Is Pivotal During Tennis Season

One of the biggest keys for a tennis player to maintain their level of play is the right nutrition. It’s obviously an extremely taxing sport with the tennis season taking place during an entire year.

Paul admits that the travel is one of the things he dislikes about being a pro tennis player – he loves every other aspect of it – but makes sure he puts the right things in his body.

He leans on the Dymatize ISO100 as one of his favorite products, which is a Fruity Pebbles-flavored mix.

“It’s something that I literally use every day in practice or on the road playing tournaments,” says Paul. “It’s everything, it’s something I depend on, it’s something I know. I know exactly what it is, when it’s going in my body. I think that’s something that’s very important.”

“In tennis, there’s so much that you can’t control, and I think your recovery is the one thing that you really, really can,” says Paul. “We play a ton, we play long matches, and then you gotta turn around and play again the next day. It’s super important to do everything you can.”

The 28-year-old stresses the importance of getting the “right protein” in your body, especially considering he plays between 20-to-25 tournaments per year. He’s been using the ISO100 supplement for about two years now and calls it a “clean product.”

“Obviously you can do the ice bath, you can do the stretching, you can do the massage,” says Paul. “How much are you really doing if you’re not getting good protein in your body to be ready for the next day?