World number 12 Tommy Paul attracted attention on Sunday by wearing a Philadelphia Eagles cap during his press conference at the Adelaide International. This appearance comes a few days before his opening match in the tournament, highlighting his attachment to American sports.
When asked about his college sports preferences, the American tennis sensation expressed his affection for the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team and its ties to University of Georgia football. “I grew up really passionate about college sports. Tar Heels basketball was my passion, and I was committed to playing at Georgia, so I kept an eye on their football team, too,” Paul said. “That said, over the last couple of years I have gravitated more towards professional sports rather than college competitions.”
At the press event, the 27-year-old was asked about watching the Philadelphia Eagles’ game against the New York Giants, scheduled for 4:30 a.m. Adelaide time. Paul was vague, citing the unpredictability of jet lag and his sleep schedule. “We’ll see how I feel tonight and if the jet lag affects me. Who knows, I might just be awake for it!” he commented.
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The Philadelphia Eagles, valued at an impressive $6.6 billion according to Forbes, currently lead the NFC East with 13 division titles and won the Super Bowl crown in 2017 over the New England Patriots. Meanwhile, Tommy Paul is aiming for an upward trajectory in his career as he seeks more success for the 2025 season, following his bronze medal victory with Taylor Fritz in the doubles event at the Paris Olympics last year.
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Reflecting on his previous year, Paul had a productive run, winning three out of four titles in 2024, including victories in Dallas, Queen’s Club in London and Stockholm. He also reached the semi-finals of the Indian Wells and Rome Masters, with the highlight undoubtedly being his bronze medal performance at the Olympics.
“There are a few areas in my game that I am focusing on to improve. My goal is to improve my overall performance,” Paul noted. “More titles and better results are what I’m aiming for. I want to elevate every aspect of my game, you know?”
Last season, he narrowly missed out on a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals, after disappointing first-round exits to Brandon Nakashima in Vienna and Adrian Mannarino at the Paris Masters. This year at the ATP Adelaide International, Paul is seeded and has a first round bye. In his next match, he awaits the winner between Roman Safiullin and a qualifier yet to be determined.
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Last year, while also seeded in Adelaide, Paul began his campaign with a victory over Australian qualifier Alex Bolt, only to be knocked out by eventual runner-up Jack Draper in the quarter-final.
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