Tommy Paul has made history by becoming the first American man to reach the French Open quarterfinals since Andre Agassi achieved the feat in 2003. The 28-year-old, seeded 12th at Roland-Garros, secured his place in the last eight by defeating 25th-seeded Alexei Popyrin of Australia with a straight-sets victory of 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, all accomplished in less than two hours.
Paul’s performance was particularly impressive, as he saved 9 of the 10 break points faced and capitalized on nearly all the six break points he created. This success comes on the heels of back-to-back five-set matches, showcasing his resilience and skill on the court. Notably, both Paul and Popyrin share a connection, having each won junior singles titles on the iconic red clay of Paris, with Paul clinching his title a decade ago.
With this milestone, Paul continues to reinforce his status as a formidable competitor, having previously reached the semifinals at the Australian Open in 2023 and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year. He is now the only active American male player to advance to the last eight at Grand Slam tournaments across all three surfaces: hard, grass, and clay.
Furthering the story, multiple U.S. men have not reached the French Open quarterfinals simultaneously since 1996, when legends Jim Courier and Pete Sampras accomplished this. Agassi remains the last American man to have reached the semifinals in the French Open, notably winning the championship in 1999.
On the same day, fellow American players Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe were set to compete in their respective fourth-round matches, hoping to join Paul in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, a strong showing from American women is also noteworthy, with five reaching the fourth round this year, including No. 16 Amanda Anisimova facing off against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Overall, Tommy Paul’s advancement marks a significant achievement for American tennis, and with the potential for more players to follow in his footsteps, the future looks optimistic for U.S. competitors in upcoming Grand Slam tournaments.