Tommy Paul helps ball girl retrieve a stuck ball during China Open 1R clash against Daniil Medvedev
World No. 13 Tommy Paul assisted a ball girl in retrieving a stuck ball during his first round clash at the 2023 China Open.
The American reached Beijing on the back of a fourth round exit at the US Open at the hands of fellow American Ben Shilton, and back-to-back losses in the group stage matches at the Davis Cup. He squared off against Daniil Medvedev in the first round of the China Open, and succumbed to another tough loss against the Russian.
However, a heartwarming moment of humility unfolded during the match, when Paul assisted a ball girl in retrieving a stuck ball beneath the large time clock on court. His act of kindness earned him a round of applause from the crowd, and the commentator commended him, saying:
"Doing his bit, Tommy Paul - good work!"
Paul seemed to be struggling with maintaining his focus throughout the match as he went down in one hour and 27 minutes 6-2, 6-1. It is unsure whether it was due to jet lag or other reasons.
The 26-year-old has had an extensive tennis season this year and has shown significant potential on the main tour. He's managed to amass 40 wins from 64 matches and had runner-up finishes at the Argentina Open, Aix En Provence CH and the Eastbourne International.
Paul also reached the semifinals at the 2023 Australian Open and the Canada Open. He will be hoping to finish the season on a strong note and instantly make amends after his early loss in Beijing.
Tommy Paul to square off against Carlos Alcaraz at the upcoming TennisFest GNP in Mexico
Tommy Paul and World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz are gearing up for an exciting showdown, this time at the TennisFest GNP exhibition event in Mexico.
Following the immense success of the 2022 edition which featured Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud, TennisFest in Mexico City is set to return. The event is scheduled for November 29 at the Plaza de Toros (Bullring) Mexico.
The head-to-head between Paul and Alcaraz is tied at 2-2. In 2023, the two players have already clashed three times, with Alcaraz claiming victory twice in Miami and Cincinnati, while Paul secured a win against the Spaniard at the Canadian Open. Incidentally, Paul had also defeated Alcaraz in the 2022 version of the Canadian Open.
Following his defeat at the 2023 Canadian Open, World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz had high praise for Tommy Paul.
"He's certainly a complete player. You know, the matches that we have played has been really tough ones. He's a really solid player. Has great talent, great shots. You know, he's really, really fast as well. So he's one of the best players in the world right now. I mean, he's a mix of everything," Carlos Alcaraz asaid in a press conference
Paul, on the contrary, said that he had complete belief of beating Alcaraz prior to going against the breakthrough tennis star. He said:
"It helps knowing you can beat your opponent. You never want to walk on court & be like 'I don’t know if I can beat this guy.' It’s kind of the attitude you’ve got to have no matter who you’re playing."