Tommy Paul is slowly and steadily becoming the focal point of American tennis, isn’t he? The American star is putting on consistent performances tournament after tournament to become one of the three Americans inside the top 10. While his exploits on the court are a treat to watch, he also shares a wonderful bond with fellow players, often bonding with them on and off the court. On one such occasion, Tommy Paul’s name resurfaced when Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka were asked to make an interesting pick.
During a fun interaction with BBC Sport, the likes of Fritz and Opelka were asked to choose whom they’ll contact during an emergency situation. Both of them took Paul’s name, albeit for different reasons. Fritz said, “I think I’d call Tommy Paul. I feel like he’d take it seriously; he’s pretty responsive, I feel like he’d have my back.” Fritz and Paul are good friends and have shared a close bond for years now. They even trained together in their teenage years and have known each other since their childhood days. Thus, it was no surprise that Fritz went with Paul as his go-to emergency contact.
On the other hand, Opelka had a completely different opinion. When asked about the same, he revealed, “Tommy is the worst guy to contact in an emergency. I’ve had the emergencies with him there… not the guy.” Like Taylor Fritz, Opelka also knows Paul since his junior days but didn’t feel that Paul was a very good choice as an emergency contact.
You’re in need of some help, who you gonna call? Novak Djokovic? pic.twitter.com/3hlIgDySWZ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 21, 2025
However, Paul wasn’t just the pick of Fritz and Opelka. Even Cameron Norrie felt that the American star would be an ideal emergency contact, saying, “I would say Tommy Paul, one of my best friends. He’ll find a way to help me. I don’t know how he will but he’ll do it.”
Meanwhile, Taylor Fritz and Paul will be two among the many American stars competing at the upcoming Wimbledon Championships. Ahead of the tournament, tennis legend Jimmy Connors assessed their chances at the tournament.
Amongst Taylor Fritz and other players, Jimmy Connors picks his bet for Wimbledon
With as many as three Americans in the form of Fritz, Paul, and Ben Shelton inside the top 10 of the ATP rankings, they stand a good chance to go the distance at the Wimbledon Championships. Additionally, their game is very much suited to this surface, something that will play out well for the trio. During the Advantage Connors podcast, Jimmy Connors opened up about their chances.
He said, “They have got big games, Fritz and Shelton. They hit the ball hard; they serve big. But I like Tommy Paul. He has got guts. He doesn’t have the weapons but also on grass you have to remember that movement is a big part of it. So if he can get a little lucky draw and get stuck in there, some good things could happen for him too. Shelton is a lefty; on grass, that is always tough. But you have just got to remember that no matter what, cutting down on your errors is an important thing. It’s okay to go for your big shots and hit a winner but there is a right time and a right place for all of that.”
Taylor Fritz enters the Wimbledon Championships in good form, having won the Boss Open recently. Who do you think would be the best bet at Wimbledon among Fritz, Paul, and Shelton? Let us know your views in the comments below.
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