ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2025

Tommy Paul

Press Conference

T. PAUL/E. Moller

6-7, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Tommy, congratulations on the win. If you could walk us through today, what you think was the key.

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, it was a weird match from the jump with the wind and the rain on and off, it being a little colder.

But yeah, I mean, I think he came out playing well. He came out ready to go.

Started a little slow, also a little nervous. After that first set, felt like I was able to loosen up and really start playing my game a bit better.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think of Moller and his backhand?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, he came out, like I said, playing pretty well. Obviously very different kind of player, I guess (smiling). I mean, he's running around to hit backhands, which you don't see very often. Especially running around to hit 'em inside-out, which was kind of strange. But he did it very well.

And yeah, from the ground, he stuck with me pretty well. I thought it was an interesting match, for sure.

Q. Were you a bit surprised?

TOMMY PAUL: I mean, not really. I saw, like, a couple points that he played against Fonseca in Madrid, so I kind of knew what he plays like.

Q. You mentioned there about the different conditions. Could you talk through all of the different ones you played in today.

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, it's very different when it's raining to when the sun comes out for a second. It warms up. You feel like everything speeds up. On top of that, they're kind of expecting rain so they're not watering the court. When the wind blows, it's like a dust storm in your eyes.

I mean, it's definitely challenging, different. But I'm not sure what the weather's looking like the rest of this week. I guess we'll see.

Q. Is this tournament one of the most challenging in that regard for weather changing all the time, conditions changing?

TOMMY PAUL: I mean, I'm not sure. I know last year there was so much rain. Obviously today rain. I mean, in the past two years, you can say that, for sure.

Q. A question about the art of sliding on clay. Seems like you're one of the guys who is very comfortable with it. Can you talk me through the decision-making process, when to slide, how to slide? Do you feel it gives you a solid advantage on this surface?

TOMMY PAUL: I mean, it's definitely an advantage to be able to move confidently and slide confidently. I mean, there's times to slide and hit, and there's times to hit and slide. Being able to make those decisions in split seconds is very important.

I mean, movement in general in this sport is almost everything. It's so important. You got to be able to move as well as possible. It definitely could help me. I don't know that I've always been the best mover on clay, but I definitely feel like I've improved a ton.

Q. Back to the conditions topic, changing weather. How do you view all of that? Is that an annoyance, a challenge you're okay with? Does it not affect your game that much?

TOMMY PAUL: Sometimes it can be annoying. Sometimes it doesn't bother me too much. I guess it depends on what kind of mood I'm in (smiling).

I think I started the match today a little moody. It got the best of me there in the first set. Was able to relax and settle into the match. All that stuff didn't matter as much anymore.

Q. Ethan Quinn playing Dimitrov, your thoughts on that?

TOMMY PAUL: Love Ethan. I think he's playing awesome tennis. I mean, just experience-wise you would probably give Grigor the advantage there.

I mean, I think it's going to be a great match. I think Ethan is going to surprise some people with his level, maybe come out on top. I'm not sure. It should be a good one.

I think Ethan's playing great tennis in general, especially while on clay right now. I'm very impressed with him.

Q. Can I ask you about your last match in Rome, sort of if that affected at all your thinking of playing on clay, playing Jannik on clay, what you need to do to get to that level.

TOMMY PAUL: I think Jannik has said that clay is his least favorite surface. He's obviously pretty good on everything.

There were some things that he did that exposed me a little bit. I don't really want to go too deep into it because I don't want to give it all away.

I mean, he made some changes in the match that were great. Whether it was clay court tennis or hard court tennis or grass, he made adjustments. I failed to adjust as well as he did.

He picked up his level a ton. I think he won 9 or 10 games in a row, which, I mean, that hurts in the middle of the match.

I mean, somebody earlier in the week asked me, like, how good do you feel after winning the first set 6-1. I told them I felt great for five minutes, but then I lost nine games in a row. I didn't get to live with that very long (smiling).

Q. I'm curious about your story from Rome. How on earth did the F-150 truck get to be repossessed?

TOMMY PAUL: We got it back. We got it back.

Q. Can you explain the background of that.

TOMMY PAUL: I just changed banking and forgot to set up auto pay on my truck. I missed I think it was like three payments. They came and took it. I didn't know it happened like that. I didn't know how quick they would come and grab it, like in the middle of the night.

Now I'm watching all these repo shows where they come in and swoop trucks at 1 in the morning. It's definitely a funny experience. To be in Europe while it happened is even crazier. But we did get it back.

Q. You posted a video on your Instagram. Did you find out through the video or did you check the CCTV after?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, no, my trainer, he was still in Boca at the time. He was calling me. He was like, Hey, can you check your camera to see if you have any packages. When I have packages, he picks them up, puts them in my house.

I looked at the camera to see if there were packages, and there were no packages -- and no truck. Then I'm going back and scrolling and seeing what happened to my truck.

I'm like, What the hell is going on? There's a tow truck coming and taking my car. I thought it was stolen at first. My first thought wasn't like, you know, auto pay (laughter). But yeah, ended up being repo'd.

Q. Some players have been talking about the weird experiences they've had with anti-doping. Taylor was saying one time they came for him while he was really jetlagged and he couldn't get a sample. He was in the room taking a nap every 10 minutes. Some players have said that the guy while they're watching football waiting for the sample. Have you had any experiences like that?

TOMMY PAUL: Not really. I mean, we've all had experiences where we can't really, you know, go to the bathroom.

I mean, yeah, they definitely waited around longer than I'm sure they would like to. Most of our time slots are 6 in the morning, early, so we know we're home. I'm not, like, the best morning person. They probably dealt with a little attitude from me (smiling). That's about it.

Q. I just want to know if you and the other American men, do you feel like you've closed the gap on the rest of the world in terms of the Europeans had so much dominance in the past? Also, does Taylor's trip to the US Open final work as a prime motivator?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, that's a good question.

Yeah, I mean, I think we haven't closed the gap obviously 'cause none of us have won a slam. There's still a lot of really good Europeans ranked ahead of us. I wouldn't say the gap has closed. I think over the past six years or so, we've definitely made it smaller.

Absolutely, in terms of Fritz making the finals of the Open, we were all pumped to see that. It motivates us. We've been hearing our whole lives how U.S. tennis, we haven't had a Grand Slam champion in so long.

To have him in the finals there was huge for U.S. tennis, huge for him and frankly for all of us in terms of belief. Seeing him there, I think that we all believe we can be there. I think it's great for the sport.