BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

January 3, 2026

Tommy Paul

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to Brisbane. Do you want to talk us through the first few days you have had here and how your preparation is going.

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, got here a couple of days ago. Had some good practice. Always excited to play on the courts here in Australia. I feel like the tournaments here do a very good job of having all the tournaments pretty similar in court speed and style.

It's a court that's always matched up pretty well with my game. Excited to start the year here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Last year in Australia you have one of the great moments of your season with the semifinals and the quarterfinals in Melbourne. How is it for you coming here again and having the motivation of the previous result, but also with the responsibility of maybe repeat that result? How you handle these two emotions?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, people talk about it all the time, defending points and the pressure of that. I don't know. I don't really look at it like that. I look at every year as a new year starting from zero. Everyone is starting from zero. This is where it all starts.

I'm just excited to start playing again. I hadn't played for three-and-a-half months now, so this is actually my first time in Brisbane, so I started the year a little bit earlier this year and excited to get some matches in.

Q. As you mentioned, you haven't played a lot in the second half of the season. How are you feeling physically?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I'm like 100% now (smiling). Excited. Really feeling good all over. My body feels great and ready to compete. Excited to compete.

Q. I guess it's unusual for you to have that extended time off too. Were there any silver linings in having some time at home?

TOMMY PAUL: Oh, absolutely. Every part of it (smiling). I was saying that I feel like that's what the schedule should be, you know, like stop after the US Open and have three months off. I feel most of the other sports are kind of like that, at least in the States. I mean, for me, it was great.

I mean, the last six, seven weeks were a lot more training than I normally get, which was, I mean, I would say it's nice. I guess we'll see how it helps me in the beginning of this season. But, I mean, I didn't mind it one bit.

Q. You mentioned obviously this is your first time in Brisbane and you mentioned you came here a little bit earlier than you would have previously. Is there anything else that you'll do differently this year?

TOMMY PAUL: I don't think so. I have always come to Australia and felt pretty comfortable. I mean, I changed a couple of things in the way that we did the preseason, but for the most part, it was pretty similar.

I have always been comfortable coming here, playing on the courts here. Faster courts, lower-bouncing courts. It's hot outside. I like all those things. Probably not going to try and change too much.

Q. I don't know if you set any goals or if you would be willing to share them, but what does a successful 2026 look like for you?

TOMMY PAUL: I mean, it would be nice to play the whole season. Injury-free, pain-free would be great. I mean, every tournament, every year you go to tournaments wanting a title, and I didn't get any last year. I definitely want to get some this year.

Q. You say that maybe the calendar is too long for the tennis, if you compare with other sports. Do you think that's something that is going to change in the future?

TOMMY PAUL: No.

Q. They're going to have a new Masters in Arabia, maybe less 250s. Do you think there is going to be an important change in that way?

TOMMY PAUL: No, I don't think so.

Q. What do you think about that option that maybe with the Masters in Arabia there is going to be less tournaments in the other parts? Because they still don't know the date of the Masters. They say February maybe, at the same time that the South American tour. Do you think that maybe this option of maybe having more bigger tournaments...

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, obviously as players we always like the bigger tournaments, but the bigger tournaments now are two weeks long, and I feel like it's a misconception. A lot of people think the two-week, ten-day events are easier on us, but it's not. So, I mean, yeah, I know what you mean, we're playing less tournaments but we're playing the same amount of time. Not too much changes.