Paul reveals what he would change about tennis: "I don't understand it, we are the only sport that does that." Paul dévoile ce qu'il changerait dans le tennis : "Je ne comprends pas, nous sommes le seul sport à faire ça"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 25 May 2026 | 10.22

Tommy Paul, changements dans le tennis. Photo : gettyimages

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Tommy Paul arrives at Roland Garros 2026 with better feelings than some recent results reflect. After an intense clay court season and coming very close to fighting for the title in Hamburg, the American stated during the Parisian Media Day that he is physically and mentally prepared to face the second Grand Slam of the season.

In a press conference focused on the psychology of key moments, Tommy Paul reflected on how he faces match points, explained why he feels comfortable saving critical situations, and made interesting comments on the mental aspect of modern tennis. The American also discussed what he would change in the sport, analyzed the tactical evolution of the tour, and explained how he tries to maintain his composure even in moments of maximum pressure.

This is what Tommy Paul said before competing in Roland Garros 2026

His feelings before Roland Garros

"The clay court season has been a bit different for me this year. The tournaments were almost the same, although I added Hamburg, but the results were different. I played well in Houston and then I don't think I played badly in the Masters 1000 events, even though obviously I didn't get the results I wanted. In Hamburg, I did feel like I played some really good matches and now, even though the switch to Roland Garros is very fast, I feel quite good physically. Today was basically a full day of recovery and preparation to be ready tomorrow."

How he handles critical moments and match points

"Honestly, I don't exactly know how I manage to save so many match points lately. In Hamburg, I approached the matches thinking I would compete at my best, but also knowing that if I lost, I would have more time to prepare for Roland Garros. That probably took some pressure off even when I was match point down."

"In those moments, I just try to get a lot of balls back, keep hitting, and believe that I can still come back in the match. I never really felt like I was completely out of any match, and that helps a lot mentally."

Lessons learned from losing match points in Miami

"I remember perfectly how I felt in Miami when I had several match points and gradually felt the advantage slipping away. It's a horrible feeling because you start wanting the opponent's mistake too much instead of building the point normally."

"That's why when I'm match point down, I try just the opposite: make the opponent earn the point. I want them to have to come up with an incredible shot to close out the match. If they do, perfect, they're too good. I think you also have to accept defeat if the opponent truly earns it."

The psychological pressure in crucial points

"Every point in tennis is different, but clearly the final points of a match completely change your mindset. For most of the match, you have fairly clear routines about what you want to do tactically, but all of that fades a bit when someone is serving to close out the match."

"Your mind starts racing much faster there, and everything becomes mentally more complicated. When I'm match point down, I try to simplify absolutely everything: get balls in and make the other player take on the responsibility."

The change he would make within tennis

"One of the things I would change is that finalists don't have to go to the microphone to talk right after losing a final. I honestly don't quite understand why we do that in tennis because in many other sports it doesn't happen. That would probably be the only thing I would really modify."

Why he seems so calm on the court

"The truth is, inside my head, I'm not as calm as it seems. I simply discovered a while ago that the less emotions I show on the court, the better tennis I play."

"There are players who use anger, screams, or even breaking a racket to get fired up and improve. I experience just the opposite. My best tennis comes out when I manage to stay emotionally stable throughout the entire match."

The evolution of modern tennis from defensive positions

"I think the aspect that has evolved the most in modern tennis is players' ability to play from the corners and from defensive positions. Now, many players are capable of turning a defensive situation into a nearly neutral rally almost immediately."

"That's why my coach insists a lot on coming to the net when I manage to put the opponent on the defensive, because if you stay back, many players can reset the point from seemingly impossible positions."

The impact of technology and physicality in today's tennis

"A big part of this evolution has to do with the equipment and current rackets. I don't think players could hit like that from the corners using wooden rackets or old strings."

"But physicality also plays a huge role. Players like Alex de Miñaur or Carlos Alcaraz are true athletic monsters. They are incredibly fast, strong, and constantly practice those shots from extreme positions."

With renewed confidence after an uneven but competitive season, Tommy Paul approaches Roland Garros 2026 convinced that a large part of modern tennis is decided as much in the mind as in the strokes. The American made it clear in Paris that his greatest strength lies precisely in maintaining composure when the match enters emotionally dangerous territory.

Cette actualité est une traduction automatique. Vous pouvez lire la nouvelle originale Paul desvela qué cambiaría del tenis: "No lo entiendo, somos el único deporte que hace eso"