Serving it up! Tennis pro Tommy Paul sat down with Haute Living Miami for their March 2024 cover story and explained why carving out time for rest and relaxation helps him on the court.
"I'm a competitor and a tennis player. At heart, I feel like that’s who I am. … I honestly love the sport. It’s engraved in me. Obviously, tennis is exhausting; it’s a long season, but I enjoy it even in the tough times," he told the magazine.
To stay motivated through it all, Paul relies on his loved ones to lift him up.
"One of the hardest parts about tennis is how much time you’re away from your family and friends, so when I’m here, I like to keep it simple. … I do like to have fun, I like to hang out with my friends. I'm a normal person, but I'm also a competitor," the athlete explained.
"Now, I try to spend as much time [chilling out] as I can, whether it's at the beach, fishing, by the ocean, or at dinner. My girlfriend [Paige Lorenze] makes me home-cooked meals," he added.
The 26-year-old also recognizes the significance of alone time in his career.
"Before matches, I like to sit by myself. I turn off my phone. I think it’s powerful to be by yourself and alone with your thoughts before you go and play," the New Jersey native told the publication.
"Tennis is an independent, solo sport — your greatest enemy is always going to be yourself, but that’s also what pushes you to the next level. There's so much self-doubt when you’re playing an individual sport. You don't have a team to blame — it’s all on you," he said.
"You have your support team, but you’re the only one out there playing. That, in my opinion, is the beauty of the sport — and I think it's the most beautiful sport in the world for that reason," Paul continued.
As for his latest aspirations: "Winning is the most important thing to me right now, I enjoy competing, and I hate losing. … I want to win tournaments. I want to go home as a champion. I know that's probably a corny goal, but there it is. I want to end tournaments on a win."
"Last year, every week that I played, I lost my last match. I got number 12 in the world, so I did pretty well, but I didn’t break the top 10 — and that's another goal, but I guess if I win tournaments, that’ll help me get to the top 10, so my goals go hand in hand," he spilled.
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