"I think its well-deserved": Andy Roddick praises America's to-be number one Tommy Paul after heroics in Queen's Club Championship

Former world number one Andy Roddick has praised Tommy Paul, who will take the court on Sunday and has a chance to become America’s number one player. The 27-year-old booked his place in the final of the Queen’s ATP Championship after beating fellow American Sebastian Korda in the semifinal in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 7-6.

With that win, Paul has a real chance of becoming America’s number one player if he beats Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in Sunday's competition final. Former world number one Roddick, while talking to Tennis Channel, praised Paul and believed it would be well-deserved if he became the number one men’s player in America.

The one-time Grand Slam winner also highlighted how Paul’s rise to the top in men’s tennis in America is due to his professional attitude throughout his career.

“I think its well-deserved from Tommy Paul,” he said. “I don’t think he is always the first names on the lips when we are talking about who is that guy. Frankly, we have overlooked Tommy Paul and he has worked himself into this position. This just didn’t happen. He had to learn something. He had to learn how to become professional on the tour. So you would like to see this happen to Tommy Paul because of the process, because he turned his career around.”

Paul’s rise in ATP rankings is down to his impressive form in the 2024 season. The New Jersey-born played in two finals this year, where he won once and suffered a defeat in the other contest. He lifted the Dallas Open title after beating Marcos Giron with a score of 7-6, 5-7, 6-3. In the final of the Delray Beach Open, Paul came second-best as he lost to fellow American Taylor Fritz with a score of 6-2, 6-3.

Paul’s opponent Musetti defeated Australia’s Jordan Thompson in the semifinal clash of the competition on Saturday with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Interestingly, it will be the first time when both players will clash in a professional match on a tennis court.