"It feels like he can generate absurd power from nothing": Tommy Paul picks the cleanest ball striker in the Tour
ATP
Tommy Paul, one of the standout Americans on the Tour, has been making headlines throughout this week at the Rome Open. After overcoming a challenging matchup against Hurkacz to reach the semis, Paul shared his thoughts about the upcoming matchup against Sinner, and even had time to pick who he thinks is the most powerful striker on the planet.
Tommy Paul continues to demonstrate time and time again why he's the go-to-guy from the US Team when it comes to play good consistent tennis on clay. The 27-year-old player has reached once again the final four in Rome, repeating what he accomplished at the Foro Italico last year.
To add more in that comparison with last year's campaign, Paul defeated again Hurkacz in the quarterfinals to reach the semis, except that this time, it won't be Nicolas Jarry who awaits, but the world's No. 1, Jannik Sinner.
When asked about how he feels now that he'll be facing Jannik on Friday, Tommy embraced the task:
"It's a challenge. [Jannik] Sinner is obviously the number one player in the world, the best player in the world. He’s excited to be playing here in Rome, I’m sure. I’ve been watching him play this week. It’s been fun to watch."
The Italian is coming off a 90 day suspension that began right after his title in Australia due to the infamous doping case that shocked the world last year. Still, he's been playing awesome tennis since his return.
"Doesn’t feel like he’s rusty very much at all. I’m excited. I mean, anytime you get to play the best players, you’re excited, you know?”, said the world's No. 12.
Paul also praised Sinner's game by stating:
"He hits the ball so big all the time. Feel like he can generate so much power from nothing. That’s one of the best parts of his game. Probably the cleanest ball-striker on tour. Obviously, a great competitor with that. Yeah, I mean, he’s number one in the world for a reason, you know?"
"He hits the ball so big all the time. Feel like he can generate so much power from nothing. That’s one of the best parts of his game. Probably the cleanest ball-striker on tour. Obviously, a great competitor with that. Yeah, I mean, he’s number one in the world for a reason, you know?"
Tommy Paul during the 2024 US Open, just before his last duel against Sinner
Still, Tommy knows how to make things complicated for the Australian Open champion. This will be their fifth encounter, with the Italian up 3-1. But if we look further into those matchups, we can find that Paul always gave Jannik a run for his money, even defeating him at Eastbourne in 2022.
Every tennis match is different, and for Tommy Paul there's a great chance to shock the world with a victory over the best player on the planet and reach the finals of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament for the first time in his career.
At TennisUpToDate.com, our writer—who holds a degree in biochemistry—brings a two-year, research-driven mindset and a sharp editorial voice to every story he tackles. Whether he’s breaking news, dissecting tactical shifts, or crafting in-depth tournament narratives, his work consistently delivers clarity, depth, and a unique lens on the game.
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