🎾 Manuel Guinard vs Jakub Paul
* Watch and bet on this match live here.
Tommy Paul has been one of the great protagonists this last week on the ATP circuit thanks to lifting the title in the Stockholm tournament. Along with Karen Khachanov (champion in Almaty) and Roberto Bautista (champion in Antwerp), the American completed the trio of winners this past Sunday after a spectacular performance. Paul repeated the feat in the Swedish capital as he won his first title there in 2021, something very special in his career, as he himself confessed that “This is probably my favorite tournament in the world.”.
The number 12 in the world has thus placed himself in a very advantageous position, since those 250 points give him an opportunity to sneak into the top 8 players of the year (currently in 10th place) and play the ATP Finals for the first time in his career. And yes, a tournament like Stockholm, in this category, can be very important at this time of year, where everything depends on a handful of points.
Furthermore, for the American, the aura of this Swedish tournament is different from the rest, because since it is played in a club, you can breathe tennis 365 days a year: “Playing in a 250 always has something special, since it is a club that organizes the event. Most of the time these are venues that are set up a week before the tournament, especially in indoor events. These are stadiums , basketball courts or whatever, where a court is placed on top and the stands are set up here there is a full-time court all year round.”he said to Vogue Scandinavia.
The connection of the American with the tournament with which he inaugurated his record is undeniable, as it also highlights how great Grand Slam winners were also crowned there, like the locals Björn Borg o Stefan Edberg. “Stockholm has an incredible history with the number of Grand Slam champions,” Tommy said after admitting that his favorite Swedish player is Edberg, who was present at his final. “I’ve never actually talked to him, but my coach loves him and we love the way he used to play. I have seen many videos of him playing”, he confessed.
Hot on the heels of Sinner and Alcaraz
Paul is very close to breaking into the top 10 in the ranking, something he has not yet achieved in his career. That is also why this title in Stockholm is so important, because it gives him wings to continue on the path that leads him to his goal. In fact, he has become the third player along with Matteo Berrettini with more titles this 2024 (Dallas, Queen’s and Stockholm), only behind Jannik Sinner with 7 and Carlos Alcaraz with 4. It is not a coincidence, since their perseverance is paying off and what makes them consider a very hopeful 2025. For now, let’s think about Vienna, where he will debut tomorrow against his compatriot Brandon Nakashima and who beat him in the Canadian Masters 1000. “He beat me two months ago, he beat me. So I have to get a little revenge.”Paul said amused.
