“I want to win. I don’t like losing in any situation. I am a competitive guy,” declared Tommy Paul, the fiery American whose 2025 season has fallen short of expectations. Grand Slams, in particular, have been unforgiving; at the recent US Open, he exited in the third round despite an impressive 63.79% hard-court win rate. Roland Garros promised a deeper run, yet injuries repeatedly sabotaged his potential. Now, as the season edges toward its close, Paul’s coach, Brad Stine, has now lifted the veil on a bizarre locker room incident that triggered these struggles, revealing a surprising chapter behind the American’s injury woes.

On a recent episode of The Inside In Tennis podcast, Tommy Paul’s coach Brad Stine opened up about the American’s challenging 2025 season, particularly a bizarre incident that unfolded during the clay-court swing. Stine recounted, “I don’t know if you’ve heard this story or not, but we had a weird occurrence during the clay court season. You know, Tommy goes to Madrid and he lost, I think second or third round there or something. I can’t remember.” He was referencing Paul’s Round of 16 loss to Jack Draper, a result that would soon be overshadowed by an odd locker room ordeal.

Stine continued the story with vivid detail: “And we took a day off where we didn’t go to the courts at all. And then we went out the next day and we were going to practice and then leave the following day to go to Rome. And we get to the courts and, you know, I don’t think anybody did anything underhanded or anything like that, but all of his stuff was gone from his locker, which included his shoes and inside of his shoes, his orthotics.” The missing gear, particularly the well-worn orthotics, would prove pivotal in the struggles that followed.

“These orthotics were really, those were older orthotics that were kind of broken in. And so, you know, he had a second pair of orthotics, but they were brand new, a little bit stiff. And, you know, he did some fitness, some training, you know, obviously on the court practicing and those kinds of things,” Stine explained. The sudden transition to new, rigid orthotics disrupted Paul’s rhythm and stability, planting the seeds for a persistent injury that would haunt him for months.

“And all of a sudden his foot starts bothering him. And, you know, we’re convinced obviously that it was the transition to the newer orthotics. Foot started getting worse and worse and worse,” Stine added. Despite ongoing treatment from Paul’s physio, Seba, the discomfort intensified, creating a constant battle on and off the court. “He was playing on it and everything, but it was definitely bothering him,” Stine emphasized, revealing the tenacity and pain Paul endured during this period.

The problem lingered as the tour moved forward. “As soon as we got to Paris, you know, we come off of that and we’re going into Paris feeling, you know, okay, really good result,” Stine said, but the optimism was tempered by the lingering pain. “But it was really tempered in everyone’s mind by the fact that he was dealing with the situation, went and got an MRI there, and they looked at the MRI, and we had an MRI later again at Wimbledon, and it was the exact same thing.”

Stine clarified the medical challenge: “He had an issue with this tendon in his foot called the peroneus longus tendon, which runs down the length of your foot. And I say tendon, I think it’s a ligament. Sorry, I’m not a doctor.” Despite the uncertainty over exact terminology, the impact was crystal clear: the discomfort was intense and unrelenting. “But I think it’s a ligament that runs down the length of the foot. And in the end, again, it was just very painful through Paris. And dealing with a lot of that, and he battled his way through two, three out of five set match, two five set matches against Puchovic and against Hatchinov,” Stine recounted, underscoring Paul’s resilience amidst pain.

Brad Stine’s revelation sheds light on why Tommy Paul has struggled to maintain consistency this season. The odd locker room incident and the resulting foot injury have taken a toll on the American’s performance, leaving a tangible void wherever he plays. 

His absence was notably felt in team events, as the American squad grappled with the challenges of competing without one of its most competitive and tenacious players, highlighting just how critical Paul is to his team’s aspirations.

Was Tommy Paul’s absence the key factor in the US Davis Cup collapse?

The United States holds an unmatched legacy in Davis Cup history, claiming the trophy 32 times since 1900. Yet, despite this illustrious past, the national team hasn’t hoisted the coveted trophy since defeating Russia 4-1 in 2007, nearly two decades ago. In 2024, Australia ended America’s campaign in the quarterfinals, but 2025 brought an even harsher reality. The US couldn’t even qualify for the main event after a shocking 3-2 defeat to Czechia in the Davis Cup qualifiers, leaving fans and analysts scrambling to pinpoint the reasons for this collapse.

The heartbreak unfolded in Delray Beach, Florida, where young Czech sensation Jakub Mensik sealed victory in the deciding singles match against Frances Tiafoe. The tie had been a rollercoaster: Jiri Lehecka opened with a dominant win over Tiafoe, only for Taylor Fritz to equalize 1-1 with a win against Mensik. The doubles match saw Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajiv Ram claim a narrow victory over Mensik and Tomas Machac, giving hope to the home side. Yet, Lehecka’s triumph over Fritz pushed the tie to a nail-biting 2-2 stalemate, setting the stage for Mensik’s decisive heroics.

Former world No. 1 John Isner weighed in on the US defeat during the Nothing Major podcast. He pinpointed a critical factor: “I think Bob (Bryan) was dealt a tough hand with the fact that Ben (Shelton) and Tommy Paul were not available.” Isner added, “So you know his options were, I mean so many good American players, but a bit limited, you know, you would have liked to have possibly had a Ben or Tommy in that situation.”

Shelton’s absence, coupled with Paul’s unavailability, clearly left the team lacking firepower in crucial moments. While the American roster remains deep, missing two of the country’s brightest stars tilted the scales in Czechia’s favor. The loss underscores how even small gaps in personnel can have outsized effects in team competitions.

Looking ahead, Tommy Paul, currently ranked world No. 15, is set to feature at an upcoming hard-court tournament in Sweden. His return from injury will be closely monitored, as fans hope the young American can regain form and momentum heading into future Davis Cup opportunities.