Tommy Paul’s Mother Gave Her Love for Tennis to Her Son, Now He’s America’s Wimbledon Hope

American tennis is back in business and thriving. But, usually, the conversation around this resurgence is centered on top dog Taylor Fritz or the ever-entertaining Frances Tiafoe. But lately, a new name has barged into that club with a racket in one hand and a chip on his shoulder: Tommy Paul. The 28-year-old recently became only the ninth American man in the Open Era and the only active American to reach Grand Slam quarterfinals on all three surfaces. But behind every strong forehand is an even stronger support system. So, who’s helped guide Paul through the glitter and grind of the pro tour? Let’s find out!

Tommy Paul was born in New Jersey in 1997, but soon after that, his parents packed up and moved to Greenville, North Carolina. That’s where he grew up, alongside his brother Dylan and sister Jessie Lynn. His first introduction to tennis came courtesy of none other than his mom, Jill MacMillan. A former college tennis player at East Carolina University, she became Tommy’s first coach when he picked up a racket at age seven. And all these years later? She’s still his loudest cheerleader, often spotted courtside during his biggest moments. Fun fact: Jill is also an audiologist.

Then there’s dad, Kevin Paul. Though he’s not as publicly visible as Jill, Kevin has been just as instrumental. He was the one who encouraged young Tommy to take tennis seriously, giving him that extra nudge toward chasing greatness. While Kevin’s personal or professional life isn’t known across the headlines, his impact is obvious in Tommy’s grit and discipline.

The Paul family hasn’t just been around for the highlight reels. They’ve seen the ugly side of the tour, too. Tommy Paul opened up about his struggles in Netflix’s ‘Break Point’ Season 2, in an episode titled “Friend or Foe.” He didn’t sugarcoat it and revealed,  “When I turned pro, I was more in my party phase, I had a little money and I thought, ‘Let’s have fun.’ I kind of got caught up in it.”

Paul faced community service, alcohol testing, and at one point, seemed completely adrift. He even showed up drunk to a doubles match at the 2017 US Open and was denied a wildcard two years later. That moment was a much-needed wake-up call.

With the kind of support most players only dream about, Tommy Paul started rebuilding. His parents and his coach, Brad Stine, were right there with him. His mother recalled some harrowing moments in the episode and said, “He had some tough times. I remember getting some gut-wrenching phone calls, like, ‘Mom, what am I doing?’ It broke my heart. He was watching Frances and Taylor just killing it. It made him kind of doubt that he had what it took. But now I’m just so glad to see it all come together.”

Come together, it did. The World No.8 is making deep runs at the Grand Slams, and Wimbledon is now beckoning.

ATP Legend dubs Tommy Paul as America’s hope for Wimbledon

With three Americans breaking into the top 10 in this week’s PIF ATP rankings, it marks the first time since 2006 that the Stars and Stripes are shining this bright on the men’s tour. Among them, 22-year-old Ben Shelton just cracked the top 10 for the first time, thanks to a sizzling semifinal run at the BOSS Open in Stuttgart.

Naturally, the buzz is growing ahead of Wimbledon, and Jimmy Connors is here for it. On a recent episode of his Advantage Connors podcast, the American legend weighed in on the homegrown talent and who could make the biggest splash at the All England Club.

“They have got big games, Fritz and Shelton,” Connors said. “They hit the ball hard, they serve big. But I like Tommy Paul. He has got guts. He doesn’t have the weapons, but also on grass, you have to remember that movement is a big part of it. So if he can get a little lucky draw and get stuck in there, some good things could happen for him too.”

Tommy Paul, currently World No.8, made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year, his best result on the storied lawns so far. With his confidence up and Connors backing him for a deeper run, can he finally take that next step? What do you think?