Tommy Paul wrapped up his 2025 season in New York after a third-round US Open exit, choosing to shut things down early to fully heal a nagging foot injury. However, three months later, the 28-year-old American made his return on Monday at the Garden Cup exhibition inside Madison Square Garden, where he took on Australia’s Nick Kyrgios and rallied to win 4-6, 6-3, [10-5]. Now, with Paul back in the Big Apple to kick off his 2026 campaign earlier than most, he’s putting American tennis fans on notice.

Speaking to Tennis.com the day before his exhibition with Kyrgios, Tommy Paul said he’s feeling fully charged.

“I don’t usually start playing training games or points before about two weeks after leaving for Australia. This year, with the Garden Cup, I started two weeks ago! So I’ve been playing for a while and I’m really excited.”

And if his energy on Monday was any indication, he’s more than ready and excited for what’s coming next.

“I’m more excited than ever to play again,” Tommy Paul shared, noting that injuries held him back at the start of his career. Today, though, he has every reason to be looking forward with real excitement. Why, you ask?

In case you missed, Tommy Paul spent several months away from competition and slipped in the rankings, but he still managed to finish the year inside the Top 20. His coach, Brad Stine, previously explained that a change to Paul’s orthopedic insoles caused severe pain in his left foot, contributing to his long break. However, despite those setbacks, holding onto the No. 20 spot was a solid outcome.

Paul admitted that he views this moment as the midpoint of his career, saying he used the time off “to rest a little more and prepare for the second part” of it. On top of that, he further emphasized that he’s “more excited than ever to play again,” seeing the break as something that reset both his body and mindset.

The three months off also gave him the chance to properly recover ahead of the 2026 season. Interestingly, with many players openly criticizing the length of the ATP calendar, Tommy Paul echoed that sentiment, believing the year runs too long and drains players physically.

He explained, “We as tennis players always complain that the season is too long and the tour should stop after the Open … and that’s pretty much what I did.”

He even joked that taking that early stop “is not that bad,” noting that other sports give athletes a clear window to build strength and prepare for long seasons.

So while Tommy Paul believes players need more time to rest and recover before jumping into the next stretch of the season, his longtime coach doesn’t seem as concerned about the schedule and already has a plan in place to keep him on track.

Tommy Paul’s coach pushes back against tour scheduling gripes

Brad Stine isn’t convinced that players are victims of the packed tennis calendar. Instead, he argues the responsibility falls on the athletes themselves. As he put it, “No one threatens them with a weapon to force them to play. They can take all the weeks off they want. Are there consequences? Of course. And it’s normal.”

Stine also believes the calendar needs adjustments, but not for the reasons many players mention. In his view, the real issue is that the current structure gives top players too much of an advantage. He specifically takes aim at the system of byes at major tournaments.

He explained that he isn’t a supporter of byes in Masters 1000 or even ATP 250 events, saying, “I think that we should fill the draw. Why don’t we?”

And what bothers him most, he says, is the extra edge given to high-ranked players. Stine noted, “I don’t like the idea that any player, regardless of their status, has a slight advantage.”

He pointed out that being able to win four matches instead of five at a Masters event gives top players a built-in head start that doesn’t match the competitive nature of the sport. So now, with the top eight seeds currently receiving byes at Masters events, Stine believes the fairest system would be one where every player starts from round one.

That said, do you think Tommy Paul’s early-season comeback gives him an edge heading into the 2026 Australian Open? And most importantly, should the ATP shorten the season, or do you agree with Brad Stine that players control their own schedules? What do you think?