American tennis star Tommy Paul is building momentum at Wimbledon 2026 as he prepares for one of the biggest matches of the tournament against Hubert Hurkacz in the third round.
The Hubert Hurkacz vs. Tommy Paul third-round match is scheduled for Friday (3), at the Wimbledon Championships in London.
The 29-year-old has looked dominant through his opening two matches, defeating Alexandre Müller and Kwon Soon-woo in straight sets without dropping a set. His strong Wimbledon start follows an impressive grass-court season that included a runner-up finish at the Queen's Club Championships, making him one of the top American contenders still alive in the men's singles draw.
Born in Voorhees, New Jersey, and raised in Greenville, North Carolina, Paul has become one of the biggest names in American men's tennis. Since winning the 2015 French Open boys' title, he has steadily climbed the ATP rankings, reaching the Australian Open semifinals in 2023 and the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2024. Alongside Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Frances Tiafoe, Paul is helping lead a new generation of US tennis stars.
The upcoming matchup with Hurkacz is expected to be one of the marquee contests of the third round. Paul owns a 3-1 career advantage in the head-to-head series, while both players have reached this stage without losing a set. Analysts point to Paul's consistency, athleticism, and improved grass-court game as key factors that could help him advance.
Away from the court, Paul has also been part of one of Wimbledon's most talked-about stories after trying the tournament's futuristic recovery chamber. Describing the experience, he joked, "It was cool... I'm not sure what it does because I fell asleep. But it was great. I felt very rested for sure."
Paul has also made it clear how much Wimbledon means to him. Speaking ahead of the grass-court season, he said, "I want to win... I am going to give it my best," adding that "There is no better place in the world to be." With confidence high and his game clicking on grass, Paul will look to back up those words with another statement victory on one of tennis' biggest stages.
Haze from Canadian wildfires blankets the Manhattan skyline, including the Empire State Building, as seen from Brooklyn Bridge Park on July 17, 2026 in New York City. New York City has been under an Air Quality Health Advisory as the Canadian and Great Lakes wildfire smoke gradually moves through the area, creating a thick haze in the heat. Getty Images
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