Ethan eyes main draw spot

From a sparkling junior career to a tough start in the pros, Ethan Quinn is finally finding his feet

Ethan Quinn, 2025 Roland-Garros qualifying second round©Cédric Lecocq / FFT
 - Alix Ramsay

In a world of teenage Grand Slam champions and multimillionaires, 21-year-old Ethan Quinn stands apart. The tall American hails from Fresno in California and as a youngster, he stood head and shoulders above the other US juniors in every way.

But once he had mopped up the junior and college titles (he was at the University of Georgia before turning pro in 2023), the transition to the senior ranks came as a shock. Suddenly he was surrounded by other talented young men who could all wallop the ball as if their lives depended upon it. A run of seven consecutive defeats that year made him seriously think about going back to college for an easier life.

Luckily, Ethan had a friend to advise him – Tommy Paul. He first met Tommy in Florida when he was 16. He was competing in the Orange Bowl and practiced with Tommy at Chris Evert’s academy. Since then, Tommy has been in constant touch, offering tips, support and the voice of experience.

“Tommy has talked about it a little bit when he was struggling when Frances [Tiafoe], Taylor [Fritz] and Reilly [Opelka], were all exploding,” Ethan told the ATP website earlier this year.

“He was a little bit further back and it was hard for him. Same thing for me, when I was seeing a lot of the other young American guys, or even guys like Joao [Fonseca] – when I saw them doing well, I was like, ‘Man, I need to catch those guys’. But he reassured me: ‘You don't have to worry about it, it's your own path, it's your own race. Don't try and rush it. When the time's right, it'll come.’”

Tommy takes his job seriously but he has a relaxed approach to life away from the courts and the gym – and that is rubbing off on Ethan. “There's always a smile on his face,” he said, “and it's pretty fun to see the way he works out, the way he's able to enjoy what he's doing. It lets me know, this is a fun thing to do, this is a fun job. So it's making sure I put a smile on my face.”

If he can beat Thiago Agustin Tirante on Thursday and claim his place in the main draw, that smile will be all the wider.

Brian Garber and Brad Stine watch Ethan Quinn during Roland-Garros 2025 second round qualifying ©Cédric Lecocq / FFT

Coach Brian Garber (left) and Tommy Paul's coach, Brad Stine, watch Quinn playing Roland-Garros qualifying

Two to watch on Thursday

 

Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) v Andrea Collarini (ARG)

Court 9, third match

Even tennis players have to admit defeat at some point and for Albert Ramos-Vinolas, that point has come. Well, almost. This is his last year on tour; at the age of 37, the spirit is more than willing but the flesh is weak. “During the last few months, I felt my body is not able to perform at its best anymore, so it’s time to accept the end of my professional career,” he announced sadly on social media in March. But he is not planning to go just yet and the thought of one last hurrah at Roland Garros is enough to spur those aching and ageing limbs on and only Andrea Collarini can stop him.

 

Varvara Lepchenko (USA) v Nina Stojanovic (SRB)

Court 8, fourth match

Varvara Lepchenko is very much a woman of the world. She is of Ukrainian descent, she was born in Uzbekistan and moved to the US in 2001, becoming a US citizen 10 years later. Oh, and she speaks English and Russian. Now aged 39 and with a ranking of No.119 (she was once the world No.19) her best years may be behind her but that does not matter. Her passion for the sport never dies. She was thinking of retiring just before the Covid lockdown but then got divorced and tennis was her salvation through all the domestic turmoil. Suddenly she was re-energised and with a new coach, a move to Florida and an invitation from Serena Williams to come and hit some balls, Varvara was back in business. That was four years ago – and she has not looked back since.

Get your tickets now!

The Roland-Garros 2025 Opening Week is shaping up nicely! Tickets are still available to come and support the future stars and watch training sessions with the biggest names on the WTA and ATP tours.

Click HERE to buy your tickets on the official Roland-Garros 2025 ticketing website