Australian Chris O’Connell is perhaps quiet in nature – however he hopes to make some noise together with his on-court ends in the 2024 season.
Brisbane, Australia, 30 December 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Chris O’Connell is set to interrupt into the world’s prime 50 in 2024.
The 29-year-old got here near reaching that milestone in 2023. Throughout a career-best season, he superior to 6 ATP-level quarterfinals, progressed to the third spherical at Wimbledon and tallied six top-50 wins.
“I used to be fairly proud of how my season panned out. I obtained to a brand new career-high at No.53,” O’Connell informed tennis.com.au.
“I used to be somewhat bit disenchanted, as a result of I believed I may have cracked the highest 50. I had a couple of alternatives to try this, however that’s a aim now for the subsequent 12 months.”
At the moment ranked world No.68, O’Connell begins his 2024 season on the Brisbane Worldwide the place he faces a troublesome first-round task in opposition to world No.40 Alexei Popyrin.
> READ: Aussies handed brutal attracts at Brisbane Worldwide 2024
O’Connell enters right now’s match in opposition to his fellow Australian at Pat Rafter Enviornment feeling refreshed after an virtually two-month stint in Sydney.
“I obtained to hang around with a couple of associates on the Northern Seashores, the place I’m from,” he stated of his low season exploits.
“However I just about obtained into coaching right away, I didn’t have an excessive amount of day without work. I don’t actually like having an excessive amount of time away from tennis, so I simply obtained straight again into it. Gymnasium, operating, coaching.”
Any time in Australia is a uncommon luxurious for O’Connell, who relies within the Croatian metropolis of Cut up all through the season.
“I’ve obtained a bodily coach over there and I’m getting coached by Marinko Matosevic who has a couple of ties in Croatia,” O’Connell defined.
“It’s only a good base to be in Europe as a result of it’s near all the things.”
O’Connell started working with the 38-year-old Matosevic, a former Australian participant who achieved a career-high rating of No.39, in 2021.
He stated their contrasting personalities has been a key to a fruitful partnership.
“He’s a bit extra on the market than me and I’m much more quieter and reserved,” O’Connell famous. “However we’ve been doing effectively collectively.”
Whereas a lot of O’Connell’s Australian friends attempt to keep away from lengthy stints overseas, he has realized to embrace the life-style.
“I really like tennis and travelling on the similar time, so it’s fairly cool,” he stated.
“I’m gone the entire 12 months, from February by means of to November. As I’ve gotten older, it’s gotten simpler. I used to overlook residence much more after I was youthful, however I’m kind of used to it now.
“Once I depart after the Australian Open, I do know I’m not coming again till November.”
Following a number of damage setbacks earlier in his profession, O’Connell is proud to have established himself among the many world’s prime 100.
He’s now hoping to stamp his presence extra at Grand Slam and ATP Masters 1000 degree in 2024.
“This 12 months I didn’t achieve this effectively on the Masters occasions, so I’d love to do effectively in these occasions and proceed to progress up the rankings,” he stated.
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