The US Open has been nothing short of a rollercoaster for tennis fans this year. Shocking upsets, rising stars, and intense battles have kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Just when fans think they have seen it all, there’s always another twist waiting in the wings. This time, the surprise revolves around Jannik Sinner‘s next opponent, Christopher O’Connell. 

O’Connell is preparing for one of the most crucial matches of his career against Sinner at the US Open. He has demonstrated some sensational skills in the first two matches of his tournament and his talents have been also admitted by his compatriot Jordan Thompson, with whom he has trained, enjoyed meat pies, and gone swimming. But food is not the only thing that the two players have shared.

There is one more thing that is common between O’Connell and Thompson and it’s their coach. Both the players have trained under the guidance of Marinko Matosevic, per ATP Tour.com. Matosevic partnered with O’Connell in 2021 and the duo have been together since then. 

Thompson, who is known for his fiery attitude, also desired to hire someone who could be a right fit for him and understand his mentality. As a result, he finally decided to partner with Matosevic, a former Australian player himself. While this can be a common aspect for newcomers, players within the top 100 are hardly seen hiring the same coach. But interestingly, O’Connell and Thompson are not bothered by this.

In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Thompson said, “Chris and I have been good mates since we were like seven, so sharing a coach is easy for us,” Continuing further, he said, “It’s unique that guys in the top 100 have the same coach, but it works well. If Marinko can’t be there, we’ve got a physical trainer [Tonu Liiband], and I do some weeks with [ex-American player] Ryan Harrison as well.” But right now, for O’Connell, the most important thing is about getting past Sinner at the US Open.

Can Christopher O’Connell avenge his past defeat against Jannik Sinner?

Christopher O’Connell and Jannik Sinner have faced each other only two times on the tennis courts with the head-to-head tally being equal. But O’Connell’s victory against the Italian dynamo came in 2021, and the sport has evolved immensely since then. While they faced again in 2024 at the Miami Open, the World No. 1 successfully turned the match in his favor easily. But O’Connell is determined to avenge the previous defeat. 

Speaking in an interview ahead of the match, the Aussie reflected upon his desire. “I played him more recently in Miami, so I got to see the improvements he’s made. At the same time, I’ve improved,” O’Connell said. “But in saying that, I think he’s just tightened up his game a lot more. I mean, he’s still super aggressive, a great ball striker. But I didn’t get as many errors in Miami as I did in Atlanta.”

As the match unfolds, it would be interesting to see if Christopher O’Connell can repeat the showdown of 2021 and give yet another shock to the tennis community.