Australia’s Li Tu “live(s) with no regrets” believing that “everything works out as it should be.” This positive motivation worked like a charm for the ATP star who bagged his second Grand Slam qualification in Melbourne. Although impressive, Li Tu had a big twist in his journey, a short separation from his sport. Upon returning to the court with the 2021 Murray River Open, this Aussie player oozes new hope for his career with an inspiring thought: “work hard, have fun and enjoy the journey win or lose.” So, will he prove his potential in the AO?

Li Tu awaits his first match in Melbourne against Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka at the Margaret Court Arena. This Australian player impressed the fraternity when he successfully overcame his first Grand Slam qualifiers in the 2024 US Open to play his first-round match against Carlos Alcaraz in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Before that, he tried his luck in the 2024 French Open and the Wimbledon but couldn’t move past the qualifiers round. After the US Open, this Australian Open qualifier played at the 2024 Shanghai Masters and reached the Round of 128. Although his performance was quite good in the Challenger-level tournament, Li Tu received his main spotlight from the 2025 season when he reached the Adelaide International’s Round of 16.

While all eyes are on Li Tu’s performance in Melbourne at the moment, this Australian player offers a feel-good story highlighting his dedication to the sport. He was born in Adelaide to his mother Yu Ping Zheng and his father, Yi Xing Tu. He has an elder brother, Chen, ten years older than him, who played badminton. However, unlike Brother Chen, Li Tu showed early signs of his tennis brilliance when a coach suggested he try tennis after witnessing his bird-hitting skill at five. Despite talent, this ATP star didn’t play the sport continuously. He quit tennis at 18 and pursued his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Adelaide Univerity. He started a coaching business with Ben Milner, one of his current teammates, and moved on with life mentoring future tennis talents. Six years after quitting the sport, he prepared for his return to tennis at 24.

Behind Li Tu’s determination to come back lies his love for his mother and his wish to make his parents proud. This ATP star’s mother passed away in September 2022 battling with lung cancer. However, the ATP star remained determined and won his first ATP Challenger Tour in Seoul as a qualifier only three months after the heartbreaking incident. Post-victory, he outstretched his legs and arm and collapsed on the tennis court with tears in his eyes. “I decided to get on a flight the day after her funeral and do it for the family, do it for mum, It was extremely hard, to be honest. It had been such a rush after my mum passed away with organising the funeral and there were a lot of things happening. Ended up continuing on with the trip and I’m very glad that I did,” he said.

Li Tu has been showing steady progress in the Challenger-level tournaments fuelling his supporters’ hope for the 2025 Australian Open. However, this is not the first time the Aussie ATP star will hit Melbourne’s hard court. Li Tu received a wild card in the 2021 AO right after his return to the sport. However, he exited the tournament after losing his first match against Feliciano Lopez in four sets. Despite the loss, the ATP star confessed how Melbourne’s court helped him face the crowd and how the experience emerged as surreal to him.

Australia’s Li Tu confessed “Nothing can compare to playing on Arthur Ashe”

Less than five months after his clash against Alcaraz in the 2024 Flushing Meadows, Li Tu feels excited about his Australian Open run. “I was already feeling the love a little bit in Adelaide. I know that the crowd’s going to be amazing in Melbourne like they are every year. Really keen to play a home Slam,” said the ATP number 179 player.

Reflecting on his joy, he revealed the impact of this major tournament on his career. “Nothing can compare to playing on Arthur Ashe. Nothing. So I think that has given me so much preparation for playing in front of any crowd, any sort of hype or anything like that, which is amazing. The Australian Open, already having played a Grand Slam main draw here, I think I’ll be able to handle that occasion better. I think I’m a lot more prepared to play best-of-five sets as well. Not just very prepared to play but also really, really keen to get in front of the home crowd.” He said.

This ATP star is not only interested in building an epic career in the sports but also determined to inspire “the next generation” highlighting that “it’s never too late, and it doesn’t all need to look the same way in our careers.” He recalled his first-ever experience of playing on Melbourne’s hard courts and confessed why Seoul’s victory meant so much to him. “I got a wild card into the 2021 [Australian Open], but how that all happened, it was pretty weird. This one, I earned it. I did it, I qualified. Playing a major is stuff that people dream about, that I dreamed as a kid as well. And to really do it, do it properly, it’s just truly amazing,” he said.

Li Tu’s tennis journey has been nothing less than an inspirational story for those who aspire to be professional players. The Aussie player’s resilience and determination paved his way to success and his zeal to make his parents proud instilled the urge to work hard. Today when Li Tu steps onto the Australian Open’s hard court, it will show his tenacity highlighting how success comes the way of those who wholeheartedly work for it.