PLAYER PROFILE

Christopher O'Connell

7
AUSTRALIAN
RANKING
67
ATP
RANKING
  • Age29
  • Born 3 June 1994
  • Birth PlaceSydney, Australia
  • LivesSydney, Australia
  • PlaysRight-handed
  • CoachFernando Ibarrola
“Getting into the Top 100 is a huge goal of mine and I’m not far off now”

— Christopher O'Connell, 16 Jan 2020

» O’Connell bows out in Bendigo quarters

On court

  • Began playing tennis at age four
  • Realised at age 16 he was good enough to follow a professional tennis career
  • Favourite surface is Plexicushion
  • Tennis goals are to represent Australia in Davis Cup and reach the world’s top 100
  • Achieved latter goal by making top-100 debut in July 2022
  • Believes travelling is the best part of being a tennis player
  • Tennis hero is Roger Federer; feels his game most closely resembles the Swiss’
  • Ideal mixed doubles partner would be Sam Stosur because of her good volleys
  • Dream tennis scenario would be to defeat a top 10 player in a night match at Rod Laver Arena
  • Professional goals are to make a living playing tennis and to play Davis Cup for Australia
  • Won a tour-leading 72 matches in 2019, claiming two ATP Challenger and three ITF Futures titles after beginning the season without an ATP ranking
  • Won his first Grand Slam main draw match at the US Open in 2020
  • Advanced to third round at Australian Open 2022, scoring first top-20 win against Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman in the second round
  • Notched first ATP semifinal at San Diego in September 2022
  • In 2023, upset world No.28 Roberto Bautista Agut en route to the ATP Doha quarterfinals, where he pushed eventual champion Daniil Medvedev to 7-5 in the third set.

Off court

  • Describes himself as relaxed, chilled, lazy, neat and cool
  • Favourite city in the world is Sydney, because of its beaches
  • Favourite meal is penne carbonara
  • Best piece of advice he’s received: “to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift”
  • His perfect day would involve spending a morning at the beach followed a coffee and nice lunch, then an afternoon watching a live band with a few beers and mates
  • Spent six months working part-time as a tennis coach and cleaning boats on Sydney’s Pittwater Harbour while sidelined with a knee injury in 2018.

Year-end ranking history

2022 79
2021 175
2020 119
2019 128
2018 1185
2017 393
2016 240
2015 567
2014 487
2012 1655
2011 1745

Christopher O'Connell in the news

Purcell wins all-Australian opening-round battle at Sofia
Max Purcell in action. Picture: Getty Images
7 November, 2023

Australian Max Purcell eliminates compatriot Rinky Hijikata in the opening round at an ATP 250 tournament in Bulgaria.
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Hijikata scores biggest career win at Shanghai Masters
Rinky Hijikata in action. Picture: Getty Images
5 October, 2023

Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata records his first top-50 singles win to reach the second round at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in China.
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A record number of Australian men to compete at Shanghai Masters
Alex de Minaur, Max Purcell and Aleksandar Vukic lead the Aussie charge at the Shanghai Masters.
3 October, 2023

Alex de Minaur, Max Purcell and Aleksandar Vukic lead a strong Aussie contingent at this week's ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai.
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Aussie weekly wrap: Rising stars record major milestones
Taylah Preston and Philip Sekulic are rising stars of Australian tennis.
25 September, 2023

Taylah Preston and Philip Sekulic both recorded impressive results on the world stage this week.
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