Christopher O’Connell, for some time one of the top 10 Australian players, is known for his perseverance and the veteran is still a threat on the ATP tour. Let’s look at his career as well as his racquet setup.
Christopher O’Connell’s tennis racquet
Christopher O’Connell’s racquet is the Wilson Blade Pro 18/20. It also goes by the pro stock code H22. He strings it with natural gut in the mains and Luxilon Alu Power or Alu Power Rough in the mains. If you have more information about O’Connell’s racquet specifications or string setup, please comment below or reach out via Instagram @tennisnerdinsta.
We are curious to see whether O’Connell will stick with his trusted Blade Pro or consider switching to the new Wilson spin racquet, which so many pro players are testing right now (Khachanov has already made the switch).
Bio and Career
Born on June 3rd, 1994, in Sydney, Australia, Christopher O’Connell started playing tennis at the age of four.
He turned professional in 2011, but his early career was significantly impacted by injuries. Later in 2018, he stopped playing tennis before ultimately returning to the court in 2019.
His commitment led to a significant breakthrough year in 2019, where he won multiple titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour and two ATP Challenger titles, helping him break into the Top 200 for the first time.
The following year, in 2020, O’Connell won his first Grand Slam match, defeating Laslo Djere at the US Open.
Career Highlights
O’Connell has consistently worked his way up the rankings, despite injury concerns.
- Career-High Ranking: He achieved his highest ATP singles ranking of World No. 53 on September 11, 2023.
- Grand Slam Success: He has reached the third round at three of the four Grand Slam events:
- Australian Open (2022)
- Wimbledon (2023)
- US Open (2024)
- Top Wins and ATP Runs:
- In the 2022 Australian Open, he secured one of the biggest wins of his career by defeating then-World No. 13 Diego Schwartzman to reach the third round.
- He has advanced to two ATP Tour Semifinals, including San Diego in 2022 and Munich in 2023, where he defeated Alexander Zverev.
- He reached the Quarterfinals at the ATP Tour event in Doha in 2023.
He continues to compete on the ATP Tour, building on his foundation of success at the Challenger level where he has won several titles.
More Info
- Plays right-handed with a one-handed backhand
- Height: 6’0″ or 183cm
- Coach: Ian O’Connell
- Favourite shot: backhand
- Favourite surface: clay
- Favourite tournament: Australian Open
Follow Chris on his Instagram profile @chrisoconnell94 where he has around 9k followers.