O’Connell used to clean boats, now he looks to clean up Sinner

Peter Staples/ATP Tour

Christopher O’Connell on Tuesday will take centre stage in the tennis world when he plays Jannik Sinner for a place in the Miami Open quarter-finals. Thousands of fans will flock to Hard Rock Stadium to watch the Australian try to upset the first-placed player in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

Incredibly, six years ago, O’Connell was cleaning boats instead of playing tennis.

“I've spoken about that story a lot. Probably should never have mentioned it,” O’Connell said, cracking a laugh. “But yeah, I do think back on times like that when I was working back home, and to see where I am now, I can believe it, but I can't really believe it. I hope to stay here for a lot longer still.”

In 2018, O’Connell had been suffering from “too many injuries” and wanted a break from the sport. He considered coaching kids and doing clinics, but did not want to be on a tennis court.

The Australian decided to live on a bay in Sydney with his brother, Ben, who invited him to come clean boats.

“I was thinking, 'Sweet, I don't have to teach anyone to hit a forehand and I can just clean boats and relax.’ That's what I did for the morning and afternoon and I'd ride my bike down to the bay,” O’Connell said in 2020. “I did that from February to June. It was terrible money and everyone thought I was crazy because I could get more money coaching. But I just didn't want to step on a tennis court.”

O’Connell completely let slip his PIF ATP Ranking. But since then, he has climbed towards the top of the ATP Tour. In July 2022, the Sydneysider cracked the world’s Top 100 for the first time and since November 2022 he has remained in the elite group.

“Each year, I feel like I'm improving just a little bit, here and there. So again this year, I feel like I've improved again, and this is why I play tennis, to come up against guys like Sinner,” O’Connell said. “I'm super pumped. He wasn't the player he is now. I beat him in Atlanta a couple of years ago, but I'm sure he's going to be more fired up for it definitely this time around.”

In 2021, O’Connell defeated the Italian, then 19, 7-6(7), 6-4 in Atlanta. It is their only previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

“I think I was a little bit lucky as well. He'd just come off maybe the grass-court swing, and it was his first tournament on the hard courts in America,” O’Connell said. “I felt when I played him, he just has such raw power. In Atlanta where I played him, it's quite lively, so it's pretty hard to control the ball and I got there pretty early. But that was my first reaction to playing him, just how raw he can just generate power from nowhere.”

Sinner quickly recalled the encounter when he spoke to the media after battling past Tallon Griekspoor in the third round.

“He's a good player. Good serve. Moving really well. Tough player,” Sinner said. “My coaches have to watch a little bit of that match. Also it’s going to give me some feedback. Mostly I think I have to stay on my things, what I have to do.”

The Italian added: “For sure a tough match. [Fourth] round in a big event, nobody comes there for no reason, so I have to be very careful.”

Sinner began his season 16-0, including a run to his first major title at the Australian Open. The 22-year-old did not fall until the Indian Wells semi-finals against Carlos Alcaraz. Fittingly, O’Connell compared a young Sinner to a young Alcaraz.

“I played [Alcaraz] when I think he had just turned 16 at a Challenger and I felt the exact same thing with him. It's something special,” O’Connell said of the pair’s pure power. “[It was also similar to Ben] Shelton at the Australian Open. These guys have just such raw power.”

O’Connell is well aware of the challenge ahead and that he needs to play his best to test the second seed. “He really hits the ball super clean, and he's on fire this year. So he's got heaps of confidence,” the Australian said of his next opponent.

But this is the type of moment O’Connell has been waiting for. Six years ago, he was cleaning boats. Now he is showcasing his talent to the world.