AUSTRALIA has always had a love affair with Wimbledon.
The likes of Rod Laver, Margaret Court, Roy Emerson, John Newcombe and Evonne Goolagong all reigned at the All England Club.
Chris O’Connell’s tennis career has not been as exciting as some of his Australian compatriots[/caption]
Pat Cash lifted the Wimbledon title in 1987[/caption]
Pat Cash won the hearts of the British public with his win in 1987 while Lleyton Hewitt was the champion in 2002.
Add in the Woodies – Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge – teamed up to claim six doubles crowns together.
Then in recent times Ash Barty and doubles specialists Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell have secured their names in Wimbledon history.
Nick Kyrgios reached the 2022 final while Alex De Minaur is a former quarter-finalist – plus engaged to British star Katie Boulter.
So it is easy to see why Chris O’Connell slips under the radar among Australian tennis names.
After all, the 31-year-old has reached a career-high ranking of No53, pocketing £2.5million in prize money and never been beyond round three in a major.
He reached that stage at the 2022 Australian Open, 2023 Wimbledon and 2024 US Open.
But while his tennis story is really rather ordinary, his life away from the court is anything but – with stint cleaning boats and handing out junk mail.
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Sydney’s O’Connell was raised in the Northern Beaches area of the Emerald City.
It means as well as being one of the world’s best tennis players, he is also a highly accomplished surfer.
Interestingly, though, he supports FA Cup winners Crystal Palace and his favourite subject at school was not PE – but art.
And he has certainly had to get creative during his working life with pro tennis far from his only career.
Australian No4 O’Connell suffered a back stress fracture in 2012 which sidelined him for 18 months then contracted pneumonia in 2017.
But it was knee tendinitis in 2018 that saw him fall out of love with tennis – and he didn’t even want to step foot on the court.
So rather than go into coaching, O’Connell took up his brother Ben’s invitation to clean boats.
The Aussie said in 2020: “At that stage, I was thinking that I’m having too many injuries and wanted to get away from tennis.
“I was thinking to coach kids and maybe do clinics, but I didn’t want to step on a tennis court anymore.
“I decided to do something completely weird.
“I lived on a little bay in Sydney and my brother Ben was there too. He invited me to come clean boats with him.
I think back on times like that when I was working back home, to see where I am now… I can’t really believe it
Chris O’Connell
“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. I did that from February to June.
“It was terrible money and everyone thought I was crazy because I could get more money coaching.
“It was incredibly frustrating, because I was 23 at the time and life was going so quickly. I felt like I hadn’t gotten anything from the game yet and hadn’t reached my potential.
“But I always had in the back of my mind that I was going to get back out there once I was healthy and ready. When I decided to come back in 2019, I had a breakthrough year.
“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.”
Then in 2023, during his run to the third round at the All England Club, O’Connell revealed boat cleaning was not his only unusual hustle – and he did end up doing a stint teaching others.
The self-confessed late bloomer said two years ago: “This time last year, getting to the top 100 was a huge goal of mine.
“So to be sitting here a year later, looking at top 50, that’s awesome.
“All the odd jobs I’ve worked at.
“Boat cleaning, working in clothes shop, tennis coaching, delivering flyers… I think back on those, and I’m like, ‘Wow, now I’m here.’”
O’Connell stepped away from tennis due to injury and cleaned boats[/caption]
His best result at Wimbledon was round three in 2023[/caption]
The Aussie supports Crystal Palace[/caption]
Nick Kyrgios reached the final in 2022[/caption]
Ash Barty is the last singles champion from Down Under – and did so in an Evonne Goolagong Cawley-inspired dress[/caption]
