From failing to make singles team in freshman year at UCLA to reaching 2nd week at Australian Open: Dissecting Maxime Cressy's incredible rise

Maxime Cressy is one of only six Americans to have reached the second week of the 2022 Australian Open in the singles category. The 24-year-old has taken Melbourne by storm with his refreshing brand of serve-and-volley tennis.

Yet there was a point in his career when he was not considered good enough to even make the tennis team at his college. During his freshman year at UCLA, Cressy was apparently considered a doubles specialist and overlooked for singles ties. He eventually broke into the team in singles during his senior year and has not looked back.

The American reached his maiden ATP final at the Melbourne Summer Set earlier this month and has carried that momentum into the Australian Open, where he has beaten John Isner, Tomas Machac and Christopher O'Connell en route to the fourth round.

Speaking at a press conference after his four-set win against O'Connell, the American said he always believed he would forge a successful career for himself. Cressy chalked up his continuous improvement to the belief he had in his own abilities.

"I believed from the start [that I would make a deep run at a Grand Slam], even though I wasn't in the lineup my freshman year," Cressy said. "I had that self belief and that carried me through the following four, five, six years and I just kept improving ever since."

Cressy disclosed that he did not have an endorsement deal and that he had no interest at the moment in signing one. Instead, the 24-year-old said he would wait until he broke into the top 50 before searching for sponsors.

"[I don't have a paid sponsorship] yet. I wait, I'm patient, I will wait until I have a major breakthrough and I have a leverage to negotiate," Cressy said. "Especially now during the COVID and everything, it's much tougher to have a great deal with a sponsorship. So I prefer really breaking through to the top-50, top-10 and then I will negotiate."

The World No. 70 has lofty ambitions, which extended as far as reaching the No. 1 spot in the world. Cressy revealed that he had the utmost confidence in his unique style of play, bringing up his recent match against World No. 5 Rafael Nadal at the Melbourne Summer Set to prove his point.

Despite the straight-sets loss he suffered at the hands of the Spaniard, the American caused the former World No. 1 plenty of problems. Cressy, on his part, feels that if he sticks to his current gameplan, the World No. 1 ranking is not beyond his reach.

"[I see myself reaching the Top-10], even No. 1. I'm very confident. My game style can beat anyone, so starting this year I'm very confident. I played [Rafael] Nadal and I really believe that it really put him in an uncomfortable position," Cressy said. "So if I really stick to my routines and to a very disciplined mindset, I can do it."

Maxime Cressy faces Daniil Medvedev in 4th round of the 2022 Australian Open

Maxime Cressy squares off against Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round of the 2022 Australian Open

Maxime Cressy will face one of the biggest challenges of his short professional career when he takes on World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The Russian has dropped only one set in the tournament so far and looked comfortable in all three of his matches at Melbourne Park. Medvedev and Cressy have never faced each other on tour, but the odds will be stacked against the American.

Medvedev likes to employ a very deep return position, which might hinder Cressy's natural game. But when asked about how the Russian's tactics might impact his own approach, the American replied with characteristic nonchalance.

Cressy remarked that he tried not to think about his opponents' strategies and that as long as he was efficient with his own serve, he would have a fighter's chance.

"I actually don't even think about my opponent because they try many different things. So I try not to look at what the opponent does," Cressy said. "When I'm very efficient on my serve and volley, they try different things to get in my head and if I focus on them it disrupts my game. My mindset is to completely block off what my opponent does on the return."