On Tour With: Ethan Quinn in Chengdu
You may think the US Open closes the Tennis season but we are only starting the 3rd act.
Welcome to the very first edition of On Tour With…, a new Ground Pass Substack exclusive series. The US Open might feel like the end of the season for many fans, but tennis doesn’t stop in September — the tour shifts to Asia for a busy stretch of events. This series is all about spotlighting players experiencing the Asian swing for the first (or second) time, capturing the travel, the sights, the conditions, and everything that makes this part of the calendar so unique.
For our first episode, we caught up with Ethan Quinn, who is making his debut trip to Asia. I first met Ethan back at the Champaign Challenger in November 2024, when he was still cutting his teeth on the pro tour.
Fast forward less than a year, and he’s now ranked inside the top 100 at No. 81 in the world. His rise has been steady and exciting, and this trip marks another milestone in his young career.
🎧 Listen to our full phone call from Chengdu below:
What you’ll hear in this conversation is what it really means for a player ranked around No. 80 in the world to make this trip. Ethan talks about the 27-hour travel day, the adjustment to new time zones, the culture shock of Chengdu, and the challenge of competing in tough conditions right away.
For players at his level, these ATP 250 events aren’t tune-ups — they’re career-defining chances to pick up ranking points and set themselves up for bigger draws later. Listening to Ethan, you’ll get a sense of just how much goes into being ready for that opportunity: the planning, the physical work, and the mindset required to keep progressing on tour.
Ethan is traveling with his coach Brian Garber — who you might recognize from our most recent Meet the Professionals podcast episode. Together, they’re navigating the challenges of long-haul travel, adjusting to new time zones, and finding rhythm in a very different environment.
We’ll be catching up with Ethan again ahead of his first match in Tokyo, so stay tuned for the next installment of On Tour With Ethan Quinn.
📺 Watch our full interview with Brian Garber here: