ATP Firsts: Newport Semi-Finalist Matthew Ebden

Matthew Ebden has never experienced a run like it. The 29-year-old Aussie won his fifth match in as many days on Thursday to reach his first ATP World Tour semi-final at the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open in Newport.

After his big win against German Tobias Kamke, Ebden, who reached a career-high No. 61 in the Emirates ATP Rankings in 2012 and 2014, sat down with ATPWorldTour.com to talk about his “ATP Firsts.”

First coach and most important lesson he taught me
Coach Alf Neal. We always used to have a lot of fun, playing games and competitive games. I just remember one thing, on the volley he used to say, “Stop.” Like a stop sign, you know when you hit the volley, like “Stop” [before your follow through]. Hopefully that’s helping me today. I’ve got pretty good volleys I think and it’s helping me on the grass.

First pinch-me moment on the ATP World Tour
Here in Newport, in 2011… I ended up winning the doubles title with my good friend Ryan Harrison. That was pretty awesome. All of a sudden we won an ATP title. No one can take that away from you. Your name is on the board, on the trophy and to do it here, at the International Tennis Hall of Fame was pretty special.

First thing I bought with prize money
That year when I did break out into the Top 100 [2011]… including making the quarter-finals at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, I obviously picked up some good money. Kim was my girlfriend back then, and we had spent so many months apart. We had a plan that hopefully one day, if I could do well enough, we could get married and she could travel with me.

So that was a big motivating factor. The money went a bit towards the ring – we got engaged the next year – and to getting married. [They married in 2013.]

First celebrity crush
When I was a young kid I think I watched “There’s Something About Mary.” Cameron Diaz.

ATP Firsts: Bryan Brothers | Edmund | Sock

First pet
Little puppy. We had a little poodles growing up. I’m a massive dog lover. His name was Chester, after one of the famous South African rugby players [Chester Williams] who was in the World Cup winning team when I was a young kid. So that was special… He was a miniature French puddle. Super smart dog.

First time I flew first class
I was coming back from Europe and I got stuck in Dubai after a long trip away. I had played club tennis and a bunch of Futures. I was 17 and I was coming back after a four-month trip away. I was a little bit homesick, ready to get home. So I took the flight from Munich to Dubai, thinking I would just hop on the next available flight. The next flight for the next two or three days were all full, and then they told me the flights for the next two weeks were full.

Then my great loving dad, there was a seat in business class the next day, and he definitely spoiled me and got me home on the business class seat. I slept in the airport for a day or two and I was so tired, I slept for the entire way on the plane… I definitely owe my dad for that one. He’s been a big supporter throughout my career.

Private jet… Andy Murray very kindly flew us on his private jet with him to the [Toronto ATP World Tour Masters 1000] one year after we were training in Miami together. That was pretty special and very nice of him… Murray, his coach, who was Amelie Mauresmo, his trainer, Jez Green, and me and my wife and my coach at the time.