Ethan Quinn: How a $2,500 Nobu Bill Created the Australian Open’s Newest Star
It started with a lost bet at a Melbourne restaurant and ended with two of the biggest upsets of the tournament. Meet the American rookie who turned a financial hit into a forehand masterclass.
Picture the scene. It’s Saturday night in Melbourne, just hours before the 2026 Australian Open draw chaos begins. Ten of America’s best male tennis players are sitting around a table at Nobu, stomachs full of black cod and Wagyu beef.
Then comes the bill.
Instead of splitting it like sensible adults, they decide to play "Credit Card Roulette". Ten cards go into a hat. The server pulls one out. The owner of that card pays for everything. The room goes silent. The server reaches in and pulls out the card of... Ethan Quinn.
The 21-year-old rookie. The guy ranked number 80 in the world. The one who, unlike his dining companions Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe, hasn’t made millions in prize money yet. A $2,500 hit before hitting a single ball.
“I was trying to pay for it, to be honest. I felt bad. But the rule is the rule.” – Ben Shelton
Most young players would have spiralled. Quinn? He got mad. Then he got even.
The "Payback" Tour
Two days later, Quinn walked onto Court 7 with a singular focus: recouping his losses. Across the net stood Tallon Griekspoor, the 23rd seed. On paper, it was a mismatch. In reality? It was a mugging.
Quinn didn’t just beat the Dutchman; he dismantled him (6-2, 6-3, 6-2). He played like a man who needed to cover rent. And he didn't stop there. In the second round, he faced Hubert Hurkacz—a former World No. 6 and a serve-bot capable of blasting anyone off the court.
The result? Another straight-sets victory. The Californian kid, who was playing Challenger events in Cleveland this time last year, is suddenly into the Round of 32 at a Grand Slam.
👀 What exactly is Credit Card Roulette?
It’s a high-stakes game popular among wealthy athletes. Everyone puts their credit card in a pile (or a hat). The server picks one card at random, and that person pays the entire bill for the table. For established stars like Taylor Fritz, it's a bit of fun. For a newcomer like Quinn, it's a heart attack.
More Than Just Motivation
It would be easy to reduce this surge to a funny anecdote about a dinner bill (although it is a great story). But those paying attention know this has been brewing since 2023.
Quinn isn't your typical baseline grinder. He’s a former NCAA Champion from the University of Georgia—a pathway that produced John Isner and Mackenzie McDonald. College tennis toughens you up; you learn to play loud, rowdy matches where every point feels like a bar fight.
Check out the numbers. His trajectory over the last 12 months is terrifyingly vertical.
| Metric | January 2025 | January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking | No. 200+ | No. 68 (Live) |
| Primary Level | Challenger Tour | Grand Slam Main Draw |
| Key Mindset | "Avoiding excuses" | "Hunting seeds" |
His coach, Brian Garber, points to a specific moment last January in Cleveland. After a bad loss, Quinn had two choices: sulk or work. He chose the latter. That boring, unglamorous decision in a snowy American city is why he’s surviving the heat in Melbourne today.
The Real Test Begins
The fairy tale has a new villain now: Jakub Mensik. The 16th seed is next.
Mensik is young, dangerous, and likely won't care about Quinn's dinner debts. But the American has something money can't buy right now: momentum (and perhaps the superstitious belief that the tennis gods owe him a refund).
His girlfriend, Sidney Fitzgerald, has been documenting the whole ride on social media, turning this into a viral saga. But make no mistake—Quinn isn't here for the likes. He’s here because his game has finally caught up to his potential.
Will he win the whole thing? Probably not. Has he already earned enough to pay for that dinner ten times over? Absolutely. And next time, you can bet he’s asking for separate checks.
