Interview | Michael Agwi
The Irish no.1 on playing Davis Cup, the 2025 season so far and learning to "enjoy the suffering" of professional tennis
After a difficult start to the 2025 season, Michael Agwi's form has picked up over the summer. A couple of ITF quarter-finals runs in July proved a springboard for his excellent surge to the final of the Irish Open.
Alas, while he could not overcome the more experienced Alastair Gray in the championship match, he certainly made an impression on the fans at Carrickmines with his blistering strokes and impressive athleticism.
Shortly after the Irish Open, the 22-year-old built on his good form and secured a fifth ITF title in Trier, Germany.
Now in September, we are on the cusp of Ireland's home Davis Cup tie with China and Agwi will lead Conor Niland's side. I caught up with him during the Open week in Carrickmines and we talked about the season so far, what he's working on, playing in Germany and that scintillating weekend in Limerick.
The interview has been lightly edited for readability.
So if we go back just a little bit, you were born in Dublin?
Yeah. I don’t remember where we lived. We moved when I was very young. I need to actually ask my parents!
When did you come on the junior scene for Ireland?
I never had a German passport. I always played for Ireland. Also in the juniors. I just played like three Tennis Europe events, and ITF Juniors maybe also three events. I didn’t really play juniors. The issue was the money. So I just played in Berlin and some national tournaments.
I just went for a Future with the 18-year-olds. I tried it. I remember when I played qualie finals, I lost it but I got one ITF point. I was so happy! At the second tournament I got my first ATP point. Then I knew I had the level there.
So your mother is Ukrainian, father is Nigerian, you were born in Dublin and you live in Berlin. How do all these cultures mix?
I love Ukrainian food, that’s for sure. Also Nigerian food as well. Mostly, like all tennis players, I love pasta.
How do you feel about the season so far?
I had a tough start. I lost a lot of ATP points at the beginning of the year. Also, I was sick for two months, so I didn't have a prep. I just started to play Challenger Qualies and couldn't get the match rhythm. Now I'm starting to play Futures again, trying to get more matches and so far it works out quite well. I just need to get to the flow state more.
What's the hardest part of being on the tour, do you think?
To be consistent and to be positive all the time. But that's life. You can't be positive all the time. You need to fight through the hard part of the tour. Sometimes you are alone, sometimes not. Sometimes you have a coach, sometimes not. Basically you just try to get into the rhythm, to enjoy the journey as well.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re in a far flung place by yourself? What do you think about?
You need to enjoy the suffering. To suffer on the court and to fight. You enjoy it so much if it works out in the end, even though you didn’t have a great start and you are 0-3 down or something. You keep fighting.
What difference have you seen going from playing guys who are 600 in the world to 400 and up. Are there things you notice?
I think maybe they're putting more balls back, but that's the only thing. There's not a big difference, actually.
Are there any goals for the rest of the season?
It's difficult to say. It's also the first year where I need to defend a lot of points. Maybe just to hold those points. I also don't want to put myself under too much pressure. I maybe did this year in the beginning: that I needed to defend a lot of points and I needed to start to play Challengers and maybe get more points out of those tournaments. But in the end it just went the other way.
So are there any things you are particularly working on?
Funny thing, not in singles but in doubles. Maybe some volleys and stuff. I got a bit better. I played some league games in Germany, the Bundesliga, and I improved a bit of my doubles skills, but surely not that good like Connor Gannon or something [laughs].
Is net play something you'd like to bring into your game?
Yeah, I want to bring it in more. Also, it would be helpful for the Davis Cup. I don't want to be a weak part in doubles. I want to be more of an option in doubles in the Davis Cup team.
What's the Bundesliga actually like?
Basically you play on Friday and Sunday. You play one singles match and one doubles match against the other team. Six against six players. Six singles matches and three doubles matches per day. So Friday we got one singles and a doubles match, and against a different team on Sunday. It's high level as well. There's a lot of top guys there: 300, 400, 500 in the world. So it's a good match up there.
Looking back, because I suppose we're just over a year on, how was that week in Limerick for you?
It was a special one, yeah. It's really nostalgic. I loved the atmosphere, the crowd and everything. It was just an awesome weekend overall.
What was it like competing with players like Thiem, to feel their ball on your racket and push them as hard as you did?
He is like one of the top guys I know. It was amazing to stand against him on the court.
What does representing Ireland in Davis Cup mean to you?
It means a lot because I’m representing our whole country. I’m so mixed with different cultures. I don’t really feel like a German, or a Ukrainian, or a Nigerian, I feel like Mr. Worldwide! It’s just amazing and I love the culture of Ireland, the people and everything.
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