Tennis News

Teens Engel, Budkov Kjaer, Fonseca among five Challenger player storylines from 2025

From teenage breakthroughs to the reigning NCAA champion surging onto the pro stage and a historic title run in Africa, ATPTour.com recaps five Challenger player storylines from the 2025 season.

German teen Engel finishes as youngest champion of 2025
Fans in Hamburg witnessed a new German star emerge as Justin Engel stormed to his maiden ATP Challenger title on home soil.

At 18 years and 25 days, Engel became the youngest Challenger champion of the season and the fifth-youngest German winner in history. The #NextGenATP teen downed fellow 18-year-old Federico Cina 7-5, 7-6(4) in the final — the youngest championship match at that level since 2003, when Mario Ancic beat Rafael Nadal, also in Hamburg. Engel became the first player born in 2007 to win an ATP Challenger event.

“Every title is a big one, especially my first Challenger,” Engel said at the time. “Cina is a big player and I knew before the match it was going to be a tough match. This win makes it even better and I’m really happy.”

Zheng goes from NCAA champ to three-time Challenger titlist
College tennis players continue to excel on the Challenger circuit, including Michael Zheng, who won the 2024 NCAA singles title representing Columbia University and successfully defended his title last month.

Thanks to his collegiate success, Zheng qualified for the ATP Next Gen Accelerator, a programme that aims to increase the development pathway for top players in the American collegiate system to earn direct entry into select Challenger events. Zheng made the best possible use of one of his Accelerator spots at the Chicago Challenger in August, going all the way to the winner’s circle as World No. 416. Zheng then added to his title haul in September with consecutive trophies in Columbus and Tiburon.

“It’s definitely a super helpful programme,” the 21-year-old said of the Accelerator programme.
“It gives a lot of incentive for players to come to college and go through that pathway. You just get that jump start from your career… You have a good result like how I had in Chicago, then all of a sudden your ranking is there to get into the main draw of Challengers by yourself. I think it’s a great initiative.”

^{Michael Zheng is crowned champion at the Tiburon Challenger. Credit: Natalie Kim}

Coulibaly’s historic title in Côte d’Ivoire
You could not script Eliakim Coulabily’s first Challenger title run any better. His home country, Côte d’Ivoire, hosted back-to-back tournaments and became the 95th country to host an ATP Challenger event — it was there in the capital city Abidjan where Coulibaly produced contrasting results, finishing with one of the most memorable moments of his career.

After an opening-round loss in the first week, Coulibaly swung freely and gave his home fans plenty to cheer about. Capping the title run with a three-set final victory, the Ivorian fell on his back in relief as the locals rose to their feet. Coulibaly became the first player from Côte d’Ivoire to win a Challenger title.

Reflecting on his full-circle journey, Coulibaly said, “Never stop believing, man. Never stop believing. I come from fire. I come from Africa. Being an African person and being able to try to make it on the ATP Tour is difficult. You don’t see many too many African players out there trying to play because it’s difficult. But for me it’s just discipline and never stop believing. It’s a tough journey for me.”

#NextGenATP Budkov Kjaer caps historic season, joins Gasquet, Rune and Coria in record books
Remember the name Nicolai Budkov Kjaer. The 19-year-old, who will be competing at this month’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, was one of six players to capture a season-leading four Challenger titles. The Norwegian became the fourth-youngest player to accomplish that feat, alongside an elite trio of Richard Gasquet, Holger Rune and Guillermo Coria, all of whom spent time inside the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings.

“You always want to believe you have the level to beat the guys at the top and I always had the belief that I’m a very dangerous opponent,” Budkov Kjaer said after winning his first Challenger title in Glasgow in February. He was also crowned champion in Tampere, Astana and Mouilleron le Captif.

Fonseca, Del Potro side-by-side in history
Across a meteoric rise the past 12 months since winning the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, Joao Fonseca made history in his ATP Challenger appearances. Just 13 days removed from his Jeddah triumph, the Brazilian won the Canberra Challenger, joining Jannik Sinner as the only players to win their ensuing tournament after claiming the 20-and-under event.

Then, at the ATP Challenger 175 event in Phoenix in March, Fonseca won his third trophy at that level and became the second-youngest player from South America — behind Juan Martin del Potro — to achieve that feat. Fonseca, who also won the ATP 250 in Buenos Aires and the ATP 500 in Basel, also became the fourth-youngest player to win an ATP Tour event and an ATP Challenger tournament in the same season. He stands alongside Kei Nishikori and three ATP No. 1 Club members; Carlos Alcaraz, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt as the five-youngest players to achieve the feat.

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Rublev honoured with 2025 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award

Andrey Rublev has been named the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in the 2025 ATP Awards, a testament to the 28-year-old’s impact on and off the court.

The 17-time tour-level titlist launched the Andrey Rublev Foundation in March 2024 with an aim to provide resources and support to children struggling with critical illness. Rublev expanded his efforts throughout the 2025 season.

“I’m really happy to win the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award,” Rublev said in a video, accepting the award. “We’re really working hard to improve our Foundation. We’re learning, it’s something new for us. It’s only been two years, so to win this award means a lot. We’re going to keep growing the Foundation and do better and more things. Thank you so much.”

Earlier this year, the Andrey Rublev Foundation announced a partnership with Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital in Rome. The World No. 16 in the PIF ATP Rankings visited the hospital ahead of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, spending time with members of the medical staff and the patients who are undergoing treatment. Rublev also provided presents to the children.

In a statement published on the Andrey Rublev Foundation website, the fan favourite wrote: “I’ve been so fortunate to play a professional sport for a living and have my health. There are so many children in need of financial support for critical medical needs and being able to help them is a huge privilege for me. I look forward to working with kids, their families and doctors and helping them face a brighter future because of the resources I am fortunate enough to provide.”

Rublev has also spoken candidly about mental health and the importance of seeking help. In June, he was featured in an ATP Originals documentary, ‘Breaking Back’, in which Rublev bravely discussed his personal struggles. Rublev and fellow ATP Tour star Casper Ruud participated in Tennis Canada’s Mental Health Panel at this season’s ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto.

This marks Rublev’s first time winning the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, an honour that some of the sport’s most notable legends, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe, have won. Ashe, the 1992 recipient, was further honoured with the award bearing his name in 1999.

This is Rublev’s third overall ATP Award. He was voted as Fans’ Favourite doubles team alongside Karen Khachanov in 2023, and he also took home Most Improved Player of the Year honours in 2020.

Rublev added another title to his trophy cabinet this year with a title run in Doha. He also reached the fourth round of Wimbledon and the US Open. Rublev tallied a 34-25 season record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

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Alcaraz & Djokovic feature as ATP Tour star’s declare their rivals… naughty, or nice?

The donuts on the table may have been light and fluffy, but could the same be said about some of the characters on the ATP Tour?

A host of top stars gave a little insight into several of their Lexus ATP Head2Head rivals by taking on our ‘Naughty or Nice’ cake game. Eight players, including Top 10 stars Felix Auger-Aliassime, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, placed photos on ‘naughty’ donuts or ‘nice’ donuts to reflect their own judgements on rivals including ATP No. 1 Club members Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.

So did our participants turn harshly on their on-court foes, or does the ATP Tour locker room remain a place of camaraderie and harmony? Watch the video below to find out, but let’s just say that several judges seemed to have their own unique definitions of both ‘naughty’ and ‘nice’.

Watch Tennis Players Place Each Other On The ‘Naughty Or Nice’ Cake:

Take the split opinions on Alcaraz, for example. Gabriel Diallo’s decision was swayed by the Spanish star’s tattoos, while Auger-Aliassime declared Alcaraz ‘nice’ due to him having an almost constant smile on his face. When it came to judging Djokovic, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina played it safe: “I don’t want any trouble with him”, laughed the Spaniard, perhaps in fear of some future on-court retribution from the 101-time tour-level champion.

Meanwhile the photo of Alexander Bublik, one of the Tour’s maverick players and biggest characters, repeatedly appeared on the ‘naughty’ donut. Some of the justifications for that, such as the one given by Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, may not surprise you…

“He did 20 underarm serves against me in two matches,” said the Frenchman of Bublik. “He’s going to be in the naughty side.”

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Musetti announces addition of this veteran coach to his team…

Lorenzo Musetti has added veteran coach Jose Perlas to his team, the Italian confirmed in an Instagram post Monday.

“Let’s start preparing for 2026,” Musetti wrote, captioning a photo of him with longtime coach Simone Tartarini, Perlas and fitness trainer Damiano Fiorucci. “Welcome Jose 💪.”

 

 

 

 

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Perlas boasts an extensive resumé, having coached a list of names including Carlos Moya, Albert Costa, Guillermo Coria, Nicolas Almagro, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Janko Tipsarevic and Fabio Fognini, among others. Perlas most recently worked with Serbian Dusan Lajovic. The Spaniard also captained his home country to the Davis Cup title in 2000 and 2004.

Musetti finished the 2025 season at No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings, tallying a 45-22 match record for the year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The 23-year-old competed at the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time, gaining a spot in Turin following the withdrawal of Novak Djokovic.

Musetti hit a career-high No. 6 in June following a standout clay-court swing. He reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Monte-Carlo and then advanced to the semi-finals in Madrid, Rome and at Roland Garros, his first major semi-final appearance. Among his other results in 2025, Musetti reached the US Open quarter-finals for the first time and was a finalist in Chengdu and Athens.

In November, Musetti shared that he and his partner Veronica welcomed the birth of their second child, Leandro.

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Journey to Jeddah: Your complete guide to the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF

Journey to Jeddah: Your complete guide to the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF

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Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF 2025: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

The world’s best 20-and-under players will compete at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah, where Jakub Mensik and Learner Tien lead the eight-man playing field.

Here is what you need to know ahead of the event in Saudi Arabia.

When is the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals?
The 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals will be held from 17 December-21 December. The indoor hard-court event, established in 2017, will take place at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The tournament director is Adam Hogg.

What is the format & who is playing at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals?
The event will see eight 20-and-under players divided into two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals. Matches are played best of five sets and first-to-four games. Mensik, Tien, Alexander Blockx, Dino Prizmic, Martin Landaluce, Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Nishesh Basavareddy and Rafael Jodar are playing.

When is the draw for the Next Gen ATP Finals?
The Jeddah draw will be made on 14 December

What is the schedule for the Next Gen ATP Finals?
* Main Draw Round-Robin Matches: Wednesday 17 December – Friday 19 December at 2:00 p.m., second match NB 3:00 p.m.. Evening sessions at 7:00 p.m., followed by the second match.
* Semi-final One: Saturday 20 December at 7:00 p.m.
* Semi-final Two: Saturday 20 December NB 9:00 p.m.
* Final: Sunday 21 December at 8:00 p.m.

View On Official Website

What is the prize money for the Next Gen ATP Finals Presented by PIF IN $US?
The prize money for the Next Gen ATP Finals Presented by PIF is $2,101,250.
Undefeated Champion: $539,750
Final Win: $157,250
Semi-Final Win: $116,000
Each Round-Robin Match Win: $37,500
Participation Fee: $154,000
Alternate: $15,000

How can I watch the Next Gen ATP Finals?
View TV Schedule

How can I follow the Next Gen ATP Finals Presented by PIF?
Hashtag: #NextGenATPFinals
Instagram: @nextgenfinals
Twitter: @nextgenfinals
Facebook: Next Gen ATP Finals
Youtube: ATP Tour

Who won the last edition of the Next Gen ATP Finals Presented by PIF in 2024?
Joao Fonseca won the 2024 singles title in Jeddah with a 2-4, 4-3(8), 4-0, 4-2 victory against Tien in the championship match (Read & Watch)

Who holds the Next Gen ATP Finals record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion, and more?
Most Titles, Singles: Hyeon Chung (1), Stefanos Tsitsipas (1), Jannik Sinner (1), Carlos Alcaraz (1), Brandon Nakashima (1), Hamad Medjedovic (1), Joao Fonseca (1)
Oldest Champion: Hyeon Chung, 21, in 2017
Youngest Champion: Jannik Sinner, 18, in 2019
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 15 Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2018
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 145 Joao Fonseca in 2024
Last Home Champion: Jannik Sinner in 2019, when event was played in Milan, Italy
Most Match Wins: Alex de Minaur (8)

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Gasquet, Fognini wave goodbye in 2025

To mark the end of another thrilling season, ATPTour.com is unveiling our annual ‘Best Of’ series, which will reflect on the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and more. Diego Schwartzman and Fernando Verdasco led Part 1 of our ‘Best Of’ retirements story. Today, Richard Gasquet and Fabio Fognini feature in Part 2.

Richard Gasquet
The February 1996 edition of Tennis Magazine featured a striking cover in which a then-nine-year-old Gasquet was winding up to unleash a one-handed backhand. The headline read: “Le champion que la France attend?” In English, that means: “The champion that France is waiting for?” Twenty-nine years on and the Frenchman left the sport as a champion, falling to Jannik Sinner in his final match at Roland Garros.

In 1999, Gasquet won the prestigious Les Petits As international junior tournament in France, and three years later, he became the No. 1 junior in the world as a 16-year-old. But the first major splash the Frenchman made came earlier that year when he won on his ATP Tour debut at the 2002 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters as a 15-year-old.

Gasquet first broke into the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings on 29 September 2003, shortly after his 17th birthday. From 18 April 2005 through 14 January 2024, he spent nearly 19 consecutive years inside the Top 100, rising to a career-high No. 7. The 38-year-old earned 609 tour-level wins, more than any Frenchman on record according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

During the course of his career, the 16-time ATP Tour titlist became known for his artistic game, creating unthinkable angles with his one-handed backhand and playing aggressively with his forehand when he needed to. Gasquet was as meticulous with his strategy as he was with his grip, which he redid at nearly every changeover, more than anyone else on the ATP Tour.

Fabio Fognini
Fognini entertained fans worldwide from the moment he made his tour-level debut in 2006 in Buenos Aires, where he pushed former World No. 1 Carlos Moya to three sets. Like many great performers, Fognini seemed to take pleasure in teasing us with his talent, taunting us with his petulance, and then ultimately thrilling us with his bursts of brilliance.

Like the flawed hero in a Greek tragedy, Fognini possessed both the heroic traits and obvious weaknesses. Fognini seemed to be in a continuous fight against his inner self more than his outward opponents but would often deliver.

The Italian ended his career having earned 426 tour-level wins. The 38-year-old climbed to a career-high No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings and won nine ATP Tour titles, including his lone ATP Masters 1000 triumph in Monte-Carlo in 2019. Fognini recorded 17 wins against Top 10 opponents in his career, highlighted by his five-set comeback win against Rafael Nadal at the US Open in 2015 and victory against then-World No. 1 Andy Murray in Rome in 2017.

The Italian bowed out of tennis in typical Fognini fashion this year at Wimbledon, where he put on a trademark show to push Carlos Alcaraz to five sets in an epic first-round encounter.

“It was the perfect way to say goodbye to this sport,” Fognini said at Wimbledon. “I was able to play in an era that probably is going to be the best era forever in the sport. I played against Roger, against Rafa, against Nole. Winning a Slam for me was impossible. I have to be honest.”

<img alt=”Fabio Fognini” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/07/09/12/44/fognini-retirement-2025.jpg” />
_{^{Fabio Fognini waves goodbye to the Wimbledon crowd. Photo Credit: Getty Images}}

Kyle Edmund
Edmund was near the top of the sport in 2018. The Brit won his first title that season in Antwerp, reached his career high of No. 14 in the PIF ATP Rankings and advanced to the semi-finals at the Australian Open. During that run in Melbourne, he upset then-World No. 12 Kevin Anderson in the first round and World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov, fresh off his Nitto ATP Finals triumph, in the quarter-finals.

Edmund’s second tour-level title followed in New York in 2020 but the 30-year-old struggled with injuries in the past five years, undergoing surgeries in November 2020, March 2021 and May 2022.

“To look at the journey and try and bite size it as much as possible is hard. It just felt right with things and my injuries in the past,” Edmund said. “Especially around 2020, 2021, I had three surgeries and I spent four or five years trying to come back and had ups and downs along the way.

“But [I] never [was] fully able to get back to maybe my goal and my target. That was the main reason for the decision, but over the next weeks and months, it’ll be a nice time to reflect, do different things, spend more time at home with family and just sort of appreciate the journey.”

Rohan Bopanna
Bopanna, the former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings, brought the curtain down on a 20-year career in November. The Indian star amassed 26 tour-level doubles titles during his career, including the Australian Open in 2024 with Matthew Ebden. With that triumph, Bopanna rose to World No. 1 for the first time and became the oldest man to do so at 43 years.

Bopanna was raised in the quiet, coffee-growing region of Coorg in India, far from tennis hubs and with only limited access to the professional game. As his talent grew, he drew inspiration from legends like Ramanathan and Ramesh Krishnan, the Amritraj brothers and later Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, whose professionalism he observed firsthand in the Davis Cup locker room.

Their influence, along with his partnership and camaraderie with Sania Mirza, highlighted by their run to the 2023 Australian Open mixed doubles final, helped propel him from cracked local courts to the top tiers of the ATP Tour.

“Coming from a small town like Coorg to travelling all over the world, becoming World No. 1, especially at the age of 43, it’s a journey way beyond what I imagined,” said Bopanna. “The biggest thing, I’m most grateful to each and every partner, every match, every city, and everyone who supported me over the years.”

Ivan Dodig
A consistent champion on the doubles tour for more than 10 years, Dodig ended his career at the US Open in August. The 40-year-old reached No. 29 in the PIF ATP Rankings, No. 2 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings and won 24 tour-level doubles titles, including three majors and six ATP Masters 1000 crowns.

“Usually players break Top 100 at the age 20, 21. I broke Top 100 [when I was] almost 24. But after that, I stayed there for a long time, for 15, 16 years,” Dodig told ATPTour.com in November. “I achieved a lot of things, and played so much tennis in singles and doubles. So it’s a quite long career for me, and I’m really happy about it and really had a good time all these years.”

In singles, the Croatian’s biggest success came in 2011 when he won his lone ATP Tour title on home soil in Zagreb. In the same year, Dodig stunned then-World No. 2 Rafael Nadal 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Canada and also earned multiple wins against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Milos Raonic and Marin Cilic during his career.

Tim van Rijthoven
Van Rijthoven notably became one of the sport’s best underdog stories in 2022 when he won the ATP 250 in ’s-Hertogenbosch by ousting three Top 15 players. Van Rijthoven entered that week as No. 205 in the PIF ATP Rankings, without any tour-level match wins. He followed his title run with a fourth-round showing at Wimbledon, falling to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. He called time on his career aged 28 in July due to a persistent elbow injury.

“Due to a stubborn elbow injury that, despite all the rehabilitation and medical journeys, fails to recover, I am forced to say goodbye to the sport I’ve lived my entire life,” Van Rijthoven wrote on social media in July. “I would have liked to see it differently. I would have liked to say goodbye on my own terms, with a racket in hand and the audience in the stands. But sometimes the body decides differently than the head. Yet I look back with an incredible amount of pride and gratitude.”

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Sinner spends time with Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, compares himself to this F1 driver…

Jannik Sinner was among sporting royalty Sunday at the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings caught up with legends including Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry on the grid before the final race of the season.

Sinner also spent time with the likes of George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Toto Wolff, Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon. In an interview with a F1 social media channel, the Italian was asked which driver has the most similar mentality to him.

“Obviously the mental is really, really important. If I would choose one, I would say maybe George [Russell],” Sinner said. “He is very relaxed. Obviously very, very focused and concentrated during his race. Very similar to me.”

This was not Sinner’s first Formula 1 experience. He was also with Antonelli less than a month ago in Turin.

After the ATP No. 1 Club member won the Nitto ATP Finals on 16 November, Antonelli joined him on court. Before Sinner’s victory against Carlos Alcaraz, Antonelli told the ATP’s social channels that he is “a big fan of Jannik” and that his countryman “looks very strong”.

 

 

 

 

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Sinner watched Max Verstappen win the grand prix and Lando Norris claim his first F1 World Championship.

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Journey to Jeddah: The dynamics behind Blockx's rise & Nadal's influence on Landaluce

Measured, thoughtful and quietly driven, Martin Landaluce carries the aura of a young player shaped not only by talent but by the powerful influences around him. Raised in Madrid before relocating to Mallorca as a teenager, the 19-year-old settled into life at the renowned Rafa Nadal Academy, the setting for Episode 2 of the new Journey to Jeddah series. It is here, on these pristine courts, that much of his growth has taken place.

A former US Open boys’ singles champion and now a two-time ATP Challenger Tour titlist, Landaluce credits part of his progress to a unique apprenticeship few players his age experience: training with Rafael Nadal himself.

“On this first court is where I practised with [Nadal] several times,” Landaluce said, looking over the courts in Mallorca. “He destroyed me. He hits very hard when practicing, very hard. But I had a great time.”

The mentorship didn’t end at the baseline. His conversations with Toni Nadal, Rafa’s uncle and long-time coach, often stretched far beyond forehands and footwork.

“We talk about things normally no one asks you,” Landaluce said. “But he doesn’t have a filter, so if he wants to ask you that he is going to do it and I like that from him and I admire him. It is good to do that reflection.”

Family has also played a defining role in Landaluce’s journey. His father, Alejandro, still competes on the ITF Seniors Tour, while both his siblings share the same competitive fire. Their unity was once captured in a story almost too improbable to believe.

“There is a funny story that my dad, my sister, my brother and myself, we won the same tournament in the same week in different categories,” he recalls. “I think that is very, very difficult and rare in the history of tennis.”

If Landaluce’s path has been shaped by family and mentorship, Alexander Blockx’s story begins with sibling rivalry and the moment a young boy realised he wanted to be on the court, not just watching from the side.

“I used to sit on the bench and watch a lot, what my brother was doing,” the 20-year-old Belgian said. “I love competing because I always tried to do better than him. My coach asked me if I wanted to try and at first I was a bit shy, and then eventually I started hitting and it was so nice and I had the feeling instantly.”

That early spark has evolved into a dynamic, forward-leaning style that powered Blockx to two ATP Challenger Tour titles this season and a place at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

“I am pretty quick for my height,” said World No. 116 Blockx. “I can attack really well from my forehand. My serve has got a lot better and my backhand now I can attack with it. I think the key is to be as aggressive as you can otherwise you have no chance to beat the best players.”

At the core of Blockx’s rise is one of the most enduring partnerships in the sport. Philippe Cassiers, his coach since childhood, has been guiding him for 16 years, a rarity in the modern game.

“We have known each other for 16 years now. It is rare to have such a long relationship in sport and in general,” Blockx said. “It is becoming more like a family.”

Cassiers agreed: “It is a long, trusted relationship. We don’t need too many words or signs to understand where we are going. We are enjoying the process.”

Watch Episode 2 of Journey to Jeddah now, and follow both Landaluce and Blockx as they take aim at the title at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, held in Jeddah from 17–21 December.

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Schwartzman, Verdasco headline 2025 retirements

To mark the end of another thrilling season, ATPTour.com is unveiling our annual ‘Best Of’ series, which will reflect on the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and more. Diego Schwartzman and Fernando Verdasco lead Part 1 of our ‘Best Of’ retirements story. Richard Gasquet and Fabio Fognini will feature in Part 2.

Diego Schwartzman
Schwartzman will be remembered on Tour, as well as for his achievements, for being a player who set the bar for those looking to push themselves past whatever their own personal limitations may be, with his discipline, passion and a born ability to compete.
Despite only being 5’7” and being told as a teenager that his height would hold him back, the Argentine went on to reach a career-high No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings, lifting four ATP Tour trophies.

“I really like when people say to me, ‘You were a fighter, but you were also a very good tennis player’,” Schwartzman reflected in a first-person essay on his career. “Just being a fighter, you are not going to be at the top of the sport. You need to play good tennis. You need to have a good forehand, a good serve and good movement. Just being a fighter does not get you to the top.

“I was there because I was good at this sport. Nobody gave me a gift. I earned this. When I was young, I didn’t expect to achieve what I did. But during my career, I belonged.”

Schwartzman played 36 consecutive Grand Slams starting at Roland Garros in 2014 and was in 52 consecutive main draws at ATP Masters 1000 events, for more than seven years. His best major result came on the clay in Paris, where he reached the semi-finals in 2020. The 33-year-old ended his career on home soil at the ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires in February.

Fernando Verdasco
After competing in his final singles match in 2023, Fernando Verdasco returned to court one final time in February in Doha, where he teamed with Novak Djokovic in doubles.

In a storied career spanning more than 20 years, the Spaniard won seven ATP Tour singles titles, lifting trophies on home soil in Valencia (2004) and Barcelona (2010. Verdasco peaked at No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings and amassed more than 500 tour-level wins (559) in an impressive display of longevity. Verdasco also helped his country to three Davis Cup titles (2008, 2009 and 2011) and played a leading role in the first of those crowns.

“The biggest [memory] is the Davis Cup for my country, which I won three times,” Verdasco said. “Of these three, the most special one is the one in Argentina, when I won the fourth point of the finals against Acasuso, and I gave my country the victory.”

A man for the big occasion, Verdasco’s run to the semi-finals at the 2009 Australian Open has gone down in history. The lefty beat Radek Stepanek, Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga en route to the last four before he battled for five hours and 14 minutes against Rafael Nadal in one of the greatest matches in history.

Verdasco also excelled in doubles, the discipline in which he brought his career to an end, alongside Djokovic in Doha. He claimed 8 doubles titles, including the 2013 Nitto ATP Finals alongside David Marrero, and climbed as high as No. 8 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings.

Christopher Eubanks
The American made headlines worldwide in 2023 when he soared to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon with his brand of ‘big-man tennis’. Fresh off winning his first and only ATP Tour title in Mallorca in June, Eubanks upset Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the last eight in London. However, he struggled to match that level in the past two years and called time on his career in November.

“If you had told this little boy from the Southside of Atlanta that he would’ve accomplished all that he did, he wouldn’t believe you,” Eubanks wrote on social media. “2 Time ACC Player of the Year? Yeah right. Wimbledon Quarter-finalist? No chance. An Olympian? Unfathomable. I was given opportunity to travel around the world and form incredible relationships all while fulfilling a lifelong dream of playing professional tennis. I can’t put into words how blessed I have been. Is this absolutely the end?! Tough to say for certain but if it is, WHOOPTY DOO!!! It’s been an incredible ride.”

Eubanks made his tour-level debut in Atlanta in 2015 and reached a career-high No. 29 in the PIF ATP Rankings in 2023.

Nicolas Mahut
Across 25 years on the ATP Tour, Nicolas Mahut crafted a career that any player would envy.
The Frenchman captured 37 tour-level doubles titles, including two Nitto ATP Finals crowns and five major titles with longtime partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert. He ascended to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings and was a Davis Cup champion for France.

In singles, he won four titles but is best remembered for his record-breaking 2010 Wimbledon epic against John Isner, which stretched over three days and lasted 11 hours and five minutes. The American defeated Mahut 70-68 in the fifth-set.

“I found a way to be associated, for eternity, with Wimbledon, which for me is the greatest [tournament] in the world,” Mahut, who won Wimbledon in 2016, said to ATPTour.com in October. “When I went this year with my son, walking through the aisles, he saw his name after all, because it’s also his. It gives me a little pride and ultimately there’s nothing more beautiful for me.”

Denis Kudla
Sixteen years after turning professional at age 16, Denis Kudla ended his career surrounded by his countrymen and women at the United Cup in January. The 33-year-old helped guide the United States to victory at the mixed teams event, joining forces with Desirae Krawczyk to earn a win against the Czech Republic.

“It was super emotional last night. I would say I definitely cried multiple times. I’m not a crying person. I didn’t expect emotions to take over. I thought that match was just to get on court and just participate and play,” Kudla said after partnering with Desirae Krawczyk to a victory. “But then it just turned into a special moment. I didn’t think I was going to retire in a stadium, a pretty full stadium too, and representing the country, which means everything to me.”

The Kyiv-born Kudla climbed to a career-high No. 53 in the PIF ATP Rankings and played all the top players on the world’s biggest stages. The nine-time ATP Challenger Tour champion faced Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and more.

Vasek Pospisil
Pospisil brought his career to a close on home soil at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto in July, 12 years on from when he made his breakthrough semi-final run at the same tournament.

“It’s just [been] an incredible journey. I’m so grateful, honestly, [for] the career I’ve had, the opportunities the sport has given me, the people I’ve met along the way that are friends for life,” Pospisil said during a ceremony after the match in Toronto. “Coming from a small town in B.C., it felt like a bit of a pipe dream back then and it just felt like a completely different world. One thing leads to another and you start improving and playing some small tournaments, bigger tournaments and suddenly you’re here. It’s easy to lose perspective sometimes that this is truly a dream come true for me.”

Pospisil reached a career-high No. 25 in singles and No. 4 in doubles. He won Wimbledon in 2014 with Jack Sock, lifting seven ATP Tour doubles trophies overall.

Albert Ramos-Vinolas

Surrounded by his family and his home fans, Albert Ramos-Vinolas ended his dazzling career after losing to Great Britain’s Jan Choinski 6-4, 7-5 in the quarter-finals of the ATP Challenger Tour event in Valencia in October.

The Spaniard, who turned pro in 2007, hung his racquet up with four ATP Tour titles under his belt from Bastad 2016, Gstaad 2019, Estoril 2021 and Cordoba 2022, as well as eight further finals, including one at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in 2017. It was at that tournament that he claimed the biggest scalp of his career; that of then-World No. 1 Andy Murray in the last 16.

Victories like those helped the lefty climb into the Top 20, and he peaked in the PIF ATP Rankings at No. 17 in 2017.

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