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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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Fritz headlines 2025's best Grand Slam comebacks

Five-set tennis remains one of the sport’s greatest stages for chaos, courage, and the kind of momentum swings that can stick in memory for years. Across the 2025 majors, the dramatic comebacks came thick and fast.

As part of our continuing ‘Best of 2025’ season review, today we look back on five of the most dramatic comeback victories at this year’s majors.

5) Wimbledon R1: Jarry d. Rune 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
When Nicolas Jarry fell two sets behind to eighth seed Holger Rune, it looked like his main-draw stay at Wimbledon might end almost as soon as it began. But the Chilean refused to leave quietly, digging deep to earn his maiden five-set win after previously going 0-5 in deciding sets at majors.

Competing as the No. 143 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Jarry came through qualifying to reach the All England Club. Early on, he struggled to impose his aggressive game against Rune, but once he found his range on the slick grass, the 6’7” powerhouse caught fire. He launched 63 winners, including 31 aces, in a stunning turnaround that marked his first main-draw win at a major since the 2023 US Open.

That victory lit the fuse for an inspired Wimbledon run. After ousting Rune, Jarry took out #NextGenATP talents Learner Tien and Joao Fonseca before bowing out to home favourite Cameron Norrie in the fourth round — his joint-best showing at a major tournament.

<img alt=”Nicolas Jarry” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/28/jarry-2025-wimbledon-comebacks.jpg” />_{^{Nicolas Jarry defeats Holger Rune in five sets at Wimbledon. Photo: Dan Istitene/Getty Images}}

4) Roland Garros R1: Monfils d. Dellien 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(4), 6-1
Leave it to Gael Monfils to turn a painful collision into the spark for another late-night Parisian spectacle. After crashing into an advertising board on just the fifth point of the match against Hugo Dellien in his Roland Garros opener, the Frenchman slowly shook off the scare and braced for battle.

Dellien took control of the opening two sets, silencing the crowd with a clean display of clay-court tennis. But then ‘La Monf’ mode kicked in. With renewed energy, the then-38-year-old danced around Court Philippe-Chatrier, amping up the power and feeding off the roaring home faithful.

A dazzling backhand winner sealed the fourth-set tie-break, and from there, Monfils surged through to his 40th Roland Garros victory, tying 1983 champion Yannick Noah for the most among Frenchmen in the Open Era.

“Every time I play Roland-Garros it’s magical,” Monfils told the crowd afterwards. “The energy was high and I knew the moment the Marseillaise rang out that it had turned. It’s moments like that, when I know I’ve gained the momentum and then, with this communion with you, I know it’s won.”

<img alt=”Gael Monfils ” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/32/monfils-2025-roland-garros-comebacs.jpg” />_{^{Gael Monfils defeats Hugo Dellien in five sets at Roland Garros. Photo: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images}}

3) Roland Garros R2: Bublik d. De Minaur 2-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
Sometimes a comeback starts simply with waking up. That’s exactly how Alexander Bublik described his emphatic rally against then-World No. 9 Alex de Minaur at Roland Garros — and after winning just four games across the first two sets, he suddenly snapped to life.

Once he loosened up, the Kazakhstani unleashed his signature blend of audacious drop shots and raw power, completely flipping the momentum and catching De Minaur off guard. The Australian, usually the one scrambling opponents into errors, found himself outfoxed as Bublik rattled off the final three sets with surprising ease to complete the turnaround.

“I was a bit sleepy in the first two sets,” said Bublik, who was competing as the World No. 62. “It was [the] key to wake up and then play one of the best Slam matches that I ever played in my life.”

Bublik entered 2025 with just 21 tour-level wins on clay, yet his triumph over De Minaur kickstarted an inspired surge. He then defeated Henrique Rocha and fifth seed Jack Draper to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals — his best major showing — despite clay being his least-proven surface. The 28-year-old then added titles in Gstaad and Kitzbuehel, wrapping the season with a 16-5 clay record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

<img alt=”Alexander Bublik ” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/36/bublik-2025-roland-garros-comebacks.jpg” />_{^{Alexander Bublik defeats Alex de Minaur in five sets at Roland Garros. Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images}}

2) Australian Open R2: Davidovich Fokina d. Auger-Aliassime 6-7(7), 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3
Few matches captured the chaos of Melbourne nights like Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s thrilling five-set win against Felix Auger-Aliassime that lasted four hours and 51 minutes.

After just seven games, both players agreed to shift courts due to the thunderous roar from the neighbouring Jacob Fearnley-Arthur Cazaux clash. The interruption didn’t bother Auger-Aliassime, who returned focused and clinched a pair of tie-breaks to earn a two-set lead.

But Davidovich Fokina responded with resilience and poise. He clawed back the next two sets with his gritty all-court style, forcing a decider past midnight. Even a point penalty for a time violation at 3-2 in the fifth — which was followed by a four-minute delay — couldn’t derail him; he reset quickly, surged ahead and completed the dramatic comeback at 1:15 a.m.

“It was a match where we both played at a high level,” said Davidovich Fokina, who rallied from two sets down against Jakub Mensik just two days later. “It’s definitely one of the matches of my career that has given me the most satisfaction. I had never been able to win from two sets down. The strength I have gained from this match is immense.”

<img alt=”Alejandro Davidovich Fokina” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/34/davidovich-fokina-australian-open-2025-comebacks.jpg” />_{^{Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeats Felix Auger-Aliassime in five sets at the Australian Open. Photo: PAUL CROCK/AFP via Getty Images}}

1) Wimbledon R1: Fritz d. Mpetshi Perricard 6-7(6), 6-7(8), 6-4, 7-6(8), 6-4
Trailing by two sets to one, two points from defeat, and staring down a man who had just shattered the Wimbledon serving-speed record, Taylor Fritz looked finished in the first round. But what followed became one of the defining turnarounds of the season, ultimately helping him on his way to the semi-finals at SW19 for the first time.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who led 5/1 in the fourth-set tie-break and had two serves at 5/2, seemed poised to close out the upset. Earlier, the 6’8” Frenchman had fired a 153 mph bomb that eclipsed Taylor Dent’s tournament record set in 2010. He drew gasps from the crowd with his explosive serving as he took full control of the encounter.

Then Fritz turned the tables. With unwavering belief — and after titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne — he reeled off seven of the final eight points of the fourth-set tie-break and unleashed a roar that signalled the match was far from over. Due to the All England Club’s 11 p.m. curfew, the American had to finish the job the next day, but he did so in style to emerge victorious in the first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting between two of the Tour’s most prolific servers.

“It was a really crazy match. I thought it was about to be all over in the fourth-set tie-break last night,” said Fritz. “He came back on me in the first two tie-breaks, so I thought I had one in me. I’m just super happy to get through.”

<img alt=”Taylor Fritz” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/37/fritz-wimbledon-2025-comebacks-1.jpg” />_{^{Taylor Fritz celebrates against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at Wimbledon. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour}}

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Hewitt, Henman, Wawrinka among United Cup captains

Lleyton Hewitt, Tim Henman and Stan Wawrinka are among the star-studded lineup of past and current tennis stars to captain teams at the 2026 United Cup.

The fourth edition of the innovative mixed team competition will again open the global tennis season, with 18 countries set to compete under the guidance of some of the sport’s most respected names from 2-11 January across Perth and Sydney. 

In Perth, three-time major champion Wawrinka will act as a playing captain for Team Switzerland alongside WTA No. 11 Belinda Bencic. Team Switzerland will face Italy and France in Group C action. 

Henman, who inspired a British tennis revival in the 1990s by becoming the first Briton to reach the men’s semi-finals at Wimbledon in 25 years, will captain Team Great Britain, starring World No. 10 Jack Draper and WTA No. 29 Emma Raducanu in Group E. 

Lucas Pouille, former No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings, will lead Team France, which will feature French No. 1s Arthur Rinderknech and Lois Boisson in Group C.

Former Japanese player Go Soeda will guide Japan in their United Cup debut with four-time major champion Naomi Osaka and 2019 Wimbledon boys’ singles titlist Shintaro Mochizuki in the same group as Great Britain and Greece.

In Sydney, home favourites Australia will be spearheaded by former World No. 1 and two-time major champion Hewitt in Group D. 

Gabriela Dabrowski, a Top 10 doubles player on the Hologic WTA Tour, will head up second seeds Team Canada, which includes World No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime and teenage sensation Victoria Mboko. 

Rounding out the list are a number of father-son duos, including Alexander Zverev Sr.for Team Germany, Christian Ruud for Team Norway and Stefano Cobolli steering Team Italy.

Tickets to the United Cup are on sale now. View the list of teams below:
 

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Best ATP Tour comebacks of 2025: De Minaur, Fonseca among season-defining escapes

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. Today we highlight five standout ATP Tour comebacks (not including Grand Slams) from this season.

Every comeback tells a story of resilience, timing, belief, and momentum. In 2025, the ATP Tour was full of moments when players turned matches, tournaments, or even their season around with gutsy performances when it mattered most.

5) Delray Beach F: Kecmanovic d. Davidovich Fokina 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
Miomir Kecmanovic’s five-year title drought ended in spectacular fashion at the Delray Beach Open, where he summoned a bit of his own scrappy play in the process.

Facing a 2-5, 15/40 deficit in the final set against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Kecmanovic summoned the same gritty defence that his Spanish opponent uses so well, saving two consecutive championship points with heart-stopping touches. The second one came via a volley that clipped the net cord and drifted in for a winner.

From there, Kecmanovic reeled off the final five games, including a ruthless break to love at 5-5, to seal his second ATP Tour title, and first since 2020. To add to his fairytale outing, the Serbian teamed up with Brandon Nakashima later that day to win the doubles crown.

4) Paris QF: Zverev d. Medvedev 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(5)
Alexander Zverev may have been falling further behind against his greatest Lexus ATP Head2Head rival Daniil Medvedev in recent years, but he nonetheless scored a win back in memorable fashion at the Rolex Paris Masters.

Staring down the barrel of his sixth consecutive defeat against Medvedev at 4-5 on serve in the deciding set, Zverev rediscovered his own game: big first serves, forward-thinking mindset, and unshakeable nerve. The German fired an unreturned first serve to fend off the first match point and then struck a booming backhand to take control of the second, before edging a tight tie-break to seal his first victory over Medvedev since Cincinnati in 2023.

Despite still trailing 8-14 in their long-running Lexus ATP Head2Head series, Zverev notched a redemptive win: The No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings played the way he knows he can.

“Daniil is kind of my kryptonite, I don’t like playing him,” Zverev said. “He’s somebody who has had my number for the last couple of years. The thing I’m most pleased with is the match points saved, the way I continued being brave and in the important moments, winning the match myself.”

3) Houston: Brooksby’s brilliance en route to first ATP Tour title
Winning your first ATP Tour title is always special, but for Jenson Brooksby, it came after weathering more near-exit experiences than most.

At the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston, the American survived match points in three separate matches en route to his first tour-level crown at the clay-court event. Brooksby saved one in his first-round qualifying match, two against third seed Alejandro Tabilo in the main-draw second round, and one against top seed Tommy Paul in the semi-finals.

The 24-year-old’s 6-4, 6-2 championship-match victory against 2023 Houston winner Frances Tiafoe was, ironically, the most comprehensive win of them all.

“I’m just someone who hates to lose and loves to win in general — obviously tennis being most important, but even in other games, and I think that’s just how I’m wired as a person,” Brooksby told ATPTour.com. “I just really love winning, so that transfers over into when I’m in tough positions and maybe you should lose in those situations, I’m able to at least find a way out of it sometimes.”

<img alt=”Jenson Brooksby” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/20/15/26/brooksby-houston-2025-trophy-lift.jpg” />_{^{Jenson Brooksby wins his first ATP Tour title in Houston. Photo: Andrew Wevers}}

2) Buenos Aires QF: Fonseca d. Navone 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
Joao Fonseca arrived on the ATP Tour powered by teenage hype and the kind of raw, relentless energy that makes you lean forward in your seat, but Buenos Aires was where that buzz met title-winning substance.

Against home favourite Mariano Navone, in a raucous quarter-final at the IEB+ Argentina Open, the Brazilian produced one of the most mature wins of his fledgling career. Fonseca twice rallied from a break down in the second set to force a decider, in which he once again came back from the jaws of defeat.

At 3-5, 15/40, the then-18-year-old saved two consecutive match points — the second with a drilled backhand winner — to flip the match, winning the next four straight games to reach the semi-finals. Two days later, he downed another Argentine, Francisco Cerundolo, in the final to become the youngest South American to win a tour-level title in the ATP Tour era (since 1990).

“Those are the victories that we work for,” Fonseca said after his quarter-final win. “I was not playing my best and I fought until the end. Since the beginning I was believing I could win, even if I wasn’t playing my best, but I fought and now I’m in the semi-finals.”

1) Washington F: De Minaur d. Davidovich Fokina 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(3)
If comebacks define character, Alex de Minaur’s championship-match victory at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington was a pure reflection of the Australian’s on-court resilience.

With his 10th title on the line, the Australian fought off three championship points against Davidovich Fokina in a thrilling final set, including one so tight he was just 16 millimetres from defeat. But a desperate lob clipped the sideline, and he didn’t look back.

De Minaur had already battled to break back when Davidovich Fokina attempted to serve for the match at 5-3, 30/0. Then, in a mammoth 10-minute return game filled with Deuces, he saved all three championship points before eventually landing a tie-break and delivering more final heartbreak for Davidovich Fokina, who fell to his third defeat at that stage of a tournament in 2025.

“I just backed myself and I told myself to commit no matter what and if I lost this match it was going to be on my terms,” De Minaur said. “Today it went my way. I’ve had a couple of brutal ones not go my way, so I’m glad this one went my way.”

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Rafael Jodar: In Focus

Rafael Jodar went from hitting partner at last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF to earning his debut appearance after a remarkable late-season surge in 2025.

The 19-year-old Spaniard, who was ranked outside the Top 900 in March, captured three ATP Challenger Tour titles between August and November to secure his spot at the 20-and-under event in Jeddah. The son of two teachers and a University of Virginia sophomore himself, Jodar has balanced collegiate commitments with his rapid rise.

With his latest triumph in Charlottesville last month, Jodar became the third Spanish teenager to win at least three ATP Challenger Tour titles, joining the current No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Carlos Alcaraz and former World No. 9 Nicolas Almagro.

Jodar, who won the 2024 US Open boys’ title, will make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals alongside countryman and close friend Martin Landaluce, with whom he grew up playing tennis in Madrid.

Read more about the Spaniard with our range of exclusive features below…

Jodar, 2024 junior major champ, wins first Challenger title in ninth outing
Jodar’s journey: From idolising Nadal to forging his own path
Jodar racing towards Jeddah… with laptop in tow
How Jodar joined Alcaraz in Challenger history

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Nishesh Basavareddy: In Focus

Nishesh Basavareddy returns to the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF for the second straight year, this time backed by the experience of coach Gilles Cervara.

The 20-year-old American’s season was highlighted by a semi-final run at the ATP 250 in Auckland in January, before rising to a career-high No. 99 in the PIF ATP Rankings in June. At the start of December, Basavareddy teamed up with Cervara, who previously coached former World No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev for eight years.

After earning his place in Jeddah last year, Basavareddy decided to turn professional following two seasons at Stanford University. He will be, alongside 2024 finalist Learner Tien, the second American to return to the 20-and-under event this season. Growing up in Indiana, he shared a coach with former doubles World No. 1 Rajeev Ram, gaining valuable insight from the 32-time tour-level doubles champion during his formative years.

Find out more about the American with our range of exclusive features below…

Basavareddy reveals the biggest realisations of life on the ATP Tour
More sliding & sore hips: Basavareddy learning the ropes on clay
Tien & Basavareddy: From under-8 opponents to an All England Club showdown
Why #NextGenATP stars embrace SW19’s traditions
Next Steps: How Tien, Basavareddy & Engel are making the leap
Learning from legends: How Nadal, Cilic, Ram are inspiring #NextGenATP stars
The Fierce Feuds lighting up the #NextGenATP wave

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Nicolai Budkov Kjaer: In Focus

Nicolai Budkov Kjaer heads to the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF for the first time after a standout 2025 season.

Coached by his father and former player, Alexander Kjaer, the 19-year-old Norwegian has won four ATP Challenger Tour titles this year — tying him with five other players for the most in 2025. Budkov Kjaer has also been mentored by countryman and former No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings Casper Ruud during his early days.

The 2024 Wimbledon boys’ champion secured his maiden ATP Tour win this year in Bastad, where he came through qualifying before defeating Thiago Monteiro. Two of his Challenger titles in 2025 have come on indoor hard courts, form he will hope to carry into his debut campaign at the 20-and-under event in Jeddah.

Find out more about the Norwegian with our range of exclusive features below…

With Ruud’s support, Budkov Kjaer carving his own path
Budkov Kjaer, Sinner’s practice partner, ready to unleash the hammer in Vienna
#NextGenATP stars share early memories
The Fierce Feuds lighting up the #NextGenATP wave

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Dino Prizmic: In Focus

Dino Prizmic has wasted little time living up to the praise he has received in recent years, earning his debut spot at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

The 20-year-old Croatian, who received high acclaim from his idol Novak Djokovic following their four-set clash at the Australian Open in 2024, captured two ATP Challenger Tour titles and this season reached a further two finals at that level. After climbing to a career-high No. 115 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Prizmic will make his debut at the 20-and-under event in Jeddah this month.

Prizmic impressed beyond the Challenger circuit as well, picking up tour-level wins highlighted by his run to the quarter-finals on home soil at the ATP 250 in Umag. Although he fell to eventual champion Luciano Darderi, he earned recognition as a “future Top 10 player” following their encounter.

Find out more about the Croatian with our range of exclusive features below…

Meet Dino Prizmic: #NextGenATP star taking Croatian baton? 
Learning from legends: How Nadal, Cilic, Ram are inspiring #NextGenATP stars
Surging Prizmic qualifies at US Open

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