Tennis News

Next Gen ATP Finals Photos: Best images from round-robin play in Jeddah

Round-robin play at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF concluded Friday in Jeddah after three days of competition featuring eight of the best 20-and-under players.

Learner Tien beat Nicolai Budkov Kjaer in the final group-stage match to finish first in the Blue Group with a 2-1 record. Alexander Blockx remained undefeated in the Red Group, posting a 3-0 record. Both advanced to the semi-finals, alongside Budkov Kjaer and Nishesh Basavareddy.

View some photos from the round-robin action. All photo credits belong to Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour.

<img alt=”Learner Tien at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/19/01/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-tien.jpg” />
^{Learner Tien.}

<img alt=”Alexander Blockx with a kid at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/18/48/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-blockx.jpg” />
^{Alexander Blockx.}

<img alt=”Nishesh Basavareddy on Day 3 of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/17/37/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-basavareddy.jpg” />
^{Nishesh Basavareddy.}

<img alt=”Martin Landaluce on Day 1 of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/17/49/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-landaluce.jpg” />
^{Martin Landaluce.}

<img alt=”Rafael Jodar at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/17/43/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-jodar.jpg” />
^{Rafael Jodar.}

<img alt=”Fans supporting Justin Engel at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/18/42/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-engel-fans.jpg” />
^{Justin Engel fans in the stands.}

<img alt=”Justin Engel at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/19/05/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-engel.jpg” />
^{Justin Engel.}

<img alt=”Nicolai Budkov Kjaer on Day 2 of the Next Gen ATP Finals 2025.” style=”width:100′;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/18/05/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-budkov-kjaer.jpg” />
^{Nicolai Budkov Kjaer}

<img alt=”Dino Prizmic at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/18/54/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-prizmic.jpg” />
^{Dino Prizmic.}

<img alt=”Alexander Blockx on Day 2 of the Next Gen ATP Finals.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/18/25/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-blockx-bh.jpg” />
^{Alexander Blockx}

<img alt=”Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/19/03/jeddah-2025-round-robin-gallery-stadium.jpg” />
^{A general view of the stadium at the King Abdullah Sports City.}

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Budkov Kjaer: A ‘sleepless night’, sweet revenge & a dream run in Jeddah

Winning has been a familiar feeling for Nicolai Budkov Kjaer throughout 2025, and stepping on court at the and the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF hasn’t changed that rhythm one bit.

Two things have driven the 19-year-old’s run to becoming the first Norwegian semi-finalist at the event: a sharp competitive memory and a body that just keeps giving. Budkov Kjaer’s campaign in Jeddah began with his first win in four tries over Martin Landaluce, following it up with a composed victory against Rafael Jodar, the same opponent who denied him a second consecutive major title in the US Open boys’ final last year.

“It was a bitter loss. Two Grand Slams as a junior is special because many win one, but very few win two,” Budkov Kjaer told ATPTour.com in Jeddah. “I still remember the airplane ride, I was struggling to sleep. It was a tough loss.”

If anything, it was a loss that seemed to spark what came next. In 2025, Budkov Kjaer scooped four ATP Challenger Tour titles and rose to World No. 132 en route to earning his place at the 20-and-under showpiece.

At 6’3”, Budkov Kjaer’s weapons are obvious from the stands: a lively serve, clean power off both wings and the confidence to pull the trigger indoors, where he’s already won twice this year. But so far in Jeddah, it’s what’s at the heart of the points that has stood out.

“I’m quite pleased with a lot of things this week, but I think my physicality is really good,” said Budkov Kjaer, who won 11/14 rallies over nine shots against Landaluce, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “I’m moving extremely well and I don’t think I need to rush the rallies because I have a good base now.

“I was talking a lot with my coaches in the preseason about how I’m quite good physically. The longer the point, the better for me. Especially with Martin [Landaluce], who has an aggressive game, it’s a bit tougher to always play with a small margin, so maybe I took some inspiration from my countryman Casper [Ruud], who plays with the high spin and good margins.”

Watch Jeddah Highlights: Budkov Kjaer vs. Landaluce

Ruud, the former World No. 2 and three-time major finalist, is a familiar face in Budkov Kjaer’s journey, someone he’s practised with often and openly refers to as a ‘big brother’ figure. Yet this week, the 19-year-old has nudged past his countryman in one small but notable way, becoming the first Norwegian to reach the semi-finals in tournament history.

Budkov Kjaer has shown just why he is one of the brightest prospects on the ATP Tour so far in Jeddah, all with a tight-knit support system in tow. His sister, who is also a tennis player, has been a constant presence, alongside his parents — coach Alexander Kjaer and mother Tatiana.

“I’ve always been a guy that likes to compete and play matches — I get motivated by that,” Budkov Kjaer said when asked about his 2025 season. “I really like playing a lot of matches each year because you have all the pressure, all the emotions. You can never train like it is in a match. I think it’s a good thing and something I will keep doing, of course.

“I’m still super young, so I have a big career in front of me. I hope I’m not at my peak yet… I hope I play better in every tournament I come to and I think I am getting better and playing some of my best tennis right now.”

Nicolai Budkov Kjaer and the power of the Magic 8 Ball 🎱🪄#NextGenATPFinals pic.twitter.com/4fQJQztDZW

— Next Gen ATP Finals (@nextgenfinals) December 18, 2025

There has also been a lighter edge to his wins this week. Landaluce and Jodar aren’t just rivals, but friends, which has made the victories sweeter and post-match exchanges around the locker room and practice courts a little more playful.

“To get revenge is always fun and to do it against good friends is also fun because you joke and tease each other about it,” said Budkov Kjaer. “It’s cool that the revenge came here and in a special tournament. It’s always cool to win even if it’s revenge or not.”

Having lost to top seed and last year’s finalist Learner Tien on Friday night, Budkov Kjaer finished second in the Blue Group. Standing between him and a spot in Sunday’s final is 20-year-old Alexander Blockx. The pair clash in its first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting not before 7 p.m. local time. Former champions of the innovative event include Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

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Tien tops Budkov Kjaer, both advance to Jeddah SFs

Learner Tien and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer secured their spots in the semi-finals of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF after a dramatic Friday evening in Jeddah.

Tien, who reached the final last year in Jeddah, defeated Budkov Kjaer 3-4(2), 4-1, 4-2, 4-2 to win the Blue Group with a 2-1 round-robin record and set a semi-final showdown against countryman Nishesh Basavreddy. When Budkov Kjaer won the opening set, that was enough to place him in the last four. With Tien needing either a three or four-set victory to advance, the top seed accomplished precisely that, knocking out Rafael Jodar.

“Not really,” Tien said when asked if he felt any pressure after losing the first set. “It’s a longer format, three out of five, the sets can go by quick… I thought I served pretty well the whole match, I didn’t get broken in the first set and he played a good tie-break. I didn’t feel like I played a bad set, so I wasn’t super worried.

“I think I’m adjusting to the conditions and getting a little bit better day by day, so I’m happy with that. This is my last year here, so I’m really trying to make the most out of it.”

The 20-year-old Tien increased his level as the match wore on and dictated more rallies from the baseline in the latter stages. The lefty protected his second serve, winning 76 per cent (13/17) of those points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, compared to the 19-year-old’s 38 per cent (6/16).

Tien, the top seed in Jeddah and heavy favourite entering the week, began the event with a loss to Jodar, who saved four match points to escape the American. Jodar
needed any result Friday besides a four-set win from the American to advance. Tien rebounded with wins against Martin Landaluce and Budkov Kjaer, the second Norwegian to compete at the event (Casper Ruud) in its eight-year history. Budkov Kjaer will face Red Group winner Alexander Blockx in the semi-finals.

Earlier, Jodar put aside his friendship with Landaluce, ousting his countryman with a 4-3(7), 4-1, 4-3(2) victory. Blasting 31 winners across the match, Jodar held his nerve when it mattered most, including in the first set when he fended off four set points.

“I’m very happy how I handled the important moments and the pressure moments in this match,” said Jodar. “Super happy to get the win here. I’ve been playing against him for a long time. We are very good friends. We are from the same tennis club, Club de Tenis Chamartin.”

With his idol Rafael Nadal in attendance, Jodar again kept his cool in the fourth-set tie-break to avoid any late drama.

“Rafa has been my idol for a long time, since I was very young,” said the teenager. “I used to watch all of his matches. He was my role model in tennis. I’m super happy that he was here. It means a lot that he came to Saudi Arabia to watch this tournament.”

Jodar was also watertight behind his second serve, having won 92 per cent (12/13) of his second-serve points, according to the Infosys ATP Stats.

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'I still have dreams' – Wawrinka to retire after 2026

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka says that 2026 will be his final season as a professional.

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Wawrinka announces 'one last push': 2026 will be his last year

Stan Wawrinka announced on social media on Friday that 2026 will be his last year on tour.

The Swiss player has won 16 tour-level titles, including three major trophies, and rose to a career-high No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“ONE LAST PUSH,” Wawrinka wrote. “Every book needs an ending. It’s time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player. 2026 will be my last year on tour.”

🎾ONE LAST PUSH🎾
Every book needs an ending📕
It’s time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player 📝
2026 will be my last year on tour

P perseverance
A ambition
S sacrifice
S success
I injuries
O obsession
N never give up

D discipline
R… pic.twitter.com/CJlA8gCN8Y

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) December 19, 2025

Known for possessing one of the most elegant one-handed backhands in the game, Wawrinka’s career hit new heights in the middle of the 2010s, winning trophies at the Australian Open in 2014, Roland Garros in 2015 and the US Open in 2016.

Wawrinka has reached the Nitto ATP Finals on four occasions, highlighted by three consecutive semi-final runs from 2013-15. He has earned at least three Lexus ATP Head2Head wins against each member of the Big Three — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic — and defeated former World No. 1 Andy Murray 10 times.

Wawrinka is set to open his final season in Perth at the United Cup, which begins 2 January.

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Nadal delights fans in Jeddah

Fan Zone at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF had extra buzz Friday night when 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal made a special appearance.

Still sporting a cast on his right hand and wrist after recent surgery – but no longer with his arm in a sling – Nadal spent an extended period in pleasantly cool evening conditions posing for photos with delighted Saudi fans.

Nadal later watched the all-Spanish clash between Rafael Jodar and Martin Landaluce, who trains at Nadal’s academy in Mallorca. 

Nadal, who has served as an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation since the start of 2024, will remain in Jeddah through Sunday’s final of the 20-and-under showpiece at King Abdullah Sports City.

The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings promotes tennis throughout the Kingdom. His involvement includes encouraging grassroots participation, supporting training programs, and helping plan the future of the sport.

“We love this event, we have come before and it is great to see the young players,” said fan Jayshree Babu, who is a ‘major’ Roger Federer fan. “I think tennis is really picking up as a sport in Saudi and it is good to see the attraction it is gaining. With people like Nadal coming, it only adds to the excitement and growth.”

<img alt=”Fans Suresh Babu, Bharadhwaj Babu, Jayshree Babu, Amit Jain and Lakshmi Babu attend the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/16/41/fan-zone-2-jeddah.jpg” />
^{Fans Suresh Babu, Bharadhwaj Babu, Jayshree Babu, Amit Jain and Lakshmi Babu. Photo credit: ATP Tour}

<img alt=”Rafael Nadal fans attend the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/16/28/nadal-fans-jeddah-2025-friday.jpg” />
^{Nadal fans in Jeddah. Photo credit: ATP Tour}

<img alt=”Waleed Habosh, Qussai Kreisler and Bilal Taj attend the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah.” style=”width:100;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/19/16/39/fan-zone-1-jeddah-2025.jpg” />
^{Fans Waleed Habosh, Qussai Kreisler and Bilal Taj. Photo credit: ATP Tour}

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Safeguarding at the ATP

1) Safeguarding at ATP
ATP is committed to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive environment across all ATP tournaments worldwide. Safeguarding is central to our values and to the way we protect the dignity, wellbeing and rights of everyone involved in professional tennis.

Safeguarding at ATP applies to players, player support teams, staff, officials, volunteers, children, adults at risk and anyone participating in or attending ATP tournaments.

2) Report a Concern:
If something feels wrong, report it. Anyone can report a safeguarding concern, including players, staff, volunteers, parents, spectators or members of the public.

You can report a concern in the following ways:

• Submit an online safeguarding report form
• Email: safeguarding@atptour.com
• Speak to the Tournament Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)
• Use the anonymous reporting option (report@atptour.realresponse.uk or +1(904)-372-1287)

If someone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services first. You can then report the concern to the tournament DSO or ATP.

All reports are taken seriously and handled confidentially.

3) What Safeguarding means at ATP
Safeguarding at ATP means taking action to prevent harm, respond to concerns and promote a culture of safety and respect at our tournaments. It is about protecting people, especially players, children and adults at risk, and making sure concerns are taken seriously and handled with care.

Our safeguarding approach is guided by the following principles:

• Trauma-informed care: The Safeguarding Programme is rooted in trauma-informed care principles, aiming to prevent recurring traumatic experiences and restore a sense of safety, power, and self-worth. The Programme aims to prioritise the wellbeing of everyone involved in ATP tournaments, particularly all children, adults at risk and any person with lived experience of abuse.
• Shared responsibility: Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. All Covered Persons are expected to uphold the principles of the Safeguarding Programme and collaborate to ensure a safe professional tennis environment during ATP tournaments.
• Champion safety: ATP treats safeguarding concerns and allegations seriously, striving for prompt responses.
• Work together: ATP collaborates with other organizations, in and beyond tennis, to enhance safeguarding standards and best practice.

4) Roles & Responsibilities
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. While everyone has a role to play, certain responsibilities are clearly defined.

• Tournament Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO):
  Acts as the main point of contact for safeguarding at the tournament, receives concerns and works closely with ATP to ensure appropriate action is taken.
• ATP Director of Safeguarding:
  Oversees the ATP Safeguarding Programme, assesses and investigates concerns, and ensures consistent safeguarding standards across tournaments.
• Safeguarding Advisory Panel
  A group of independent professionals with a background in safeguarding or tennis to lead the ATP in it’s safeguarding commitments.
• Everyone involved in ATP tournaments:
  Players, staff, officials and volunteers are expected to act respectfully, maintain appropriate boundaries and report concerns.

5) ATP Safeguarding Programme

You can download the ATP Safeguarding Programme here.

6) Contact & Support
ATP takes a trauma-informed approach to safeguarding. Support, care and dignity are central to how concerns are handled.

Director of Safeguarding:
Andrew Azzopardi
andrew.azzopardi@atptour.com
+44 7354 843986

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2026 ATP Board of Directors confirmed

Director positions on the ATP Board have been confirmed for the 2026 season and beyond.

Charles Humphrey Smith was elected as a Masters 1000 Tournament Board Representative for a three-year term from 2026-2028. The International Managing Director/Shanghai Juss Event has played a critical leadership role at the Rolex Shanghai Masters and for tennis in the city for almost three decades. Smith was previously the International Region Tournament Representative on the ATP Board. From 2026, he will join Gavin Forbes as a Masters 1000 Tournament Board Representative.

Nicolas Lamperin, Tournament Director of the ASB Classic in Auckland, has been elected to a three-year term as the 250 Tournament Board Representative and will serve on the Board for the first time. Herwig Straka of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna continues as the 500 Tournament Board Representative.

Warren Green will fill the International Player Board Representative position, previously held by new ATP CEO Eno Polo, through the end of 2026. The former ATP Tour player and accomplished business leader has served in several board roles, including as Vice Chair of Tennis New South Wales.

Pablo Andujar and Mark Knowles were re-elected to Player Board Representative positions, while Luben Pampoulov remains as the Europe Player Board Representative. Andujar, a four-time ATP Tour singles titlist, will continue as the At-Large Player Board Representative through 2027. Knowles, a former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings, retains the Americas Player Board Representative position through 2028.

The representatives on the ATP Board for 2026 will be as follows:

• Chairman: Andrea Gaudenzi
• Masters 1000 Tournament Board Representative: Charles Humphrey Smith
• Masters 1000 Tournament Board Representative: Gavin Forbes
• 500 Tournament Board Representative: Herwig Straka
• 250 Tournament Board Representative: Nicolas Lamperin
• Americas Player Board Representative: Mark Knowles
• At-Large Player Board Representative: Pablo Andujar
• Europe Player Board Representative: Luben Pampoulov
• International Player Board Representative: Warren Green

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ATP announces new Safeguarding Programme ahead of 2026 season

The ATP has announced the launch of a new Safeguarding Programme, effective January 2026, marking a major step forward in strengthening safety and wellbeing across all ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour tournaments.

Built on trauma-informed principles and aligned with international best practice, the Programme introduces a clear, global framework for preventing and responding to abuse, including cases of harassment, bullying, domestic violence and other forms of misconduct.

The initiative follows ATP’s Independent Safeguarding Report and reflects the organisation’s long-term commitment to raising professional standards and ensuring consistent protections across the sport.

Structured around three core pillars — Policies & Procedures, Prevention, and Response — the Safeguarding Programme will be implemented across all ATP-sanctioned tournaments worldwide.

Eno Polo, ATP CEO, said: “Everyone involved in our events — from players and their teams to staff and volunteers — deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued. This programme helps make that a reality. By introducing clear protections against abuse, we’re strengthening the culture of tennis and aligning our sport with global standards of governance and care.”

Key elements of the Safeguarding Programme include:
– Comprehensive safeguarding policies, including a code of conduct with specific provisions addressing abuse, domestic violence, harassment, and inappropriate conduct.
– Training for ATP staff, players, player support teams, and tournament personnel, to be rolled out across 2026.
– A Designated Safeguarding Officer at every ATP Tour and Challenger Tour tournament.
– Clear, accessible reporting channels, including confidential and anonymous options.
– Independent oversight through a newly established Safeguarding Advisory Panel, as well as an independent external appeals process.
– Enhanced Safe Sport protections against online abuse, using AI moderation and human review to detect and address harmful content.

Andrew Azzopardi, ATP Director of Safeguarding, said: “Our approach is grounded in trauma-informed principles, supported by clear reporting channels, consistent procedures, and independent oversight. We want every player, staff member, and volunteer to feel safe, supported, and confident in the processes we’re putting in place to protect them.”

By establishing a consistent global standard, the Safeguarding Programme aligns ATP with safeguarding frameworks adopted across the wider sports industry and promotes a culture where safety, integrity and respect are shared responsibilities.

ATP will continue to collaborate with stakeholders including the WTA, ITF and Grand Slams to promote strong and unified safeguarding standards across tennis.

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From Bolivia to Alcaraz & Sinner: Prado Angelo’s ‘Wow’ moment

Juan Carlos Prado Angelo still remembers the moment it all felt different.

Racquet in hand, trading groundstrokes with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the young Bolivian sensed something beyond pace, power or technique.

“Alcaraz and Sinner are something different, something special,” Prado Angelo told ATPTour.com in Jeddah. “You feel their aura. You feel nervous, but it’s a really good experience. It is memorable. It was the ‘Wow’ moment I had been waiting for.”

That moment came in 2024 at the Nitto ATP Finals, where Prado Angelo served as a sparring partner at the sport’s most exclusive stage. For a-then 19-year-old, it offered a vivid glimpse of what the future could hold.

Now in Jeddah as an alternate at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, the World No. 209 Prado Angelo finds himself among the game’s rising elite, a long way from his earliest days in the sport 13 years ago. Because tennis was never supposed to be his game. Growing up in Bolivia, football ruled everything.

“I started playing at seven, seven and a half. It was a surprise because no one in my family played tennis,” Prado Angelo said, looking across the practice courts in Jeddah. “We just happened to move to a place that had a court and from then I started.”

Like many South American kids, his schedule revolved around football. Tennis fit into the gaps but by the time he was 11 or 12, the choice became unavoidable. Both sports demanded full commitment, travel and sacrifice.

“I was doing football Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and tennis Tuesday, Thursday. I liked it so much,” he said. “Tennis felt a little bit easy for me at the beginning, and I was good, so I started liking it.

“My tennis coach then said I had to choose, and my football coach too. My father wanted to kill me when I said tennis. We are a very football-mad place. But I choose tennis and part of that was down to Federer. I just loved watching him and he was my idol.”

He chose tennis, a decision that quietly set him on a path few Bolivians have travelled. Prado Angelo quickly became the leading junior in his country, winning tournaments and gaining attention through South America’s junior circuit.

“I was always number one in Bolivia,” Prado Angelo said. “Then at 14, I qualified for a tour in Europe. After that, things started going very well. I started playing ITFs and didn’t really play many under-16s. It just kept going.”

Central to that journey has been a long-standing relationship with coach Hermann Ritter, who runs an academy in Santa Cruz.

“I’ve had the same coach the whole time,” Prado Angelo said. “Now he’s almost only with me. Sometimes he’s traveling, sometimes he’s at the academy, but he’s always there. Having that support and connection is so special.”

While Bolivia and Santa Cruz, to be exact, remains home, Prado Angelo now spends much of his training time in Argentina, where he has found both high-level competition and a tight-knit group of peers.

“I train half the time in Argentina now,” he said. “They all live there, so when we’re there we train every day. We’re really close friends. We go out to dinner, everything. I find my level is high when I play with them and then winning the Challenger Tour title in Lima reinforced that belief. I am enjoying that setup.”

In Jeddah, Prado Angelo has spent time keeping the eight competitors warm, hitting with players he is familiar with. Many of the Next Gen ATP Finals contenders are players he’s known since childhood.

“We know each other from when we were little,” he said. “I played Prizmic in under-14s. I played Learner and Junior. We have a very good relationship. I had a tough loss to Prizmic in the Roland Garros boys’ singles final in 2023, so our rivalries go way back.”

Watching from the sidelines, the Bolivian has been struck by the level and the conditions in Jeddah.

“I’m not that used to playing indoors,” Prado Angelo said. “In South America it’s not very common. But I love this experience, training with them. I’d like to play at the top level more in the future. I think I can do well and have the game with my aggressive forehand.”

The immediate roadmap after Jeddah is demanding. Australian Open qualifying awaits, along with Challengers in Europe and Davis Cup commitments.

“My goals are to try to play all four Grand Slams, go inside the Top 200 and stay there,” the 20-year-old said. “Start playing bigger tournaments. Playing at the ATP event in Santiago would be an aim this coming year.”

Being an alternate in Jeddah may not bring match play, but the experience has still been invaluable.

“It feels like a different tournament for us,” Prado Angelo said. “The treatment, the people, it makes us feel like real players. Training with so many good players here has been great. Now I go back to South America, continue training, and then go to Australia.”

For Prado Angelo, the journey from a football-mad Bolivian childhood to sharing courts with tennis’s biggest stars is already extraordinary. Now the 20-year-old will try to continue his journey upward.

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