Challenger Storylines Abound In First Quarter

With 33 tournaments in the books, the ATP Challenger Tour season is already off to a flying start in 2018. Storylines abound on the circuit, as new names and fresh faces fight for position in the ATP Rankings, while the Next Generation of stars look to make early statements in the ATP Race To Milan. 

Players eyeing coveted berths in the Next Gen ATP Finals lifted trophies, a superstar kicked off his comeback, a trio of emerging stars tasted victory for the first time, the Aussie contingent made an early statement, a 37-year-old veteran earned a historic crown, and a fan-favourite tournament celebrated a milestone anniversary. And of course, there were Hot Shots. Your jaws might still be on the floor.

In case you missed a moment or just need a refresher, here are the eight biggest storylines from the first quarter of the 2018 season on the ATP Challenger Tour…

The Youth Movement Continues
Two #NextGenATP champions, two teen finalists and four players aged 21 & under among the Top 10 in match wins… It has been a strong first quarter of 2018 for the future of pro tennis, as the stars of tomorrow continue to make strides.

Taylor Fritz and Marc Polmans, both aged 20, led the #NextGenATP contingent with titles on home soil in Newport Beach and Launceston, respectively. For Fritz, it was a long-awaited return to the winners’ circle. The former World No. 53 returned to the Top 100 with a vengeance, claiming his first title in two years. Polmans, meanwhile, lifted his first Challenger trophy. The Aussie is currently eighth in the ATP Race to Milan.

Germany’s Daniel Altmaier and Spain’s Nicola Kuhn turned in the best results among teenagers. Altmaier reached his first final in Burnie, Australia, while Kuhn finished runner-up on the indoor hard courts of Budapest. The 18-year-old has since notched his first ATP World Tour victory at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

Other emerging stars include 21-year-olds Hubert Hurkacz, Matteo Berrettini and Christian Garin, who, along with Fritz, are Top 10 in Challenger match wins.

Five Things To Know About Hubert

Mats Moraing, Ladies and Gentlemen…
Not even Mats Moraing could have believed what he’d accomplish in the first three months of 2018. 

After starting the year at No. 274 in the ATP Rankings – with just six Challenger match wins to his name – the 25-year-old made a massive splash with a 19-7 start. He would claim his maiden Challenger title at home in Koblenz, Germany, just weeks after reaching his first final in Bangkok as a qualifier. Moraing also made a major statement with an upset of former World No. 6 Gilles Simon in Cherbourg, France. 

Up to No. 156 in the ATP Rankings, the German joins Polmans and Gregoire Barrere as first-time winners this year. As he makes the transition to full-time status on the ATP Challenger Tour, Moraing is one to watch as the year progresses.

Five Things To Know About Mats

Kei’s Comeback: Nishikori Returns In Newport Beach & Dallas
In an era where big stadiums and mammoth arenas dominate the sporting landscape, witnessing the greatness of a superstar in an smaller, more intimate setting still holds a special charm. That’s exactly what fans in Newport Beach, California and Dallas, Texas experienced when former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori kicked off his comeback from a wrist injury at the Challenger events. 

In arguably one of the biggest player appearances in the history of the ATP Challenger Tour, fans came out in droves to witness the Japanese superstar in action. After falling in his opener in Newport Beach, he would drop one set en route to the title at the T Bar M Racquet Club in Dallas. 

Aussie Contingent Makes Early Statement
The nation of Australia has dominated the early stages of the 2018 season, with five different players lifting five trophies. Marc Polmans was the lone first-time and #NextGenATP winner of the group on home soil in Launceston. Jason Kubler’s comeback campaign continued, as the Brisbane native returned to the Top 200 for the first time since 2015, on the heels of his victory in Playford. 

Another Brisbane native also continued his comeback from injury, as John Millman triumphed in Kyoto, Japan, less than one year removed from undergoing groin surgery. He is back in the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings at No. 89. After stepping away from tennis for nearly a year, Alex Bolt made a splash in his return, emerging victorious in Zhuhai, China. And Sydney native Jordan Thompson also returned to the winners’ circle with his win in Chennai, India. 

With teen sensation Alex de Minaur also surging up the ATP Rankings and Alexei Popyrin making the transition from juniors, Aussie tennis is enjoying a wealth of success on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Taking The Next Step
Making the transition to the ATP World Tour is the goal of every player competing on the ATP Challenger Tour. For some, it comes faster than others. With just one year of Challenger experience, De Minaur made a splash at both the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp and Sydney International, reaching his first ATP World Tour semi-final and final.

He joined Nicolas Jarry and Felix Auger-Aliassime as emerging stars enjoying initial success at the tour-level this year. After claiming three Challenger titles in 2017, 22-year-old Jarry streaked to the semis in Rio de Janeiro and also reached his first ATP World Tour final a week later in Sao Paulo, en route to a career-high No. 61 in the ATP Rankings. Meanwhile, after winning a pair of titles last year, Auger-Aliassime qualified for his first Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells and reached the second round. The 17-year-old became the youngest to win a match at the BNP Paribas Open since Michael Chang in 1989.

In addition, Matteo Berrettini and Mirza Basic became the lone players to make Top 100 debuts in 2018. Basic and Roberto Carballes Baena are Challenger stalwarts who lifted their first ATP World Tour trophies, in Sofia and Quito, respectively. American Tennys Sandgren enjoyed a dream run to the Australian Open quarter-finals after battling in Challengers for nearly seven years. 

Dallas Celebrates 20th Anniversary; Oracle Series Debuts
It was a dream week for the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas, as Kei Nishikori helped celebrate the tournament’s 20th anniversary. One of the longest-running indoor tournaments on the ATP Challenger Tour, the T Bar M Racquet Club first opened its doors to the tournament in 1998. 

Meanwhile, the Oracle Challenger Series debuted to rave reviews in Newport Beach and Indian Wells. The $150,000 events in Southern California were a hit among players and fans. With a total of eight tournaments on four continents making their debuts, others included Punta del Este, Uruguay; Lille, France; Marbella, Spain and Qujing, China.

Robert Joins An Exclusive Club
As the saying goes, ‘You are only as old as you feel’. In that case, Stephane Robert feels pretty amazing. At 37 years and eight months, the French veteran became the second-oldest champion in ATP Challenger Tour history when he lifted the trophy in Burnie, Australia in early February. Only a 38-year-old Dick Norman was older when he triumphed in Mexico City in 2009. Moreover, the victory made Robert the only player to win multiple titles over the age of 37, having also prevailed in Kobe, Japan last year.

Hot Shots, Oddities & Marathon Rallies
The #NextGenATP contingent turned in some of the most jaw-dropping and mesmerising ‘Hot Shots’ from the first quarter. From Alexei Popyrin’s tweener pass to Hubert Hurkacz’s tweener lob, as well as Corentin Moutet’s rifled forehand in Saint-Brieuc, Alex de Minaur’s stunning dig in Irving and Mikael Ymer’s stab volley in Rennes, the teens were well represented. 

Filip Peliwo, Roberto Quiroz and Christian Garin earned top honours for January, Feburary and March, respectively, while Aliaksandr Bury and Hsien-Yin Peng earned the most improbable of Hot Shots with a winner off the post in their Qujing doubles final.