Tennis News

Djokovic’s praise lingers as Prizmic charts his own path in Jeddah

“I love the way he uses every inch of the court. He is comfortable coming in, he defends incredibly well… I felt I was playing myself in a mirror.”

When praise like that comes from Novak Djokovic, it tends to linger. For Dino Prizmic, it arrived early and emphatically in a career still in its opening chapters.

At last year’s Australian Open, the 20-year-old Croatian pushed Djokovic to four sets in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, earning the admiration of the former World No. 1. Eighteen months later, Luciano Darderi echoed those sentiments after beating Prizmic in the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 in Umag.

“I hope he’s going to be Top 10 really soon,” Darderi said. “I think Croatia is in good hands.”

This week in Jeddah, where Prizmic is competing at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, those endorsements remain a source of motivation rather than pressure.

“It’s a really good feeling, but I know that I need to work a lot, especially to be in the Top 10,” Prizmic told ATPTour.com in Jeddah. “I need to continue to play lots of tournaments at a very high level to get near those levels, but I will try.

“Is there a pressure? No, definitely more confidence. There is no pressure in that part.”

Prizmic first announced himself in 2023 by lifting the Roland Garros boys’ singles trophy, fulfilling a personal goal to finish his junior career with a Grand Slam title. His breakout moment soon followed under the lights of Rod Laver Arena, where he stood toe-to-toe with Djokovic on one of the sport’s grandest stages.

But momentum stalled in 2024. A series of injuries forced Prizmic off course, limiting his schedule and disrupting his rhythm. Rather than rush his return, the Croatian opted for patience, a decision that paid dividends this season.

“It was really a great year for me, especially at the end of the year. I played very well and had a very good run,” Prizmic said. “It’s really a pleasure to be here in Jeddah and to be part of this tournament.

“I didn’t play lots of tournaments because I was injured still a little. I played like 15, 16 tournaments. And I’m the most proud because I didn’t play many tournaments, but when I played, I played very good.”

Back at full health, Prizmic rebuilt his confidence on the ATP Challenger Tour, capturing two titles in 2025. He also qualified for the US Open main draw and claimed three tour-level victories, tangible signs of progress as he continues his transition to the professional ranks.

“Players have more experience now, which is normal. But I think I am adjusting to the level,” said Prizmic, who went 27-9 at that level this year. “Playing the Challengers compared to juniors is different, but I think everyone can adapt.”

That adaptability will be tested again this week in Jeddah. After losing to Nishesh Basavareddy in his opening match, Prizmic faces a likely must-win encounter against Justin Engel on Thursday as he looks to keep his campaign alive.

Still just 20, the Croatian remains focused on steady growth rather than fast-forwarded expectations. The praise is there. The talent is evident. And while the road ahead may twist, the Croatian appears ready for each course correction.

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Day 2 Preview: Budkov Kjaer & Jodar seek SF spots in Jeddah

High stakes define Day 2 at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah, where players are vying to strengthen their positioning in Red and Blue Group.

Thursday’s matches carry significant implications, with last year’s finalist Learner Tien aiming to bounce back and avoid slipping to 0-2 in Blue Group after relinquishing four match points in a five-set defeat to Rafael Jodar. American Tien faces Martin Landaluce, while Blue Group Day 1 winners Jodar and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer meet.

Tien’s countryman Nishesh Basavareddy, who is also competing in Jeddah for a second consecutive year, made a winning start on Wednesday and will now look to follow that against second seed Alexander Blockx in Red Group. Debutants Dino Prizmic and Justin Engel will seek their first win at the 20-and-under event.

View Day 2 Schedule here  | View Qualification Scenarios here

[5] Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (NOR) vs [7] Rafael Jodar (ESP) [not before 7 p.m.]
Day 1 winners Budkov Kjaer and Jodar will aim to book their spots in the semi-finals when they face off on Thursday. The two have been in red-hot form on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2025, winning seven titles between them and they looked sharp in their Jeddah openers. 

Jodar upset Top 30 star Tien to record his first Top 100 win and has fond memories against Budkov Kjaer, having beaten the Norwegian in the US Open boys’ singles final in 2024. Budkov Kjaer produced an aggressive four-set display against Landaluce to move to 1-0 in round-robin play.

[1] Learner Tien (USA) vs [4] Martin Landaluce (ESP) [following Budkov Kjaer-Jodar] The strong favourite for the title in Jeddah, World No. 28 Tien will try to bounce back from his defeat to Jodar when he plays Spaniard Landaluce. Tien won his maiden ATP Tour title in the final week of the regular season in Metz in but had his five-match winning streak ended on Day 1 in Jeddah.

Landaluce will need to earn the biggest win of his career by PIF ATP Ranking if he is to stay alive at the 20-and-under event. Earlier this season, the 19-year-old captured his second ATP Challenger Tour title and earned a win at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. Can the Spaniard clinch another big victory on Thursday?

[2] Alexander Blockx (BEL) vs [6] Nishesh Basavareddy (USA) [not before 3 p.m.]
This clash of 20-year-olds pits Blockx’s booming serve against Basavareddy’s sharp return skills. Blockx blasted 17 aces and claimed 85 per cent of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, in his opening win over Engel. Meanwhile, Basavareddy displayed his aggression on second-serve returns, claiming 57 per cent of such points against Prizmic.

With the First-to-4 format, there is little room for error in this tug-of-war of serve and returning, with a sole lead of Red Group up for grabs. Basavareddy, who recently welcomed coach Gilles Cervara to his team, is competing in Jeddah for the second consecutive year, while Blockx is enjoying his first trip to the 20-and-under event. Thursday will mark the first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting between Blockx and Basavareddy.

[3] Dino Prizmic (CRO) vs [8] Justin Engel (GER) [2 p.m.]
The beauty of round-robin action is despite Prizmic and Engel’s defeats on opening day, they remain in contention, though with ground to make up. Prizmic, 20, defeated Engel 6-2, 6-2 at this year’s ATP Challenger clay-court event in San Marino, where the Croatian was a finalist. Prizmic won two ATP Challenger titles this year and reached three additional finals.

Engel this season became the second-youngest player since 1990 to win a tour-level match (excluding Davis Cup) on all three surfaces: hard, clay and grass. Only Rafael Nadal accomplished the feat at a younger age. The 18-year-old showcased the forehand firepower he is capable of producing in his opening match against Blockx, and now he aims at rebounding and claiming his debut win. Blockx spoke highly of Engel after the four-set match, calling the youngest competitor in the field “an unbelievable player”.

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Alcaraz & Ferrero: Inside their seven-year journey

Carlos Alcaraz was 14 years old when Juan Carlos Ferrero first watched him play. Drawn by whispers of a special talent emerging close to his tennis academy in southeast Spain, the former World No. 1 caught his first glimpse of Alcaraz competing in a tournament.

That moment was the genesis of a successful partnership that officially began in 2018 and, after seven years, Alcaraz and Ferrero announced on Wednesday has come to an end.

Their success was intertwined. Where there was Alcaraz, there was Ferrero. They were synonymous throughout Alcaraz’s meteoric rise onto the Tour and to where he is today, having just finished the season with ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours.

“He means a lot to me,” Alcaraz said of Ferrero last year. “Obviously it’s a great support when I have him in the box. His support is really special to me. We started when I was playing in juniors, he did Grade 4 [tournaments] travelling with me.”

Under Ferrero’s leadership, Alcaraz claimed 24 tour-level titles, including six majors. The Spaniard won his first major crown in 2022 at the US Open and with that victory, the then-19-year-old became the youngest World No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history.

“It’s a surprise to everyone, except to me,” Ferrero said at the time. “Because I train with him every day and I know what he can do.”

Alcaraz and Ferrero’s bond was never defined solely by trophies. Their connection ran deeper, revealed most clearly in moments like in Miami in 2022 when Alcaraz was preparing for his first ATP Masters 1000 final.

Ferrero had not been at the hard-court tournament because his father, Eduardo, passed away. But Ferrero flew to Florida for the final. When Alcaraz saw his coach, he leaped off the couch and gave Ferrero a warm embrace. Hours later, Alcaraz lifted the trophy and became the youngest champion in tournament history.

“Juan Carlos is a very important person for me,” Alcaraz said after that Miami victory. “On the professional side, on the personal side, he helps me a lot on both sides. When we are together, we will talk about everything in life, everything in our sport, about football, as well.

“I consider him a coach and a friend as well. So I can talk to him about everything.”

At Wimbledon in 2023, Ferrero’s eyes welled with tears as he hugged Alcaraz, moments after the Spaniard captured his first grass-court major. Alcaraz successfully defended his All England crown in 2024 to complete the rare Roland Garros–Wimbledon double that season.

<img alt=”Alcaraz and Ferrero embrace after the 2023 Wimbledon final.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/17/17/16/alcaraz-ferrero-2024-wimbledon.jpg” />
^{Alcaraz and Ferrero embrace after the 2023 Wimbledon final. Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images}

Alcaraz and Ferrero’s partnership was filled with success. This year, Alcaraz captured a career-best eight tour-level titles and a season-leading 71 match wins, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

One of Alcaraz’s most dramatic victories came in the Roland Garros final, during which he rallied from two-sets-to-love down and saved three championship points to escape great rival Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz climbed into his courtside coaches’ box and shared a raw-emotion celebration with Ferrero, who lifted the 22-year-old in the air, and together they let out an emphatic roar of, ‘Vamos!”

“Of course I think he [was] born to play these kinds of moments,” Ferrero said after Alcaraz’s epic five-hour, 29-minute triumph.

While a player-coach relationship involves a variety of advice, for Alcaraz and Ferrero, sometimes it was simple. When asked about his mid-match communication with Ferrero last year, Alcaraz shared the one word he hears the most — and it may surprise you.

“I can tell you one of the things he tells me most is, ‘Smile’,” Alcaraz revealed.

Undoubtedly, Alcaraz and Ferrero can look back on their seven-year partnership and smile.

<img alt=”Alcaraz celebrates his title run at the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF with Ferrero.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/17/17/21/alcaraz-ferrero-2021.jpg” />
^{Alcaraz celebrates his title run at the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF with Ferrero. Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour}

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Jodar saves 4 MPs, stuns top seed Tien in Jeddah thriller

Rafael Jodar ensured that there was no shortage of drama on his debut appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah on Wednesday evening.

The World No. 168 saved four match points in a courageous 1-4, 4-3(3), 1-4, 4-2, 4-3(4) win over top seed and tournament favourite Learner Tien in front of a vibrant crowd. Jodar, who was in Jeddah last year as a hitting partner, delivered a heavy-hitting display and used his fearless aggression late in the fifth-set to earn a two-hour victory.

That Jodar celebration 🎉 #NextGenATPFinals pic.twitter.com/RiAFMLmyrJ

— Next Gen ATP Finals (@nextgenfinals) December 17, 2025

“It was a battle,” said Jodar. “I knew the conditions were good for both, but I handled the good moments very well and I’m super happy to get the first win here in Jeddah. I just tried to keep going and believe in myself. Learner always plays well, so I had to keep believing and I knew that I was going to have a chance.”

Tien, the World No. 28 and only Top 100 player in the field, leaked 23 unforced errors across the second and fourth sets to offer Jodar a route back into their first Lexus ATP Head2Head clash. But the 19-year-old Spaniard will take all the plaudits for the way he fended off the match points — including a drilled backhand down-the-line winner on the fourth.

After moving to 1-0 in Blue Group, the seventh-seeded Jodar can now look ahead to meetings with two fellow debutants — Martin Landaluce and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer — in the round-robin stage.

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Basavareddy grabs first win at 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals

American Nishesh Basavareddy claimed the opening win of the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF after surviving a rollercoaster four-set clash with Dino Prizmic in Jeddah Wednesday.

Playing his first match with new coach Gilles Cervara in his box, the 20-year-old claimed his first tour-level win since Hangzhou in mid September.

After saving three set points in the second set, sixth-seed Basavareddy failed to serve out the match late in the third set, when he dropped serve for the only time in the match. But he claimed an immediate break in the fourth as he pulled away to win 4-2, 4-3(7), 3-4(3),4-2.

“I feel great,” Basavareddy said. “Getting the first win in a round-robin is huge and trying to win in as few sets as possible is good, so I am pleased to get it done in four. I think having the experience is good to have in the bag, but it has been a year since we played this format, so there is still so adjustments to do. Each set is quick, one break like that last set. One break changes momentum completely.”

On his new partnership with Cervara, Basavareddy said, “We have done a lot of work physically, and I have started working with a new physical coach, whom Gilles has known for quite a while. I have also put in a lot of work on my serve. It is confidence-boosting knowing he has been through the cycle of taking a young gun to World No. 1 and a Grand Slam with Daniil. But every player is different.”

Notching his eighth tour-level victory of the season, the World No. 167 is grouped with Prizmic and second seed Belgian Alexander Blockx and German Justin Engel.

Second seed Blockx began his Jeddah debut in winning fashion, earning a 3-4(7), 4-2, 4-2, 4-2 victory against 18-year-old Engel, the youngest player in the eight-man field.

Engel opened with an aggressive mindset, ripping his forehand without hesitation. The German saved a set point in the opening set with a deciding-point ace, but Blockx regrouped and found increased firepower of his own to rally to the finish line. The Belgian struck 17 aces across the match and dictated play from the baseline behind his hefty serve.

“I think we both started really well with our serves, we didn’t really have many exchanges in the rally,” said Blockx, who won 85 per cent of his first-serve points, compared to Engel’s 59 per cent.

“I had some chances in the first set, so did he, and he took advantage of it. But I knew that I wasn’t playing my best level yet. I had to get some rhythm and I felt like once I got the break in the second set, I really started playing better and my level kept rising.”

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Alcaraz announces shock split with coach Ferrero

Six-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz splits with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in a shock move.

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Alcaraz splits with Ferrero, who says 'I wish I could have continued'

Carlos Alcaraz has split with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after seven years and 24 tour-level titles. The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings announced the news on Wednesday via social media.

“It is very difficult for me to write this post,” Alcaraz wrote in Spanish. “After over seven years together, Juanki and I have decided to end our time together as coach and player. Thank you for making my childhood dreams a reality. We started on this road when I was just a boy and for all this time you have been with me on an incredible journey, on and off the court. I have enjoyed every step with you so much.

“We have reached the top, and I think that if our sporting paths have to separate it should be from there, from the place we always worked for and aspired to reach. I have so many memories that it would be unfair to choose just one. You made me grow as an athlete, but more importantly as a person. The thing I value the most is that I enjoyed the process. I will never forget the journey we went on together.

“Now is a time of change for both of us, new adventures, new projects. But I am sure that we will approach them in the correct way, giving our best, as we always have. Always moving forward. With all my heart, I wish you the best for what is to come. I am happy I can say we always gave our all, that we gave each other everything.”

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A post shared by Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (@carlitosalcarazz)

Alcaraz began working with Ferrero seven years ago and won all six of his major titles under the guidance of the Spanish coach. Ferrero also helped Alcaraz, then 19, become the youngest player to claim ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours in history in 2022, the same year in which he won his maiden major at the US Open.

Alcaraz captured 24 tour-level titles during his partnership with Ferrero, including eight ATP Masters 1000 crowns. The Spaniard, who will continue to work with Samuel Lopez, also won the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF title with Ferrero by his side.

“Today is a difficult day,” Ferrero wrote on social media. “One of those when it’s hard to find the right words. Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when there are so many shared experiences behind it. We have worked hard, grown together, and shared unforgettable moments. I want to thank you for the time, the trust, the learning, and above all, for the people who have surrounded me throughout this journey.

“I take with me laughter, challenges overcome, conversations, support during difficult moments, and the satisfaction of having been part of something truly unique. Today, a very important chapter of my life comes to an end. I close it with nostalgia, but also with pride and excitement for what may come next. I know that everything I have lived has prepared me to be better.

“Thank you, Carlos, for the trust, the effort, and for making your way of competing make me feel so special. I wish you all the best, both professionally and personally. I would also like to thank the entire team for making my work easier throughout all these years. With you, I have learned that work is not just about tasks or results, but about the people who walk alongside you. Each and every one of you has left a mark on me that I will never forget.

“We have been an incredible team despite the difficulties, and I am sure you will continue to achieve great success. I wish I could have continued. I am convinced that good memories and good people always find a way to cross paths again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

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A post shared by Juan Carlos Ferrero (@juankiferri)

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Grand Slam kids, big-time dreams: Blockx, Landaluce & co step up in Jeddah

If junior Grand Slam titles were entry tickets, the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF would have a very selective door policy.

Five of the six debutants in this year’s field arrive in Jeddah as former boys’ major champions, a contrast to the two returners, Americans Learner Tien and Nishesh Basavareddy, who are proving there’s more than one route to the top.

Different paths, same destination, and a lineup that underscores just how deep — and stacked — the next wave of men’s tennis is. For 6’4” Belgian Alexander Blockx, that journey began in Melbourne, where he won the 2023 Australian Open boys’ title.

“It gave me a lot of confidence on the court that showed me that I can really keep up with the guys and play in those big moments,” Blockx told ATPTour.com, reflecting on his title run in Melbourne. “It definitely helped me in my career, and now I feel like every year I am progressing little by little. I hope it keeps going that way.”

_{^{Alexander Blockx wins the 2023 Australian Open boys’ title. Photo: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty Images.}}

Two players Blockx defeated en route to the title — last year’s Jeddah finalists Joao Fonseca and Tien — have since risen inside the world’s Top 30 in 2025, reinforcing the sense that his own breakthrough is arriving fast.

The future, however, isn’t just knocking, it already has silverware. For Martin Landaluce, the pressure arrived early. The Spaniard won the 2022 US Open boys’ title at just 16, instantly putting a spotlight on his career before it had truly begun.

“It was a great moment. I think I’m glad to have lived this because I have had to manage pressure since I was 16 years old,” Landaluce said. “It was tough at that moment, but now I’m feeling much more confident, and it’s not the first time I’m having people watching me and people saying that I’m going to be near the top…

“It’s nice to have been preparing myself for this kind of pressure, and now I’m able to live it in a good way.”

_{^{Martin Landaluce takes a selfie with the Jeddah field on Media Day. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour.}}

Now 19, calmer and armed with the tools he’s developed at the Rafa Nadal Academy — including a heavy focus on breathing and mental work — Landaluce feels far better equipped for the attention that follows him. This week in Jeddah, he is sharing that attention with countryman and close friend Rafael Jodar, who etched his name into the same US Open trophy two years later in 2024.

Jodar has backed that title up with a rapid rise, surging more than 700 spots in the PIF ATP Rankings to World No. 168 in 2025 and winning three ATP Challenger Tour titles in the final three months of the season to secure his Next Gen spot. Yet he’s careful not to blur the lines between junior success and professional progress.

“I could say that it was probably one of the best weeks, but I couldn’t say that it’s why I’ve done these things this year,” Jodar said of his US Open run last year. “I think they are two worlds. When you play in juniors, you have to face the best juniors, but when you play on the Challenger Tour, you play against other players that are older than you and who have more experience.”

That jump has proven both a reality check and a learning curve, but one that Jodar has handled smoothly. The only player in Jeddah with more Challenger titles in 2025, however, is Nicolai Budkov Kjaer.

_{^{The 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF field. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour.}} 

The 19-year-old Norwegian won the 2024 Wimbledon boys’ singles title and then followed it with a career-best 2025 season, claiming a Tour-leading four Challenger trophies to earn his spot at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF for the first time.

“Winning a junior title is a big milestone as a player,” Budkov Kjaer said when asked about his run at the All England Club. “It’s a week I will remember forever, and it’s nice to have it in the baggage of trophies.”

Still, he knows trophies alone don’t guarantee anything on Tour: “I think all the juniors play quite grown-up tennis right now. I think it’s a higher level than ever, but you need to adjust your acceptance… To accept that everybody can play very good tennis and that you can beat and get beaten by everybody.”

Dino Prizmic rounded out his own junior career exactly how he wanted, winning the 2023 Roland Garros boys’ title before stepping full-time into the professional ranks.

“It was a big moment for me because I wanted to finish juniors with one title, especially a Grand Slam title, and I did it, so I’m very proud of that,” Prizmic said.

What followed was a fast introduction to the realities of the ATP Tour, including taking a set from Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Australian Open and battling some injuries along the way. In 2025, the Croatian surged again, claiming two ATP Challenger Tour titles and reaching his maiden tour-level quarter-final in Umag to secure his place in Jeddah.

Five junior Grand Slam champions, five distinct journeys, but none of them identical to the routes taken by Tien or Basavareddy. In Jeddah, the message is clear: Junior titles can open doors, but it’s what comes after that earns you a seat at the table.

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Who could challenge Sinner and Alcaraz in 2026?

After Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner swept the Grand Slams again, BBC Sport analyses who might stop them in 2026 – and you can have your say.

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Challenger Tested: The road to Jeddah for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF field

Fans eager to stay ahead of the curve and identify the next wave of #NextGenATP talents should keep a close eye on ATP Challenger results. The eight players competing at this year’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF have all tasted ATP Challenger success to get where they are today.

ATPTour.com highlights each Jeddah competitor and the Challenger milestones they’ve achieved in their young careers.

Nicolai Budkov Kjaer
Of the six players who shared a season-leading four titles, the Norwegian was the youngest to achieve that feat. The 19-year-old won his maiden Challenger title in Glasgow in February and returned to the winner’s circle in July with back-to-back triumphs in Tampere and Astana, becoming the youngest Norwegian to claim multiple Challenger titles. The 2024 Wimbledon boys’ singles champion won the Mouilleron le Captif Challenger in October for his fourth triumph of the year.

After winning his first Challenger title in February, Budkov Kjaer said: “In a way, yes, [I am surprised] that it came. Because everybody at Challengers is so ridiculously good. But in a way, no, because I’ve always had the belief that I’m a good player. 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.”

Justin Engel
The German became the youngest Challenger champion of 2025 with a memorable victory on home soil. Facing fellow 18-year-old Federico Cina in the Hamburg final, it marked the youngest Challenger championship match at that level since 2003, when Mario Ancic beat Rafael Nadal, coincidentally, also in Hamburg. At 18 years and 25 days, Engel became the fifth-youngest German winner in Challenger history and the first player born in 2007 to win a title at that level.

“Every title is a big one, especially my first Challenger,” Engel said after winning in Hamburg. “This win makes it even better and I’m really happy.”

Rafael Jodar
Nearly a year removed from his US Open junior triumph, where he edged Budkov Kjaer in a 10-point tie-break at 6-6 in the third set, the teenager captured his maiden ATP Challenger crown in Hersonissos, Greece in September. Jodar entered the week as World No. 540 in the PIF ATP Rankings and was in the main draw as an alternate, yet in just his ninth Challenger appearance, he went all the way. Jodar did not stop there.

Jodar won the Lincoln and Charlottesville Challengers across a three-week span in October, the latter taking place at the University of Virginia, where the 19-year-old is a sophomore. The Madrid native earned ITA All-American honours during his first season at the University of Virginia and 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.

Dino Prizmic
Prizmic is proudly waving the flag as Croatia’s next promising talent. Having started his tennis journey at Tenis Klub Split, the same club that produced Goran Ivanisevic and Mario Ancic, Prizmic is aiming to follow in their lofty footsteps. With his triumph at the Bratislava Challenger in June, Prizmic, then 19 years old, became the second Croatian — alongside Ancic — to win three Challenger titles as a teenager.

The #NextGenATP star finished the Challenger season with a 27-9 season record, highlighted by two title runs and three additional final appearances. “It’s a good feeling, but I think it’s something that in the beginning it’s what I have to pass to be a good player,” Prizmic said in July. “It’s a good start to try and become a top player and also to try to play against very good players.”

Martin Landaluce
The Spaniard made a late-season surge to boost his Jeddah chances. Landaluce won the Orleans Challenger in September, claiming 125 PIF ATP Ranking points and later building on that with a semi-final run in Olbia, where last year he won the title.

When Landaluce won Olbia last season, he became the fifth Spaniard since 2000 to win a Challenger title at age 18 or younger. Jodar has since added his name to that list. The first four players all ascended to the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings: Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Tommy Robredo and Nicolas Almagro.

A champ and his trophy 🏆 #ATPChallenger | @RFETenis pic.twitter.com/D5WSmhZ1sf

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 28, 2025

Alexander Blockx
The Belgian bookended his ATP Challenger season with titles, winning his first event of the year (Oeiras) and triumphing again in his final Challenger outing (Bratislava). The same week that Jodar won in Charlottesville, Blockx won the Slovak Open. Now, the 20-year-old will look to close out the year by building on that triumph and claim his biggest career title in Jeddah, where he is seeded second.

When Blockx won the hard-court Oeiras Challenger, he became the youngest Belgian to earn multiple trophies at that level.

Nishesh Basavareddy
Back in Jeddah for a second consecutive year, Basavareddy competed in just seven Challenger tournaments this year, including three quarter-final appearances. He had more than paid his Challenger dues in the 2024 season, during which he reached six finals (two titles) and posted a 41-13 match record.

The American transitioned to the ATP Tour and scored his best result at the ATP 250 in Auckland, where he reached the semi-finals.

Learner Tien
When Tien competed in Jeddah last year, he was No. 122 in the PIF ATP Rankings, a stark contrast from where he is today as World No. 28. Now seeking to go one step further than last year’s runner-up finish to Joao Fonseca, the lefty mostly competed on the ATP Tour this season, with just one Challenger appearance.

But Tien’s success on the ATP Challenger circuit served as a springboard for him to compete on the sport’s biggest stages. Last season, Tien boasted a 35-9 Challenger-match record, including three title runs.

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