For the next fortnight, all eyes will be on the stars of the ATP Tour as they battle for glory at Roland Garros. But as hungry as they will be to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires, there is a group of competitors that are just as motivated to make a splash at the hard-court Grand Slam. They are the players competing throughout the year on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Securing entry into a Grand Slam is no simple task. It requires year-round focus, hard work and consistency to arrive at this moment. For players grinding on the Challenger circuit, this is the reward. Having the opportunity to test their talents against the best players in the world, and with coveted points and prize money at stake, is what drives these players from January to November.

Roland Garros 2020 is no exception. A platform to showcase their skills and eventually take the next step on the ATP Tour, it presents a huge opportunity on a global stage. A strong performance on the terre battue can prove to be career-altering for many Challenger stars, as they target the Top 100 and beyond. So, which players are poised to wreak havoc on the draw? We look at five to watch in Paris…

Daniel Altmaier (GER)
After more than five months on the sidelines, many players have seized the opportunity to rest, get healthy and fine tune their game. Altmaier is certainly one of them. The 21-year-old, who has battled chronic abdominal and shoulder injuries since reaching his first ATP Tour quarter-final in 2017 (Antalya), used his time in quarantine to work on his fitness and build a “more stable” body structure.

That commitment is paying off for the German, upon the resumption of the ATP Challenger Tour. A year after dropping out of the FedEx ATP Rankings, the 22-year-old Altmaier would rise to a career-high No. 183 just two weeks ago. He reached back-to-back Challenger semi-finals, in Cordenons and Aix-en-Provence, posting statement wins over a surging Lorenzo Musetti and World No. 61 Pablo Cuevas. It was his first victory over a Top 100 opponent in three years.

Among all players in the Roland Garros draw, Altmaier owns the most Challenger wins in 2020. In fact, his 21-11 record is second-best on the circuit since the start of the year. Only Aslan Karatsev owns more victories.

The German will make his Grand Slam debut against Feliciano Lopez, with countryman and 30th-seed Jan-Lennard Struff a potential second round opponent.

Tomas Machac (CZE)
What a story this was. Machac wasn’t even slated to be in the qualifying draw on Sunday. But following the withdrawal of multiple players due to COVID-19, the Czech teenager found himself in qualies of a Grand Slam for the first time. From being one of the last players in the draw to punching his ticket to the big show, he would qualify without dropping a set.

Machac might just be the best kept secret on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2020. He’s the teenager few are familiar with, but that won’t last long. In February, right before the COVID-19 shutdown, the 19-year-old won his maiden Challenger crown on the indoor hard courts of Koblenz, Germany. And he’s certainly shown that his game translates to all surfaces, storming through Roland Garros qualifying with authority.

Machac, who is coached by two-time Roland Garros doubles champion Daniel Vacek, likens his game style to Novak Djokovic. Boasting excellent defensive skills on the court, the Czech has developed his talents on the Challenger circuit in the past year. Machac is the youngest player from the Czech Republic in the Top 400 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, rising to a career-high No. 246 upon the Challenger restart in August.

“This is a dream,” said Machac. “I did not expect this. I left everything out there. I’m just excited and I can’t even describe it properly.”

Machac will face the biggest test of his young career in Paris, opening against 27th-seed Taylor Fritz. His Grand Slam debut will be his first meeting with a Top 100 opponent.

Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)
Rinderknech is the Frenchman everyone should be watching in Paris. Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, no player was more dominant on the ATP Challenger Tour. The Parisian entered the season outside the Top 300 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, but he would find his stride in a hurry. Having thrived in four years at Texas A&M University, the 24-year-old adapted quickly in his second season on the professional scene, claiming his maiden Challenger title at home in Rennes, before sprinting to back-to-back finals on Canadian soil.

Armed with a mammoth serve and boisterous baseline game, Rinderknech built more confidence with every passing week. It was in Canada that he surged to a career-high of No. 160, finishing runner-up in Drummondville and lifting his second trophy the following week in Calgary.

“It was pretty tough for me to stop playing,” said Rinderknech. “If I can digest what happened in January and February, and go back to work with even more motivation, I can achieve my goals. I had a pretty good chemistry on the court and with some more hard work, I know I can do it again.”

A native of Gassin, located along the French Riviera, Rinderknech is poised to make his Grand Slam debut on home soil. He will face Aljaz Bedene in the first round and could face the winner of the all-Serbian clash between Filip Krajinovic and Nikola Milojevic.

Jurij Rodionov (AUT)
Rodionov is the #NextGenATP star on the rise in Paris. Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, the Austrian was sprinting towards qualification into the Next Gen ATP Finals. He was a ruthless force in the month of February, scoring an impressive 15 wins from 17 matches on the ATP Challenger Tour and lifting trophies on both the indoor hard courts of Dallas and outdoor hard courts of Morelos.

After nearly three years grinding on the Challenger circuit, Rodionov’s breakthrough finally arrived. Rodionov has flipped the script in 2020, teaming with new coach Javier Frana to climb to a career-high of No. 166 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Rodionov boasts a unique and eclectic game style, often employing various tactics from point to point.  From moving his opponents side-to-side and then luring them in to the net, to staying on the baseline and looking to attack with his forehand, the Austrian is as unpredictable as they come. And with his affinity for the tweener, trick shots are not out of the question.

Following a successful qualifying campaign, Rodionov will open his Grand Slam career against French veteran Jeremy Chardy. Borna Coric and Norbert Gombos are potential second-round opponents.

Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)
There are no easy matches in Grand Slam qualifying and Vukic had to earn all three of his victories at Roland Garros. In the first round, the Aussie saved two match points to upset the surging Spanish teen Carlos Alcaraz. Trailing by a set and a break, he would claw back from the brink of defeat. Vukic would not be denied his first Grand Slam appearance from there, overcoming Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Jason Jung to punch his ticket to the main draw.

A three-time All-American at the University of Illinois, ‘Vuki’ hails from Sydney, Australia, but has Eastern European heritage in his blood. His parents, who introduced him to the game at age five, are from Montenegro (dad) and Bosnia (mom).

The 24-year-old graduated with a degree in finance in 2018 and has battled on the ATP Challenger Tour ever since. In March, all the work finally paid off. In the week before the COVID-19 shutdown, Vukic reached his first Challenger final on the hard courts of Monterrey, Mexico (l. to Mannarino). He secured the biggest win of his young career in upsetting World No. 56 Feliciano Lopez in the second round.

Now, up to a career-high No. 190 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, the Aussie is hoping his strong 2020 campaign translates to the Grand Slam stage. He faces another qualifier, Pedro Martinez, in the first round, with 14th seed Fabio Fognini and top American John Isner also in his immediate section of the draw.

Five More To Watch
Liam Broady qualified for a Grand Slam for the first time, as the 26-year-old refused to drop a set in his three matches. Having previously received Wimbledon wild cards on three occasions, it marks his first successful major qualifying campaign in 12 attempts. He will open against Jiri Vesely.

Steven Diez was made to wait even longer in his bid to qualify at a slam. In his 16th attempt, the Canadian earned his Grand Slam debut on Thursday. The World No. 179, who won his lone Challenger title in Burnie, Australia, last year, has Spanish parents and originally competed for Spain early in his career.

Two sons of Grand Slam champions – Emilio Gomez and Sebastian Korda – also booked their spots in the main draw from qualifying. Exactly 30 years after his father Andres Gomez won Roland Garros, Emilio rallied from 0-3 30/40 down in the deciding set (d. Popko) to punch his ticket on Thursday. And 20-year-old Korda, son of 1998 Australian Open champion Petr Korda, will also make his debut in Paris.

One of the more under-the-radar first round match-ups features Vukic against Pedro Martinez. At No. 105 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, the Spaniard is on the precipice of a Top 100 breakthrough. Martinez is ready for the big stage, having reached the Australian Open second round as a qualifier in January, as well as his first ATP Tour quarter-final in Rio de Janeiro. And just two weeks ago, he earned his first Top 50 win (d. Querrey) in his ATP Masters 1000 debut in Rome.

Andres Gomez woke up at about 4 a.m. in Ecuador Thursday morning. The 1990 Roland Garros champion was awake plenty early in anticipation of watching his son, Emilio Gomez, play in the final round of qualifying on the Parisian terre battue. Thirty years ago, Andres lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires after beating Andre Agassi in the final.

Which made him more nervous: competing for the trophy or watching his son trying to qualify for a Grand Slam for the first time?

“Watching. It’s not even close. I probably walked more around the house and around the TV watching the match than I did when I played the final,” Andres told ATPTour.com.

For a while, 28-year-old Emilio appeared to be heading towards defeat against Dmitry Popko. In a match that featured two rain suspensions, the Kazakhstani led 3-0 in the third set and had a break point to go up a double-break against the Ecuadorian. At 4-5 in the decider, he faced two match points on his serve.

“I’d rather be on the court than being outside. Outside you get so nervous,” Emilio said. “On the court you have all the adrenaline, which makes it go by. But when you’re outside and hoping for someone to win that much, especially imagining for my dad, [I am sure] he did a couple rounds of the house.”

Gomez played without fear, going after his forehand on Court 13. If he was going to fall short, he was going to do so on his terms. It didn’t matter that he was dealing with a sore back, which hindered him.

“I think the will to win was stronger than all the pain I was feeling in that third set,” Emilio said. “I played super aggressive and kind of forgot about everything [and] where I was. I was looking for my first main draw appearance at a Grand Slam, [which is] especially [important] here at the French Open.

“It took a lot of running and a lot of guts to pull it out after having two match points against me.”

Gomez, the No. 155 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings, rallied. By staving off defeat, he put the pressure on Popko. Despite failing to serve out the match at 6-5, Gomez stormed through the tie-break to turn one of his dreams — making the main draw of a major — into reality.

“It was disbelief for how everything went during the match,” Emilio said of what he felt after completing his victory. “As I was walking off I had so many emotions that I have never had before, thinking about all the things I went through to be here and to enjoy this moment. It’s been tough for me.”

It’s not that long ago that Gomez was considering quitting professional tennis. In April 2017, he hurt his shoulder during a Davis Cup match. That injury kept him out for nearly four months. When he returned, the shoulder still was “pretty bad”. Gomez couldn’t serve or hit his forehand normally for an extended period of time.

In June 2018, he lost in the first round of three consecutive Futures events in the United States and his FedEx ATP Ranking was outside the Top 500. A month later, there were two Futures in Ecuador that were his last chance to turn things around.

“I felt like the world was against me. I was ready to quit, but at that time I had two weeks to prepare for two tournaments in Ecuador and I was able to work and give myself that last chance,” Emilio said. “I won both tournaments in singles and doubles and that gave me that extra life. Qualifying here at the French was really important, but if you ask me what the most important thing I’ve done in my career is, it was probably winning those Futures.”

The Gomez family practises positivity, and that’s what Emilio has done. Last year in Tallahassee he lifted his first ATP Challenger Tour trophy and in October, he reached a career-high World No. 143.

Inevitably, people will take notice that the son of a Grand Slam champion is working his way towards the Top 100. When Andres goes to see his son compete, he tries to watch from a place where people don’t focus on him being there rather than Emilio playing.

“He has a weight to carry with me that’s on him all the time. I’m not even present, but without the [physical] presence,” Andres said. “He deals with it very well and we’re proud of what he does and how he goes about himself. He’s very professional, so he deserves to get the big rewards and hopefully this is the start of something.

“I can’t shy away from being a parent and a proud one.”

For Emilio, that “weight” of being Andres Gomez’s son has lessened over time.

“It’s been easier as time has gone by. It’s just been nice. It’s actually nice they mention him because I know how much this means not only to me, but my whole family,” Emilio said. “I think for Sebastian Korda it’s pretty much the same [with him being Petr Korda’s son]. That’s the difference between Sebi, me and the other sons of tennis players. We are the only two sons of Grand Slam champions playing tennis [at this level right now].

“I think I fulfilled something that he’s wanted for a long time, but we’re going back to work tomorrow. We’re going to enjoy it today, a little bit tomorrow and then get ready for the first round because it’s going to be pretty important. It’s probably going to be the most important match I’ve been a part of, whoever I play. I’m just happy to be a part of it. I’m going to go for it and take my chances.”

The earliest Emilio will play his first-round match – against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego – is Sunday, giving the Ecuadorian time to rest. His dad needs it, too.

“It’s very exciting,” Andres said. “I’m drained!”

Did You Know?
Petr Korda’s son, Sebastian Korda, qualified for the main draw on Friday, so the sons of two Grand Slam champions will compete at Roland Garros.

Does Rafael Nadal consider himself the favourite at this year’s Roland Garros? As a 12-time tournament champion, he has dominated the event like no other player in all Grand Slam history. On the other side of the ledger, he has played just one tournament since February and suffered a surprise quarter-final loss to Diego Schwartzman last week in Rome.

His great rival, Novak Djokovic, comes in with a 31-1 record on the season, and the confidence of having won a record-breaking 36th ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome. To win the trophy, Nadal may need to beat US Open champion Dominic Thiem in the semi-finals and Djokovic in the final. And the World No. 2 feels that conditions are not in his favour.

So maybe, just maybe, there is hope for others in the field.

“I always have been beatable on clay. [Novak] beat me a lot of times,” said Nadal. “But at the same time [it] is true that I had a lot of success on this surface. [The] situation is special. Conditions here probably are the most difficult conditions for me ever in Roland Garros for so many different [reasons]. The ball completely different. The ball is super slow, heavy. It’s very cold. Slow conditions.

“Of course, the preparation have been less than usual. But you know what, I am here to fight and to play with the highest intensity possible, to practise with the right attitude, to give [myself] a chance. That’s the main goal for me. Be competitive on Monday, and let’s try. Just day-by-day. I know this place very well. It is about being patient, being positive, just trying to find the positive vibes every single day.”

Despite the challenging conditions for the Spaniard at this year’s event, Nadal is excited to be back at the most successful tournament of his career. The Spaniard can create history in Paris this year. If Nadal lifts the trophy by winning seven matches in Paris, he will equal Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam crowns and hit 100 victories at the clay-court Grand Slam championship. Nadal currently holds a tournament record 93 wins from 95 matches.

“We are just about to start a very important event, the most important event in my tennis career historically,” said Nadal. “I am just happy to be back here in this place… The situation is a little bit more difficult than usual without a doubt. But that’s it. I going to keep trying my best. I know [it is] going to be a big challenge to play well here. But I did it in the past… I know very well I have to keep giving [myself] chances to find the best level possible.”

Nadal is aware that conditions in Paris are vastly different from previous years. The typical spring weather has been replaced by damp, cold conditions at Stade Roland Garros. But the Spaniard is not a complete stranger to challenging weather in Paris.

At last year’s event, the 19-time Grand Slam champion overcame heavy winds to defeat Roger Federer in straight sets in the semi-finals. With weather conditions out of his control, Nadal is choosing to focus on what he can influence ahead of his first-round match against Egor Gerasimov: his attitude and concentration.

“The conditions on the court are completely different than the previous years,” said Nadal. “I [am] just going to try to keep working hard. I think I had a good couple of practices… I am not having bad feelings. I am just trying to focus on what I have to do to be ready. That’s my goal.”

By accepting that this Roland Garros will be like no other he has played before, Nadal has been able to relax and focus his mind on one simple goal: to find his best level. It is a goal he has managed to achieve on 12 previous visits to the tournament. Only time will tell if his bid for a 13th Coupe des Mousquetaires will be successful.

“What you need is the right energy to accept every single thing. That’s what I am doing,” said Nadal. “Just stay positive knowing that the conditions are not perfect for me, maybe not perfect for others either, and accept that I [am] going to need my best version to have chances.

“I am just relaxed knowing that it’s a very special year. I am here just to give myself a chance to enjoy another Roland Garros and, of course, to try my best to be competitive and fight for the final goal.”

The Laver Cup will be held in London in 2022, with organisers naming The O2 as the venue for the event that will take place from September 23-25, 2022. London will host the fifth edition of the competition, following Laver Cup 2021 which will be held next September at TD Garden in Boston.

“We’re so excited to be bringing the Laver Cup to London, a city steeped in tennis heritage,” Laver Cup Chairman and CEO of TEAM8 Tony Godsick said. “The British fans love their tennis and the Laver Cup is like nothing they have seen before. Over one amazing weekend we bring together today’s greatest players as teammates, alongside legends and rivals from previous generations to create a truly unique spectacle that has thrilled fans around the globe.”

“London has always held a special place in my heart and it’s going to be incredible to bring the Laver Cup to one of my favourite cities in the world,” Roger Federer, 20-time Grand Slam champion said. “I know the British fans will love the way the Laver Cup brings together the top players in the world while paying respect and recognition to the legends of our game.”

Named in honour of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, the Laver Cup is played on a dramatic black court that will be constructed within The O2, a 20,000 seat arena. The three-day team competition pits six of the best players from Europe against six of their counterparts from the rest of the World.

Since its debut in Prague in 2017, the Laver Cup has been staged in Chicago in 2018, and Geneva last year. Boston will host the 2021 edition and 2022 will mark the third time Team Europe has held the ‘home advantage’.

The O2 has welcomed more than 70 million people to music, sports and entertainment events since opening in 2007. No stranger to tennis, The O2 has been home to the hugely successful Nitto ATP Finals since 2009.

“London’s The O2 is one of the world’s most iconic music and entertainment venues,” Laver Cup CEO Steve Zacks said. “It is a destination unto itself, with spectacular scale, design, technology and amenities. It is the perfect setting for the Laver Cup to create an unrivalled fan experience.”

“We are delighted The O2 will host the Laver Cup in 2022 and look forward to welcoming the tournament to London and bringing the excitement of tennis to the British fans,” Gael Caselli, VP of Sport, AEG Europe said. “The O2 has held a multitude of world class sporting events since opening in 2007 and will continue this tradition with the Laver Cup, which will no doubt be a must-see event in the sporting calendar.”

The city of London has also thrown its support behind the event. “It is a great honour for London to play host to the Laver Cup in 2022,” said Mayor Sadiq Khan.

“Londoners are fanatical about sport and have missed the thrill of live events during the pandemic. The capital is proud to have hosted major international sporting events over the years. To add the prestigious Laver Cup to our portfolio is incredibly exciting and we can’t wait to welcome the event to town.”

Ticket information will be released in due course with fans encouraged to register their interest in the event at LaverCup.com.

Will Novak Djokovic finish his career with more weeks atop the FedEx ATP Rankings than anyone in history?

After breaking a tie with Pete Sampras on Monday for second-most weeks at World No. 1 by reaching 287 weeks, the Serbian now has his sights set on Roger Federer. The Swiss star has spent a record 310 weeks in the top spot.

“Of course I’m aware of the amount of weeks,” Djokovic said after winning a record-breaking 36th ATP Masters 1000 title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. “I’m getting closer. I’m in a very good position, I feel like. I have also been playing really well and been healthy, which is great.”

If he does not relinquish World No. 1 between now and then, Djokovic can pass Federer’s mark on 8 March 2021. He currently has a 1,410-point lead over World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, who under the current 22-month system can’t gain any points at Roland Garros because he won the tournament last year.

Making history has long been one of Djokovic’s greatest motivators, and reaching Federer is on his mind. However, he is staying in the moment and focussing on what is under his control.

“The historic No. 1 ranking goal is something that is on the horizon,” Djokovic said. “I’m going to give my all and very best that I can possibly give in the next period to achieve that.

“I can’t [look] too far [ahead] and I don’t know what years to come will bring for me and just tennis and the world in general.”

Although Djokovic is closing in on the major milestone, he knows how difficult it is to maintain not just the top spot, but a place among the world’s elite.

“Being a top player of the world, top five of the world, it requires a lot of consistency, requires a lot of determination, a lot of sacrifice throughout the year,” Djokovic said. “It’s not enough to play well one month a year, two months a year. You have to play well the entire year in order to be one of the best players in the world.

“So that’s probably the ultimate challenge we have in our sport, to be No. 1 in the longest season in sports.”

Djokovic is the top seed at Roland Garros, which begins Sunday. The Serb is chasing his 18th Grand Slam title, which would move him within one of Rafael Nadal’s haul of 19 and closer to Federer’s record of 20. Nadal seeks a record-extending 13th Roland Garros crown. Federer will not play again in 2020 following two surgeries this year on his right knee.

Djokovic won Roland Garros in 2016 when he defeated Dominic Thiem in the semi-finals and Andy Murray in the final.

Andrey Rublev wore down one of the most consistent players on the ATP Tour, Roberto Bautista Agut, on Friday for a place in the Hamburg European Open semi-finals. Fifth seed and 2019 runner-up Rublev played with great aggression on the slow Hamburg clay to triumph 6-2, 7-5 in one hour and 31 minutes.

Rublev, who hit 20 of his 30 winners off his forehand wing, improved to a 23-6 match record on the 2020 season and will next challenge Ugo Humbert or Casper Ruud on Saturday at the newly renovated Am Rothenbaum, venue of the ATP 500 tournament.

“Roberto is one of the most consistent players on Tour, it’s really tough to beat him,” said World No. 14 Rublev, in an on-court interview. “You need to play at an amazing level and be really fit. He never gives you an easy match. I am really pleased as I played well, even in the first set — in spite of the score — there were long games and I’m happy to get through the second set.”

Rublev’s backhand stood up well in the opening exchanges, and it was fourth seed Bautista Agut who faltered in the opening game as he missed a backhand down the line. Rublev broke once more for a 4-1 lead with a backhand winner, before Bautista Agut started to step in and take the ball earlier to make inroads. Rublev broke for a third time, for a 5-2 advantage, with a barrage of aggressive forehands and completed the 34-minute opener with a backhand volley — one of 12 winners. Bautista Agut had won eight of his 23 service points.

Rublev twice appeared to have made a decisive breakthrough in the second set — breaking in the third and fifth games — but Bautista Agut found a way back, muscling his way in with his own aggressive play to lead 5-4. Rublev, playing at his very best, did so well to maintain his composure in their fourth ATP Head2Head meeting and broke Bautista Agut at 5-5, 30/40 with two aggressive forehands on approach to the net, which forced a backhand error. The 22-year-old secured his spot in the fourth ATP 500 semi-final of his career, in the next game, when Bautista Agut hit a backhand return into the net.