ATPTour.com seems at 5 Challenger Tour gamers to maintain your eyes on in the course of the 2023 Australian Open.
Rinky Hijikata (AUS)The 21-year-old units his sights on making a splash at his residence Slam, the place he’s taking part in the principle draw for the primary time. Final season, Hijikata met Rafael Nadal within the opening spherical of the US Open and pushed the 22-time main champion to 4 units.
In October, Hijikata received his maiden Challenger title on residence soil on the Playford Challenger. The Sydney native grew to become the youngest Australian to win a Challenger title since 2018, when the-then 19-year-old Alexei Popyrin received in Jinan, China.
Rinky Hijikata is topped champion on the 2022 Playford Challenger. Credit score: Tennis Australia
The previous College of North Carolina star, who’s World No. 169, has already clashed towards Prime-5 gamers akin to Nadal and Daniil Medvedev on the ATP 250 occasion in Los Cabos, the place Hijikata earned his first Tour-level victory earlier than assembly the-then World No. 1. Ought to Hijikata get previous qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in Melbourne, he might face third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas within the second spherical.
Shang Juncheng (CHN)On the Lexington Challenger, {the teenager} grew to become the youngest (17 years, 6 months) participant to win a Challenger title since Carlos Alcaraz at Alicante in 2020 and the youngest Chinese language champion in Challenger Tour historical past.
The Beijing native, who grew to become the primary participant born in 2005 to win a Challenger title, is one in every of three Chinese language males within the Australian Open predominant draw, alongside Wu Yibing and Zhizhen Zhang. The #NextGenATP star Shang superior by qualifying and can make his Grand Slam debut towards German Oscar Otte.
“I believe total I’m simply very completely satisfied and enthusiastic about what’s coming subsequent,” Shang stated. “These three rounds I’ve given 100 per cent and I believe I did very effectively at controlling my feelings after every spherical. It’s my first time taking part in Grand Slams, and I’m simply tremendous enthusiastic about what’s coming subsequent in the principle draw, and I’ll attempt my greatest to win.”
Yosuke Watanuki (JPN)The 24-year-old has been one of many hardest gamers to beat on the Challenger Tour lately and can now get to point out his abilities throughout his Grand Slam debut. Watanuki has received 17 of his previous 19 Challenger-level matches, together with three remaining appearances. The Japanese star earned back-to-back titles in November, when he triumphed on the Kobe and Yokkaichi Challengers.
Now at a career-high 138 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Watanuki superior by qualifying in Australia. However it wasn’t and not using a check. Within the second spherical of qualifying, the Saitama native fended off two match factors towards Mikhail Kukushkin to maintain his hopes alive. Watanuki, who’s coached by his older brother Yusuke, will meet Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech within the opening spherical.
Luca Van Assche (FRA)The French teen went on a late-season surge in 2022. The 18-year-old reached 4 Challenger finals within the latter a part of the yr, together with on the Maia Open, the place he collected his first Challenger trophy.
The 2021 Roland Garros boys’ singles champion is the youngest French participant within the Prime 200. Following his title in Portugal, he joined an unique listing of French Challenger champions aged 18 and underneath: Richard Gasquet, Sebastien Grosjean, Gael Monfils, Corentin Moutet, and Fabrice Santoro.
Van Assche, who earned a wild card into the Australian Open, opens with a tricky check towards eleventh seed Cameron Norrie.
Mattia Bellucci (ITA)The Italian made a sudden affect on the Challenger Tour final season and climbed greater than 500 spots within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings all year long.
In October, the 21-year-old received 12 consecutive matches and received back-to-back Challenger titles on the Saint-Tropez and Vilnius Challengers. Bellucci grew to become the youngest Italian to win Challenger titles in back-to-back weeks since 19-year-old Stefano Pescosolido in 1991.
Bellucci, who ousted countrymen Francesco Passaro and Luciano Darderi in qualifying, is at a career-high 153 and can make his Grand Slam debut towards Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi within the first spherical at Melbourne Park.
from Tennis – ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/0XHjfs2
