An unimaginable statistic makes all tennis insiders and followers suppose: 8 tennis gamers within the prime 50 of the ATP rating – regardless of a really respectable necessary rating – have by no means gained a title throughout their skilled profession on the ATP Tour. 8 tennis gamers who haven’t but skilled the enjoyment of profitable a trophy, after an excellent week.
The primary on this rating, for the place obtained after a optimistic 2024, is Tomas Machac: the Czech reached the primary semifinal on the Shanghai Rolex Masters, after additionally beating Carlos Alcaraz (who eradicated him Jannik Sinner), in addition to the fourth spherical on the US Open.
Matteo Arnaldi, semifinalist within the Canadian Open ATP Masters 1000, and Flabio Cobolli, who misplaced the ultimate in Washington in opposition to Sebastian Korda.
Even the thirty ninth on the earth Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who stunned everybody in China within the match in opposition to the #1, will attempt to unlock himself subsequent season. Simply because the very younger 20-year-old Alex Michelsen – who completed at quantity 42 within the rating, in 2024 – might have his likelihood: two finals not exploited by the American, who might additional develop and enhance his private rating.
Regardless of the great performances proven on the Tour, the Chinese language Zhizhen Zhang is among the many gamers within the prime 50 with out profitable titles. Closing this record is the Argentine Mariano Navone, a pleasant shock final 12 months particularly on clay, and the Czech Jacub Mensik, a expertise to look at very intently.
Mensik© Stream screenshot
For the Subsequent Gen of the Czech Republic, the one in opposition to Grigor Dimitrov in Shanghai was the fourth victory of the 12 months in opposition to tennis gamers within the prime 10. In reality, it’s the second victory in opposition to the Bulgarian, to that are added the 2 successes in opposition to Andrey Rublev in Doha and within the second spherical of the identical Chinese language event at present underway.
Mensik turned solely the sixth under-21 since 2000 to acquire this variety of consecutive victories in opposition to tennis gamers ranked within the prime 10. Earlier than him, solely Lleyton Hewitt, Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune had achieved this feat. A end result that highlights the qualities of the younger Czech, who might quickly make the definitive leap in high quality in the direction of the highest of world tennis.
All these tennis gamers could have the aim of triumphing in an occasion of the most important circuit within the 2025 season now approaching, along with remaining in these areas of the rating.
