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The 2022 season noticed a number of #NextGenATP stars make their mark on Tour, with Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti amongst these capturing their maiden tour-level titles.
From Prime 10 wins to career-high Pepperstone ATP Rankings, ATPTour.com appears again on the brightest younger prospects of 2022.
Holger Rune, 19 years previous
Holger Rune’s rise in 2022 was nothing in need of exceptional. The 19-year-old began the season at No. 103 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings however ended the yr because the World No. 11, having climbed to a career-high No. 10 following his dream run to the Rolex Paris Masters title.
After a constant begin, the Dane’s season took off in Could when he defeated then-World No. 3 Alexander Zverev en path to his maiden tour-level title in Munich. 1 / 4-final run at Roland Garros adopted, with Rune upsetting Stefanos Tsitsipas in Paris.
The 19-year-old saved his finest till the top of the yr, although, profitable 19 of his remaining 21 matches of the season. Rune lifted the trophy in Stockholm and reached finals in Sofia and Basel in October. Arriving in Paris in assured temper, Rune beat Prime 10 stars Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Novak Djokovic to win the largest title of his profession.
Lorenzo Musetti, 20 years previous
Lorenzo Musetti had proven followers glimpses of his potential in 2021, reaching tour-level semi-finals in Acapulco and Lyon. Nevertheless, the Italian took his sport to a brand new degree this season, climbing to a career-high No. 23 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
The 20-year-old impressed on clay throughout Europe, reaching the third spherical at ATP Masters 1000 occasions in Monte Carlo and Madrid earlier than he received an ATP Challenger Tour crown on dwelling soil in Forli. Musetti’s finest consequence got here in Hamburg, the place he received his first tour-level title. He saved match factors in his opening match to claw previous Dusan Lajovic earlier than he then defeated Carlos Alcaraz in an exhilarating remaining to triumph.
Musetti transferred his spectacular clay-court kind to laborious courts within the remaining months of the yr. He captured the crown in Naples in October and superior to the quarter-finals in Paris, ending the season holding a 34-27 tour-level report.
Jack Draper, 20 years previous
Along with his large lefty serve and explosive forehand, Jack Draper made his mark in 2022. The 20-year-old entered the yr at No. 265 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings with simply two tour-level wins to his title.
Quick ahead 11 months and the Briton is the World No. 41, having earned 21 tour-level victories this yr. Draper, who missed the second half of 2021 as a consequence of a ruptured ligament in his ankle, began the season on fireplace, profitable 4 ATP Challenger Tour titles within the opening 4 months.
The 20-year-old then rapidly impressed on the ATP Tour. He received essential draw matches at ATP Masters 1000 occasions in Miami and Madrid earlier than he soared to his first tour-level semi-final on dwelling soil in Eastbourne. Draper made his greatest splash in North America, the place he earned his first Prime 10 win towards Stefanos Tsitsipas en path to the quarter-finals in Montreal earlier than he upset Felix Auger-Aliassime on the US Open.
Brandon Nakashima, 21 years previous
Brandon Nakashima is subsequent. The American ended his season in model in Milan the place he grew to become the fifth participant to seize the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals title. The 20-year-old, at the moment No. 47 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, blitzed by the sector on the 21-and-under occasion to develop into an undefeated champion in Italy.
Earlier within the season, Nakashima clinched his first tour-level title in San Diego, defeating Marcos Giron within the remaining to triumph on dwelling soil. He additionally impressed on the Grand Slams, reaching the third spherical at Roland Garros and the US Open and the fourth spherical at Wimbledon.
The American will look to observe within the footsteps of earlier the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champions Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and crack the Prime 10 sooner or later.
Jiri Lehecka, 21 years previous
For Jiri Lehecka, sporting success runs within the household, along with his father a former swimmer and his mom a observe and subject star. In 2022, the Czech made his mark within the tennis scene with a sequence of spectacular outcomes on each the ATP Challenger Tour and ATP Tour.
The 21-year-old’s breakthrough season began in Rotterdam. After coming by qualifying, he earned his maiden tour-level win towards Denis Shapovalov. He then defeated Botic van de Zandschulp and Lorenzo Musetti to succeed in the semi-finals in a run that lifted him into the Prime 100.
Lehecka struggled for consistency within the following months however did carry an ATP Challenger Tour trophy in Liberec in August earlier than ending the yr impressively in Milan, the place he superior to the ultimate on debut on the 21-and-under occasion.
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