ATPTour.com appears at 5 Challenger Excursion avid gamers to stay your eyes on all the way through the 2023 Australian Open.
Rinky Hijikata (AUS)
The 21-year-old units his attractions on making a touch at his house Slam, the place he’s enjoying the primary draw for the primary time. Remaining season, Hijikata met Rafael Nadal within the opening spherical of the USA Open and driven the 22-time main champion to 4 units.
In October, Hijikata gained his maiden Challenger identify on house soil on the Playford Challenger. The Sydney local become the youngest Australian to win a Challenger identify since 2018, when the-then 19-year-old Alexei Popyrin gained in Jinan, China.
Rinky Hijikata is topped champion on the 2022 Playford Challenger. Credit score: Tennis Australia
The previous College of North Carolina celebrity, who’s International No. 169, has already clashed towards Most sensible-5 avid gamers comparable to Nadal and Daniil Medvedev on the ATP 250 tournament in Los Cabos, the place Hijikata earned his first Excursion-level victory prior to assembly the-then International No. 1. Must Hijikata get previous qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in Melbourne, he may face 3rd seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second one spherical.
Shang Juncheng (CHN)
On the Lexington Challenger, {the teenager} become the youngest (17 years, 6 months) participant to win a Challenger identify since Carlos Alcaraz at Alicante in 2020 and the youngest Chinese language champion in Challenger Excursion historical past.
The Beijing local, who become the primary participant born in 2005 to win a Challenger identify, is certainly one of 3 Chinese language males within the Australian Open major draw, along Wu Yibing and Zhizhen Zhang. The #NextGenATP celebrity Shang complex via qualifying and can make his Grand Slam debut towards German Oscar Otte.
‘Jerry’ Shang claims the 2022 Lexington Challenger. Credit score: Lexington Challenger introduced via Meridian Wealth Control
“I believe total I’m simply more than happy and enthusiastic about what’s coming subsequent,” Shang stated. “Those 3 rounds I’ve given 100 in line with cent and I believe I did rather well at controlling my feelings after each and every spherical. It’s my first time enjoying Grand Slams, and I’m simply tremendous enthusiastic about what’s coming subsequent in the primary draw, and I’ll check out my very best to win.”
Yosuke Watanuki (JPN)
The 24-year-old has been one of the most hardest avid gamers to overcome at the Challenger Excursion just lately and can now get to turn his abilities all the way through his Grand Slam debut. Watanuki has gained 17 of his previous 19 Challenger-level fits, together with 3 ultimate appearances. The Jap celebrity earned back-to-back titles in November, when he triumphed on the Kobe and Yokkaichi Challengers.
Yosuke Watanuki on the 2023 Canberra Challenger. Credit score: Anastasia Kachalkova
Now at a career-high 138 within the Pepperstone ATP Ratings, Watanuki complex via qualifying in Australia. Nevertheless it wasn’t with out a take a look at. In the second one spherical of qualifying, the Saitama local fended off two fit issues towards Mikhail Kukushkin to stay his hopes alive. Watanuki, who’s coached via 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 12 months, together with on the Maia Open, the place he accumulated his first Challenger trophy.
Luca Van Assche in motion on the 2022 Maia Challenger. Credit score: FPT/Sara Falcao
The 2021 Roland Garros boys’ singles champion is the youngest French participant within the Most sensible 200. Following his identify in Portugal, he joined an unique record of French Challenger champions elderly 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 take a look at towards eleventh seed Cameron Norrie.
Mattia Bellucci (ITA)
The Italian made a unexpected affect at the Challenger Excursion remaining season and climbed greater than 500 spots within the Pepperstone ATP Ratings all the way through the 12 months.
In October, the 21-year-old gained 12 consecutive fits and gained back-to-back Challenger titles on the Saint-Tropez and Vilnius Challengers. Bellucci become the youngest Italian to win Challenger titles in back-to-back weeks since 19-year-old Stefano Pescosolido in 1991.
Mattia Bellucci earns his 2d Challenger identify in Vilnius, Lithuania. Credit score: Saulius Cirba
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 International Excursion https://ift.tt/0XHjfs2