ATPTour.com appears 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 dwelling Slam, the place he’s enjoying the principle draw for the primary time. Last 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 gained his maiden Challenger title on dwelling 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 gained in Jinan, China.
Rinky Hijikata is topped champion on the 2022 Playford Challenger. Credit: Tennis Australia
The former University of North Carolina star, who’s World No. 169, has already clashed in opposition to Top-5 gamers equivalent 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. Should Hijikata get previous qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in Melbourne, he may face third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas within the second spherical.
Shang Juncheng (CHN)
At 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 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 considered one of three Chinese males within the Australian Open essential draw, alongside Wu Yibing and Zhizhen Zhang. The #NextGenATP star Shang superior by way of qualifying and can make his Grand Slam debut in opposition to German Oscar Otte.
‘Jerry’ Shang claims the 2022 Lexington Challenger. Credit: Lexington Challenger introduced by Meridian Wealth Management
“I believe general I’m simply very blissful and enthusiastic about what’s coming subsequent,” Shang mentioned. “These three rounds I’ve given 100 per cent and I believe I did very nicely at controlling my feelings after every spherical. It’s my first time enjoying Grand Slams, and I’m simply tremendous enthusiastic about what’s coming subsequent in the principle draw, and I’ll strive my finest to win.”
Yosuke Watanuki (JPN)
The 24-year-old has been one of many hardest gamers to beat on the Challenger Tour just lately and can now get to point out his skills throughout his Grand Slam debut. Watanuki has gained 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.
Yosuke Watanuki on the 2023 Canberra Challenger. Credit: Anastasia Kachalkova
Now at a career-high 138 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Watanuki superior by way of qualifying in Australia. But it wasn’t with no check. In the second spherical of qualifying, the Saitama native fended off two match factors in opposition to 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 teenager 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.
Luca Van Assche in motion on the 2022 Maia Challenger. Credit: FPT/Sara Falcao
The 2021 Roland Garros boys’ singles champion is the youngest French participant within the Top 200. Following his title in Portugal, he joined an unique checklist of French Challenger champions aged 18 and beneath: 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 in opposition to 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 gained 12 consecutive matches and gained 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.
Mattia Bellucci earns his second Challenger title in Vilnius, Lithuania. Credit: 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 in opposition to Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi within the first spherical at Melbourne Park.