The margins are razor skinny between the ATP Challenger Tour and Tour-level gamers.
While each tennis participant desires of competing below the brilliant lights and on large levels, they need to first pave their pathway on the Challenger Tour. Tennis legends like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic all began on the Challenger circuit earlier than embarking on illustrious careers.
This season, gamers corresponding to Holger Rune, Wu Yibing, and Jack Draper loved nice success at not solely Challenger Tour occasions, but additionally on the season’s 4 Grand Slams.
ATPTour.com opinions 5 gamers who went from Challengers to having fun with a breakthrough second at a significant in 2022.
Holger Rune
Coming into the season, the Danish teen was outdoors the Top 100 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and was nonetheless searching for his first Grand Slam fundamental draw victory. It didn’t take Rune lengthy to rise to a career-high 10 in November following a standout yr.
Rune was one in every of simply 9 youngsters to gather a Challenger title this yr. In April, the-then 18-year-old triumphed on the Sanremo Challenger, the place he dropped only one set en path to the title and defeated Italian teen Francesco Passaro within the last.
Passaro (left) and Rune on the 2022 Sanremo Challenger trophy presentation. Credit: Sanremo Challenger
Only one man has earned extra Challenger titles than Rune earlier than his nineteenth birthday: Richard Gasquet (7). Rune, who’s a five-time Challenger champion, was one in every of six males to say a Challenger and Tour-level title in 2022.
A month after successful the Challenger 80 occasion in Italy, Rune collected his first Tour-level crown (Munich) and was a quarter-finalist at Roland Garros, the place he upset fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Wu Yibing
After being sidelined for 3 years on account of accidents and the pandemic, the 23-year-old loved a career-best season that earned him a nomination for the ATP Comeback Player Of The Year.
Wu went on a 15 match-winning streak on the Challenger-level and picked up three consecutive titles: Orlando, Rome, Indianapolis. The Chinese star carried his momentum into his Grand Slam debut at Flushing Meadows, the place he and countryman Zhang Zhizhen battled by way of qualifying to turn into the primary Chinese males to compete within the US Open fundamental draw within the Open Era.
Wu Yibing is topped champion on the 2022 Orlando Challenger. Credit: Orlando Open
The Hangzhou native reached the third spherical, the place he confronted defending champion Daniil Medvedev below the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Medvedev went on to win in straight units however Wu’s run on the US Open will probably be remembered as a significant milestone in Chinese tennis.
“It’s been a troublesome few years for me,” Wu informed ATPTour.com in August. “I actually suffered from accidents and Covid in China. It looks as if I can nonetheless play somewhat little bit of tennis. I’m comfortable about what I did [at the US Open]. I like the individuals right here, the gang. Many Chinese individuals got here to help, I adore it.”
Jack Draper
Nobody completed the yr with a greater successful proportion on the Challenger Tour than Draper. The 20-year-old boasted a 24-4 Challenger match-winning file and picked up a season-leading 4 Challenger titles (tied w/ Pedro Cachin): Forli-2, Forli-4, Forli-5, and Saint-Brieuc. The lefty cracked the Top 100 for the primary time this summer time amidst a fast rise on the ATP Tour.
Jack Draper triumphs on the Saint-Brieuc Challenger. Credit: Philippe Kermoal
Shortly after incomes his maiden Grand Slam main-draw victory at his residence match, Wimbledon, Draper discovered success on the North American arduous courts, together with on the US Open, the place he surprised sixth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime within the second spherical.
Tim Van Rijthoven
In February, the Dutchman superior by way of qualifying en path to a runner-up end on the Forli-4 Challenger (l. Draper). A couple of months later, Van Rijthoven gained the ATP 250 occasion in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the place he upset the Top-3 seeded gamers: Taylor Fritz, Auger-Aliassime, and Medvedev. Van Rijthoven grew to become one in every of six males since 2007 to win an ATP Tour title earlier than being topped champion on the Challenger degree.
The 25-year-old’s grass court docket success continued on the All England Club. Van Rijthoven reached the fourth spherical at Wimbledon and pushed eventual champion Novak Djokovic to 4 units.
Tim van Rijthoven in motion at Wimbledon. Credit: Adrian Dennis/Getty Images
At the season’s last Slam, Van Rijthoven gained a dramatic opening spherical five-setter. The Dutchman rallied from two units to like down and saved seven match factors to defeat Zhang. Van Rijthoven misplaced within the subsequent spherical to eventual finalist Casper Ruud.
Carlos Alcaraz
Although the Spaniard didn’t compete on the Challenger degree in 2022, his speedy rise from the Challenger Tour to Grand Slam champion gained’t quickly be forgotten.
Alcaraz, who’s the youngest year-end No. 1 within the historical past of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, discovered early success on the Challenger Tour. A four-time Challenger titlist, Alcaraz cracked the Top 100 for the primary time following his title on the Oeiras Challenger in May 2021. The 19-year-old additionally collected the title on the 2020 Alicante, Barcelona, and Trieste Challengers.
“There are a variety of factors at stake on the Challenger degree,” Alcaraz informed ATPTour.com after successful the Trieste Challenger. “To play at such a excessive degree in opposition to actually good gamers… It’s good preparation for after I compete on the greatest tournaments.”
Even the highest-ranked participant within the sport started his skilled journey on the ATP Challenger Tour.
Carlos Alcaraz lifts his maiden Grand Slam trophy in New York City. Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images
