The five tennis players to follow in the 2025 season

The 2025 season of ATP is just around the corner, and most fans already have their eyes on the big names of the circuit. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic always generate unmatched anticipation, and optimal performances are expected from all of them. However, there are also many spectators eager to discover new talent or rediscover some who were previously hidden. Each year gives many players the opportunity to increase their value and make tremendous leaps in quality. Therefore, it is time to analyze who the five names to follow next year on the men's circuit are, from potential resurrections such as Denis Shapovalov to the emergence of young talents like Joao Fonseca.

- MATTEO BERRETTINI (28 years old, ATP ranking #34): It seems appropriate to affirm that his current ranking does not reflect the ceiling his tennis can reach. 'The Hammer,' as many affectionately nicknamed him, witnessed new generations of players coming through while he dealt with persistent physical discomfort that kept him away from the version that once reached the Wimbledon final. However, 2023 saw him return to the spotlight, winning three ATP titles, climbing over 70 positions in the rankings, and being a fundamental part of the Italian team that regained the Davis Cup. With a new physical team and full motivation burning brightly, the Italian remains a powerhouse on the faster surfaces of the circuit and still has several years of energy to see him back in the later rounds of the major tournaments before entering his thirties.

- JOAO FONSECA (18 years old, ATP ranking #145): His outstanding performance at the Next Gen Finals skyrocketed his value overnight, but the truth is that Joao would have made this list regardless of his time in Jeddah. Why? Simply because he is the player with the highest potential in an age range below Sinner and Alcaraz. A steadily improving backhand, a devilish and versatile forehand, a serve that gets better by the minute, and a well-established working team that works for him; the cherry on top, of course, is a maturity that contradicts the year of birth on his ID. After climbing over 500 positions in 2024, everything seems on track for Fonseca to break into the top-100 in 2025, leave his mark in some Grand Slam or Masters 1000 events, and confirm what Challenger circuit connoisseurs already know: he is going to be very, very good.

- TOMÁS ETCHEVERRY (25 years old, ATP ranking #39): The Argentine entered the circuit with force, displaying a high-caliber tennis game and a tremendous weight of shot. His quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros caught much attention, leading many to wonder if the future great Argentine clay court player was here, especially considering his game, perhaps, was more adaptable to other surfaces than that of Seba Báez. However, a slight mental fog took hold of his 2024, with tough losses in close matches and a lingering issue of not sealing finals. The most ambitious, in such a situation, renew themselves immediately... and that's what the marplatense did, bringing in Horacio de la Peña and reshuffling the pieces to progress. It is a clear sign that Etcheverry aims to approach the top-20 and, above all, claim his first ATP title... and I wouldn't bet against him.

- DENIS SHAPOVALOV (25 years old, ATP ranking #56): I remember when at the end of the last season I pointed out Shapovalov as one of the players to watch on the indoor hard court tour. Those who dismissed that bet as crazy (and many other much more offensive terms) ended up receiving a reality check when the Canadian claimed his second ATP title in Belgrade. No matter how insignificant that tournament may seem, to me, it was the confirmation that Denis, after a serious injury and a long time away from the courts, is closer than ever to a maturity that his game always lacked... and with it, of course, the sky is the limit. The addition of Janko Tipsarevic, with the intention of assembling a solid working team, points in the same direction, and remember: who would want to crucify prematurely a guy with so much talent who is only, I repeat, 25 years old?

- NISHESH BASAVAREDDY (19 years old, ATP ranking #138): Some coaches in American collegiate tennis refer to Nishesh as "Djokovic 2.0." No, they are not implying that he will have the same career or the same potential; however, they are referring to his style of play, his court intelligence, his ability to anticipate opponents' moves to secure victory. He has stated that his game plan tends to vary completely depending on the opponent, and a tennis style as counter-cultural as his, in this day and age, deserves the public's attention. The ability to take the ball early, returns at the opponent's feet, and a fairly solid style adorn a player who has decided to leave behind college after accumulating victory after victory in American Challengers. The Australian Open qualifying rounds will be his first test in Grand Slams, but get ready to see him more often on the big stages of the circuit.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los cinco tenistas a seguir en la temporada 2025