Future Stars: Ranking of the Best Young Tennis Players of Modern Times
As Marianne Williamson once said, “Every ending is a new beginning.” This can be described as the case of men’s tennis today. For decades, the legendary Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic known as the “big three” were at the forefront.
But now, they’re leaving the stage for younger players.
Who are these players? Find out as I unveil these rising stars, revealing their history and achievements so far.
The best young tennis players
As we walk into a new era, it is only appropriate for new players to take over the global stage. Hence, as an expert in tennis analysis, our guest expert Kate Richardson has studied their performances, rankings, and recent achievements to create this list. Let’s meet them.
Joao Fonseca, 18, Brazil
Joao Fonseca became popular after his performance at the 2023 US Open Junior Championship. He impressed the world as he reached the final round. He made his ATP debut the following year, creating more buzz about him.
Today, Fonseca ranks #68 in the ATP world rankings. This puts him on the spotlight as one of the top-ranked male players to watch.
Flavio Cobolli, 22, Italy
Cobolli started his professional career in 2018 and has remained bankable. This has been so evident that the global research conducted by MightyTips team reveals top bookmakers closely tracking his performance. Their interest shows his influence in betting markets.
In 2020, he won the French Open boys’ doubles title, marking an early career milestone. He made his ATP debut, winning his first match and reaching two Challenger finals the year after. Cobolli also won his first Challenger title and debuted at the Rome Masters’ main draws in singles and doubles.
In five years, he reached an ATP quarterfinal and played his first French Open.
Jakub Mensik, 18, Czech Republic
This is another promising young star making steady progress in the tennis world. Jakub Mensik began his career professionally in 2022.
He won his first Challenger title within a year of playing professionally. This made him become the youngest player from Czech to do so. That same year, he qualified for his first Grand Slam main draw.
Mensik made his Australian Open debut in 2024 after successfully qualifying for the tournament. He was selected for the Next Gen program and competed in the 2024 Qatar ExxonMobil Open. He also received a wildcard for the 2024 BNP Paribas Open, where he made his Masters debut. Also, he competed at the US Open. At this rate, he’ll be leading the rest in the coming years.
Dino Prizmic, 19, Croatia
Dino Prizmic began his career in 2019, reaching the European Junior Championship final. Although he lost, he’s had one of the strongest comebacks.
In 2022, he reached his first ITF final and debuted at the ATP singles draw of the Croatia Open Umag as a wildcard. In 2023, Prizmic made several tournament appearances and won his first Challenger title. He also won the boys’ singles title at the 2023 French Open, marking a significant career milestone.
He made his Grand Slam debut at the 2024 Australian Open, where he pushed world No. 1 Novak Djokovic to four sets. This performance caught global attention.
Matej Dodig, 19, Croatia
This is another young tennis player who makes our list of youngsters who’re making waves in the sport. A week after he made his first professional appearance, he won his first title. Remarkably, he achieved this victory without dropping a single set.
Dodig made his ATP Tour debut after receiving a wildcard for the Croatia Open Umag. He recorded his first ATP match win there. Dodig has played 138 matches, winning 90, an impressive record for a player who recently made his debut.
Hamad Medjedovic, 21, Serbia
Hamad Medjedovic received a wildcard in 2021 and made his ATP main draw debut at the 2021 Belgrade Open. In this short time, he has reached the Platzmann-Sauerland Open final and won his first Challenger title.
He has also earned his first ATP title and claimed three more Challenger titles, entering the Tennis Hall of Fame. He debuted at the French Open and Wimbledon and won the Next Generation ATP Finals title.
Last year, he played his first Masters 1000 at the Madrid Open and made other notable appearances. As of 2025, Medjedovic is ranked #73 in ATP singles, showing great promise for the future.
Jerry Shang, 19, China
Jerry Shang won his first ITF title in 2019, marking the start of his promising career. In 2021, he competed in the junior events at the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.
In 2022, Shang debuted on the professional tour with a wildcard and won his first Challenger title in Lexington, USA. This victory made him the youngest Chinese player to win a Challenger trophy.
In 2023, he made several appearances, including his Grand Slam debut, and played his first ATP event in China. By the end of last year, Shang reached the ATP top 50, making one the youngest players to ever make the list.
Carlos Alcaraz Garfia, 21 Spain
He began his career at 15 and, in six years, has achieved impressive milestones in professional tennis. He has won multiple Challenger titles, an ATP Tour match, and his Grand Slam tournament debut.
In 2021, Carlos Alcaraz broke Nadal’s record as the youngest match winner in Madrid Open history. This feat emphasizes Heraclitus saying, “the only constant in life is change.” He competed at Wimbledon, the US Open, and won the Next Gen ATP Finals title.
Over the years, Carlos Alcatraz has won several titles, becoming a major champion. According to Statista, he holds the record as last year’s world’s highest-paid tennis player. This new generation star has claimed his first title of the year.
Conclusion about rising stars
With legends like Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal retiring from professional play, a younger generation of players are rising. These players are set to transform any given tournament into an exciting time. If you’re wondering if they will be able to fit into the shoes of these legends, time will tell.
