We all know Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Holger Rune — but who could break into this elite trio in the coming years?
Many young players have already achieved remarkable results, and not only on the smaller ITF tour. Some of these rising stars have even made their first impact on the ATP stage, including on the red clay — sometimes taking risks on the court that feel as daring as a high-stakes move at Fair Crown Casino. Every aggressive serve, every daring drop shot, is like placing a bold bet: calculated, but with the potential to change everything in a single moment. Just like a skilled player at the casino weighs odds and strategies, these young athletes read their opponents, timing their attacks with precision and confidence. Sometimes the gamble pays off spectacularly, earning a breakthrough win; other times, it teaches valuable lessons that shape their growth. It’s this combination of skill, courage, and timing that separates a true talent from the rest.
In the following lines, we’ll take a closer look at these promising talents and explore which of them have the potential to reach the very top of the game.
Who is considered a ‘talent’ anyway?
This article focuses on truly young players. Stefanos Tsitsipas, for example, is no longer considered a rising talent. That’s why we’ll highlight only players born between 2002 and 2005.
Currently, there’s a large pool of very promising young players. Brandon Nakashima, despite his former success at the NextGen ATP Finals, has yet to fully establish himself at the highest level. On the other hand, Matteo Arnaldi — who had previously flown under the radar — has started turning heads with his impressive tennis, reminiscent of a “Novak Djokovic 2.0.”
Alongside these two rising stars, let’s take a closer look at the first young player you should have firmly on your radar.
#1 Dino Prizmic
Dino Prizmic was born on 5 August 2005, and at just 17 he claimed his first ATP Tour victory. At the 2023 Umag event he defeated fellow rising star Duje Ajdukovic in straight sets (6-1, 6-2) before narrowly falling to the experienced Alex Popyrin in the third round, 7-6, 7-5.
Prizmic also won the 2023 French Open Juniors, dropping only a single set, and claimed the Challenger title in Banja Luka — further proof of his rapid rise. In 2022 he dominated the ITF Tour, winning 15 matches in a row and proving nearly unbeatable at that level.
While still very young, Prizmic has already made impressive strides in his playing style. In 2022, he tended to play passively — focusing more on keeping the ball in play than taking the initiative. Over the course of 2023, he adapted his game: he remains a strong defensive player, but now knows when to attack. His forehand, particularly from the center of the court, is aggressive and powerful, reflecting his growing confidence.
After his French Open triumph, Prizmic made his ambitions clear: “Winning the junior title at Roland Garros is not enough!”
As of February 2026, Prizmic is ranked 122nd in the world — a remarkable achievement for someone so young and a clear signal that he could be a major force in men’s tennis in the coming years.
#2 Pablo Llamas Ruiz
Pablo Llamas Ruiz was born on 13 October 2002. The young Spaniard has already made a name for himself on the Challenger circuit, winning the title in Segovia in 2023 and reaching the final in Vicenza. Standing at 6’2”, Llamas Ruiz possesses a strong serve and a well-rounded baseline game, with a thoughtful mix of shots that reflect his strategic approach.
He often employs a backhand slice to take pace off rallies, preferring to construct points rather than hit outright winners. While his game can be somewhat passive, his strengths are clear: a powerful forehand and a two-handed backhand that performs well on the run.
In 2023, Llamas Ruiz scored several impressive wins over higher-ranked opponents. He defeated Quentin Halys in Lyon, overcame the talented Italian Luca Nardi, and also beat Australian Max Purcell. At the U.S. Open he narrowly missed a spot in the main draw, losing 7-6 (13-11 in the third-set tiebreaker) to Dominic Stricker — who would go on to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas before falling to Taylor Fritz in the fourth round.
Llamas Ruiz has already broken into the top 150, signaling that the Spaniard is steadily climbing the ranks and could soon challenge the top-tier players on the ATP Tour.
#3 Jakub Mensik
Jakub Mensik was born on 1 September 2005. The young Czech may be the most exciting player in this list, showing both talent and maturity beyond his years.
Mensik made headlines at the 2023 U.S. Open, battling through the qualifiers into the main draw. In the first round he defeated Gregoire Barrere, ranked 73rd in the world. He then won again in the second round against the young Frenchman Droguet, only falling in the third round to local favorite Taylor Fritz.
But this Grand Slam run was no fluke. Mensik had already shown his potential on the ITF Tour and made a successful leap to the Challenger level, winning the home Challenger in Prague by defeating Dominik Köpfer in the final. It is rare for a 17-year-old to progress from ITF titles to a Challenger victory and then reach the third round of a Grand Slam in such a short span of time.
Mentally, Mensik is far ahead of many of his peers. He possesses an excellent serve and a rock-solid baseline game. While he is still developing a killer instinct on the court, his calm and composed approach allows him to handle setbacks without losing focus. One of his role models is the great Tomas Berdych, and Mensik seems eager to incorporate aspects of Berdych’s style into his own game.
Following his U.S. Open breakthrough, Mensik continued to impress, defeating the experienced Dusan Lajovic in the Davis Cup in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.
Mensik has already climbed into the top 20 with a Masters 1000 title to his credit (Miami 2025), a remarkable rise considering he began 2022 ranked No. 1881.
#4 Alex Michelsen
Alex Michelsen was born on 25 August 2004. Like the other young stars on this list, his rise from the ITF Tour to the Challenger level was rapid — and he has continued to build momentum ever since.
In July 2023, Michelsen won the Challenger tournament in Chicago — defeating Kei Nishikori in three sets along the way. He then reached the final of the ATP event in Newport, falling to the experienced Adrian Mannarino. Along his run, he also recorded impressive wins over players like Maxime Cressy, Mackenzie McDonald, and John Isner.
Michelsen’s style is aggressive, direct, and fearless. He consistently looks to seize control of rallies, relying on a powerful forehand, a strong serve, and a relentless drive for points. While he isn’t the fastest or most agile player on tour, when he strikes the ball, it carries tremendous pace. His style is particularly well-suited to fast hard courts and grass, though adapting to slower surfaces could broaden his potential even further.
Alex Michelsen has already broken into the top 30 in the world (currently 41st), showing that the young American is rapidly making his mark on the professional tour.
#5 Luca van Assche
Luca van Assche was born on 11 May 2004. He is part of a strong generation of young French players — his compatriot Arthur Fils could easily feature on this list, as well — but the two have very different styles.
Physically and stylistically, Van Assche draws comparisons to the great Lleyton Hewitt. Like Hewitt, he constructs points carefully, sometimes almost “playing chess” from the baseline, and relies on incredible confidence and consistency. His smooth technique — both forehand and backhand — makes his game a joy to watch and sets him apart from his peers.
Van Assche is extremely quick and agile, but, like Hewitt in his early days, he does not yet have a single dominant weapon to finish points. This year, however, he began making a real mark on the ATP Tour. At Banja Luka, he took a set off Novak Djokovic and previously defeated Stan Wawrinka — impressive results for a player of his age.
Rapidly moving from the Challenger Tour to the ATP level, Van Assche has climbed the world rankings quickly — allowing him entry into more tournaments despite his youth. His confident, composed play makes him a tough opponent, requiring rivals to earn every point. If Van Assche and his coaching team can develop a true weapon in his game, a further breakthrough on the tour is only a matter of time.