We all know Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Holger Rune – but who could break into the top three in the coming years?
Many young players have achieved impressive results, not only on the ITF mini-tour. Some of these rising stars are even making their first impact on the ATP stage, including on red clay – sometimes taking risks on court that feel as daring as high moves at Fair Crown Casino. Every aggressive service, every effort, is like placing a bold bet: calculated, but with the potential to change everything at once. Like a skilled casino player weighing the odds and strategies, these young athletes study their opponents, timing their attacks with precision and confidence. Sometimes the game of gambling pays off amazingly, you get great success; sometimes, it teaches important lessons that shape their growth. It is this combination of skill, courage, and timing that separates true talent from others.
In the following lines, we will take a closer look at these promising talents and examine which of them have the potential to reach the very top of the game.
Who is considered ‘talent’ anyway?
This article focuses on really young players. Stefanos Tsitsipas, for example, is no longer considered a rising talent. This is why we will only highlight players born between 2002 and 2005.
Right now, there are a lot of promising young players. Brandon Nakashima, despite his previous success at the NextGen ATP Finals, is not yet fully committed to the highest level. On the other hand, Matteo Arnaldi – who used to fly under the radar – has started to turn heads with his amazing tennis, reminiscent of “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 the age of just 17 he claimed his first ATP Tour victory. At the 2023 Umag event he defeated rising star Duje Ajdukovic in straight sets (6-1, 6-2) before falling to experienced Alex Popyrin in the third round, 7-6, 7-5.
Prizmic also won the 2023 French Open Juniors, dropping just one set, and claimed the Challenger title in Banja Luka – further evidence of his rapid rise. In 2022 he dominated the ITF Tour, winning 15 matches in a row and looking unbeatable at that level.
While he is still very young, Prizmic has already made amazing strides in his gameplay. In 2022, he used to play passively – more focused on keeping the ball in play than taking action. Over the course of 2023, he changed his game: he remains a strong defensive player, but now he knows when to attack. His forehand, especially from mid-court, is aggressive and powerful, reflecting his growing confidence.
After his victory at the French Open, Prizmic made his ambitions clear: “It’s not enough to win the junior title at Roland Garros!”
As of February 2026, Prizmic is ranked 122nd in the world – a remarkable achievement for such a young player and a clear sign that he could become a major force in men’s tennis in the coming years.
#2 Pablo Llamas Ruiz
Pablo Llamas Ruiz was born on the 13th of 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 has a strong base game, with a thoughtful combination of shots that reflect his technique.
He often uses a backhand slice to clear rallies, preferring to build points instead of hitting winners. While his game may be passive, his strengths are clear: a powerful forehand and a two-handed backhand that excels on the run.
In 2023, Llamas Ruiz scored several impressive knockouts against top-ranked opponents. He beat Quentin Halys in Lyon, beat the talented Italian Luca Nardi, and beat Australia’s Max Purcell. At the US Open he narrowly missed out on a place in the main tournament, losing 7-6 (13-11 in the third game) 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, indicating that the Spaniard is on the rise and could challenge the top players on the ATP Tour.
#3 Jakub Mensik
Jakub Mensik was born on 1 September 2005. The young Czech may be the most interesting player on this list, showing both talent and maturity beyond his years.
Mensik made headlines at the 2023 US Open, fighting to qualify for the main tournament. In the first round he defeated Gregoire Barrere, who is ranked 73rd in the world. He then won again in the second round against Frenchman Droguet, only to fall 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 successfully made the jump to the Challenger level, winning his home Challenger in Prague by defeating Dominik Köpfer in the final. It’s rare for a 17-year-old to progress from the ITF titles to winning the Challenger and reaching the third round of a Grand Slam in such a short period of time.
Mentally, Mensik is ahead of many of his peers. He has a great service game and a rock-solid first game. While he still develops a killer feel on the court, his calm and composed demeanor allows him to handle challenges without losing his focus. One of his role models is the great Tomas Berdych, and Mensik seems eager to incorporate elements of Berdych’s style into his game.
After his US Open win, Mensik continued to perform well, 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 started 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 quick – 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. During his run, he also recorded impressive victories over the likes of Maxime Cressy, Mackenzie McDonald, and John Isner.
Michelsen’s style is aggressive, direct, and fearless. He is always looking to take control of rallies, relying on strong forehands, strong serves, and relentless pursuit of points. Although he is not the fastest player or the fastest player on the tour, when he hits the ball, it travels with great speed. His style is well suited to hard courts and grass, although adapting to a slower surface could expand his potential even further.
Alex Michelsen has already broken the top 30 in the world (currently 41st), showing that this young American is quickly 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 partner Arthur Fils can easily be seen on this list, too – but they both have very different styles.
Physically and stylistically, Van Assche compares to the great Lleyton Hewitt. Like Hewitt, he constructs the score carefully, sometimes almost “playing chess” from the ground up, and relies on incredible reliability 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 very quick and agile, but, like Hewitt in his early days, he does not yet have a single dominant weapon to finish points. However, this year, he began to make a real mark on the ATP Tour. In Banja Luka, he played Novak Djokovic and previously beat Stan Wawrinka – impressive results for a player of his age.
Moving quickly from the Challenger Tour to the ATP level, Van Assche rose quickly in the world – allowing him to enter many tournaments despite his youth. His confident, composed game makes him a formidable opponent, requiring opponents to score every point. If Van Assche and his coaching staff can create a real weapon in his game, another success on the tour is only a matter of time.
