Two Italians, two Americans, two French, a Brazilian, a Czech, a Croatian and a Swiss. Ten different stories to follow during the long-awaited 2026.
The world of tennis has its certainties, but surprises are always around the corner. And there are many players, known or otherwise, who in 2026 could impose themselves against the odds, or continue in their growth process that began some time ago.
Over the next year there is a lot of curiosity to know what these ten ‘special observers’ will get up to, each of them with a personal mission to complete.
In 2025 he adjusted his best ranking to fifth place, but in the entire season he ‘only’ won one Masters, the one in Toronto in August.
On fast surfaces it could be the year of the American’s consecration, if he manages to regulate his game which is still too instinctive and unbalanced, but highly dangerous. After two Slam semi-finals, he is expected to do even better in the Majors.
The Czech has established himself in 2025 as one of the best players on the circuit, managing to triumph in Miami in an absolutely unexpected way given that he started the year as number 49.
At his age, few serve like him, but it’s not enough to confirm himself in the top 20: more is expected, especially in the Slam tournaments where so far he has never reached the second week.
Probably the most ready of all for the big leap, given the aura that has accompanied him for months now: he seems to be the only one capable of standing up to Sinner and Alcaraz in the future.
However, the predestined Brazilian born must confirm the progress made in 2025: so far his parable is promising, but now more than ever he will have to deal with the inevitable pressure of having to prove his worth.
The American of Vietnamese origins and coached by Michael Chang closed 2025 on a high, winning his first ATP title in Metz. His year saw him gain almost 100 places, also distinguishing himself with some epic battles in the Slams in which he showed that he was not only talented, but a fighter.
Many will certainly remember him, given his ability to beat several top 10 players he encountered along the way: Medvedev, Zverev, Rublev and Shelton.
The attention regarding the fate of the young Italian tennis players is obvious: behind Musetti and Cobolli, respectively numbers 2 and 3 in Italy, there is the native capable of even settling in the top 30 during a 2025 full of satisfactions, especially on clay.
The player of Argentine origins has to defend many points in the first part of the season, where he did very well on clay, but he has room to make a further leap.
The young Frenchman ended his season prematurely due to an injury that effectively halved his appearances on the pitch, precluding important tournaments and above all a growth path that seemed to continue without a hitch.
Having seen what he is capable of, the 2004 born player automatically becomes a tennis player to follow carefully, both to see what his competitive recovery will be like and to understand how far he can go.
Serving at over 240 km/h is a skill that few on the circuit have, and which has allowed the transalpine tennis player to win the first title of his career as early as 2024.
This is why in most fast tournaments, when the native of Lyon appears on the scoreboard, the fact of being able to cross him immediately instills fear among his possible opponents: in 2025 he can take up the legacy of the great big servers of the past.
From Croatia, here is the best Balkan prospect for the years to come: still outside the top 100, he is a candidate to climb the rankings soon if he manages to convert the good things shown in the Challenger circuit into the one immediately above.
Winner of the Roland Garros juniors in 2023 and protagonist of the Next Gen ATP Finals, he also received Novak Djokovic’s blessing after meeting him during the last Australian Open.
The 2007 class, the first ever to appear in the ATP tournaments thanks to some prestigious invitations, demonstrates that Italian tennis is destined to remain among the elite even after the exploits of Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti.
The left-handed player from Palermo, son of a well-known island coach, is called to take yet another step in 2026: the conquest of a Challenger title, which he only came close to last season; continuity between one surface and another and physical strengthening, essential to get closer to the top 100.
Born in Basel and gifted with an excellent one-handed backhand, enough for uncomfortable comparisons with his compatriot and fellow citizen Roger Federer.
He impressed in the Slams, in the boys category, and now he will have to demonstrate that he can be the last ‘exemplar’ of the thriving Swiss school. At the moment there is only one small detail to consider: he is still number 512 in the world.
