From Rei Sakamoto to Edas Butvilas, 5 players to watch out at ATP Challenger Tour
The Delhi Open returns to the national capital from February 16 to 22 at the DLTA Complex, New Delhi, as part of the ATP Challenger Tour. The $107,000 hard-court tournament will see a 32-player singles draw and 16 doubles teams in action, with 75 ATP ranking points on offer for the winner.
1. Rei Sakamoto (Japan) | Age: 19
A former Junior World No. 1 and 2024 Australian Open boys’ champion, Rei Sakamoto, is already a Challenger title winner. Known for his “samurai sword” celebration, he is widely seen as Japan’s next major hope after Kei Nishikori. Nishikori is the only Japanese man in the Open Era to have been ranked in the top five in doubles , reaching his career-high ranking of world No. 4 in March 2015.
2. Federico Cinà (Italy) | Age: 18
Born in 2007, Federico Cinà is part of Italy’s tennis revolution. A former French Open junior doubles finalist, he made history by becoming the first 2007-born player to win an ATP Masters 1000 match, signalling his rapid rise on the pro circuit.
3. Edas Butvilas (Lithuania) | Age: 21
A former two-time junior Grand Slam doubles champion (Wimbledon in 2021 and Roland Garros in 2022), Edas Butvilas broke through on the Challenger circuit by winning his first title (LTP Men’s Open 2024) after entering the main draw as a lucky loser. At 20, he is among Europe’s fastest-climbing young professionals.
4. Stefanos Sakellaridis (Greece) | Age: 21
One of Greece’s brightest young prospects, Stefanos Sakellaridis, made headlines at the 2023 United Cup by defeating world No.129 Zizou Bergs on debut despite being ranked No.830 himself. The shock win saw the teenager jump nearly 130 places overnight, fast-tracking his transition to the pro circuit.
5. Yu Hsiou Hsu (Taiwan) | Age: 25
A former junior standout, Yu Hsiou Hsu won three Grand Slam boys’ doubles titles in 2017; Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open, achieving a rare calendar-year treble with different partners. Now ranked inside the top 225, he claimed his first ATP Challenger singles title at the NSW Open in 2022.
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