Joao Fonseca, Jacob Fearnley amongst 5 Challenger participant storylines from 2024 | ATP Tour

Challenger

Fonseca, Fearnley amongst 5 Challenger participant storylines from 2024

Nagal makes historical past for India

December 09, 2024

To mark the tip of the 2024 season, ATPTour.com highlights 5 participant storylines from the ATP Challenger Tour season.

Fonseca’s Quick Rise Thrives In Lexington
Joao Fonseca, 2023 US Open boys’ singles champion, lifted his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Lexington, Kentucky at age 17. Fittingly, the #NextGenATP star’s triumph got here on the five-year anniversary of Jannik Sinner’s title run on the similar occasion. Fonseca was simply at some point youthful than Sinner was when the Italian received the hard-court event.

Fonseca didn’t drop a set all week en path to changing into the youngest Brazilian Challenger champion. The previous junior No. 1 is the seventh-youngest participant from South America to assert a Challenger title and second youngest from the continent to win a hard-court event at that degree.

“Within the ceremony, they gave me the trophy and introduced, ‘Lexington is the primary Challenger to have three 17-year-old champions.’ He stated, ‘Shang Juncheng, Jannik Sinner,’” Fonseca stated. “That’s very nice.”

Fearnley Flies By way of Challenger Tour
The Briton Jacob Fearnley secured one of many best campaigns in Challenger historical past this season. Coming into the yr, Fearnley had performed only one Challenger match in his profession. The 23-year-old graduated from Texas Christian College as a four-time ITA All-American and made speedy progress beginning in June, when he was No. 525 within the PIF ATP Rankings.

Fearnley superior by way of qualifying on the Nottingham Challenger and went all the best way to the title. He hardly ever regarded again, tallying a 27-3 season report at that degree. Fearnley received 4 titles and have become simply the third participant to complete a season with a win share of 90 per cent or larger (min. 25 matches performed). Guillermo Canas and Carlos Berlocq each registered 28-3 (90.3 per cent) campaigns in 2006 and 2011, respectively.

“It’s been an incredible final yr. I received my first couple Futures titles, I received a nationwide championship with TCU with my teammates. Since then I’ve performed on Centre Court docket at Wimbledon towards Novak Djokovic, received 4 Challenger titles,” stated Fearnley, who went on a 17-match profitable streak on the Challenger degree from August by way of October. “It’s been a fairly profitable 12 months for me and a 12 months that I’ve completely loved. I’m tremendous grateful to have the chance to play at this degree and get to the rating I’m at now.”

Nagal Notches His Place In Indian Tennis Historical past
Simply two seasons in the past, Sumit Nagal was returning to professional tennis following hip surgical procedure. Exterior the Prime 500 of the PIF ATP Rankings, even falling to No. 638 in October 2022, Nagal was admittedly removed from the place he’s as we speak, at World No. 98.

The 27-year-old lifted two Challenger trophies this yr, highlighted by his dream run on residence soil in Chennai, the place he secured his place within the Prime 100, changing into the tenth Indian to attain that feat. Nagal, who ascended to a career-high No. 68 in July, is the primary Indian to crack the Prime 100 since Prajnesh Gunneswaran in 2019.

“As a child, everybody desires to be a Prime 100 participant. Everybody goals of getting that double-digit rating,” Nagal stated. “To have the ability to do that in entrance of the Indian crowd, I do not assume I might’ve requested for a greater place. It was essentially the most emotional day for me.”

‘Fede’ Gomez Goes From Membership Coach To Challenger Champ
After teaching in Miami from 2019-21, Federico Agustin Gomez gave up feeding balls to chase his skilled tennis dream. The Argentine was not coaching commonly and any time with a racquet in hand was spent in a continental grip, feeding and training for 11 hours a day.

However in September 2021, Gomez’s good friend, Pedro Caniza, approached him and supplied monetary assist to kickstart his profession. Gomez’s laborious work reaped rewards this season, when he claimed three Challenger trophies: Milan, Trieste and Guayaquil. Now at No. 137 within the PIF ATP Rankings, Gomez has taken a non-traditional path to the place he’s as we speak.

“I used to be simply educating and making an attempt to make a residing out of [coaching],” Gomez stated when reflecting on his two years teaching, which he did after graduating from the College of Louisville. “I used to be making an attempt to remain wholesome simply doing health. I don’t assume I hit a two-handed backhand in two years. I used to be simply doing health within the morning or late afternoon. I didn’t actually have the time and likewise I used to be type of disconnected from the whole Tour mentality.”

Naw, Syrian Battle Refugee, Makes Headlines In Koblenz
The 24-year-old Hazem Naw turned the primary Syrian to win a Challenger main-draw match in Koblenz, Germany, the place he went on to succeed in the semi-finals. Naw shared that week his gripping refugee story.

“It is a unhealthy expertise, however what I skilled is what makes me actually powerful mentally on court docket,” Naw stated. “It would not matter if I lose or win, I am simply glad to have the ability to play in these tournaments. It is like a dream come true for me.

“After all while you’re on court docket, you may have this stress and also you neglect about these items. However when I’ve powerful occasions, it is not value it to be offended or go loopy on court docket. Simply be grateful that you just’re in a position to maintain a racquet, play tennis, the spectators are watching and clapping for you. Get pleasure from that you’re experiencing these sorts of issues.”