The Australian Open has concluded the qualifying process, the draw has been made, and alongside the likes of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic, many young players will make their debut at the Grand Slam, including four of the eight that played the Next-Gen ATP Finals last month, a competition reserved for players under 20: Nicolai Budkov Kjaer from Norway, Nishesh Basavareddy from USA, Rafael Jodar from Spain, and Learner Tien from USA, winner of the Next Gen ATP Finals.
Budkov Kjaer thinks that "we're setting the bar good for the next generation. I saw that four out of the eight that played Next Gen are through to the main draw. It's great to see us youngsters doing big stuff on the biggest stages".
According to ATP.com, the Norwegian considers Casper Ruud "a big brother figure" and thinks that they are "maybe a bit more hungry than the older ones". Kjaer will face Railly Opelka in first round.
Rei Sakamoto, winner of the Australian Open boys' championship in 2024, has also qualified for the Australian Open, not dropping a set across the three qualifying matches. Sakamoto will face Jódar in the first round of the tournament. Learner Tien will face fellow American Marcos Giron in the first match.
Do you think these players will make a breakthrough in the 2026 tennis season?