ATP Tour

US Open: Five Challenger players to watch

From #NextGenATP contenders, to home hopes and in-form players, ATPTour.com highlights five ATP Challenger standouts to watch during the season’s final major.

Rei Sakamoto
The 20-year-old lived out a childhood dream Friday when he faced his idol and 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in the qualifying third round. Sakamoto, 10th in the PIF ATP Live Next Gen Race, beat Nishikori 6-4, 7-6(3) and is now set for his US Open main-draw debut. It will mark Sakamoto's second overall major appearance.

Possessing a big-man brand of tennis that thrives on hard courts, the World No. 157 is a three-time Challenger champion. A strong showing in New York could help Sakamoto's chances of qualifying for the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals for the first time.

Jack Kennedy
Still new to the Challenger circuit, the 18-year-old Kennedy has already made a splash at that level. In just his fourth Challenger appearance this April, the American reached the final of the green-clay event in Savannah, Georgia.

Kennedy this month won the USTA Boys' 18s National Championships in Kalamazoo, an event previously won by current ATP stars Frances Tiafoe, Learner Tien, Jenson Brooksby, among others. Now the Huntington, New York native will make a dream major debut at Flushing Meadows.

Toby Samuel
Approaching his Top 100 debut, the Briton has been dominant at ATP Challenger events since last November. In the past 10 months, Samuel has tallied an impressive 34-8 match record at Challenger level, including five title runs — three in 2026: Hersonissos-1, Hersonissos-2 and Winnipeg.

Having advanced through US Open qualifying, the 23-year-old Samuel will make his first appearance in the main draw of the American Slam. Samuel graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2024 after earning All-SEC First Team honours for three consecutive years.

Luca Van Assche
The Frenchman this month won the ATP Challenger 125 event in Quebec City, a title run that helped Van Assche propel to a career-high No. 40 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The 22-year-old’s Challenger days may soon be behind him with a ranking that high.

Van Assche's Challenger success has helped him ascend to where he is today. He has won four Challenger trophies this season: Quimper, Lille, Parma and Quebec City. Making his second US Open appearance, and first since 2023, Van Assche meets 29th seed Cameron Norrie in the first round.

Nishesh Basavareddy
The home hope is competing in just his second event since Roland Garros, where he upset countryman and seventh seed Taylor Fritz in the opening round.

Basavareddy, 21, worked his way through qualifying and now seeks his first US Open main-draw win in his second appearance. A two-time competitor at the Next Gen ATP Finals, Basavareddy has lifted three ATP Challenger trophies, including his April triumph in Savannah, where he beat Kennedy in the championship match.