How Taylor Fritz's US Open final run has had a rippling effect on America's Next Gen ATP players
Three American players- Alex Michelsen, Learner Tien, and Nishesh Basavareddy have qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals for the first time, which will be held from December 18-22, 2024. They shared some insights about their careers so far ahead of the tournament in a chat with the ATP Tour.
Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Ben Shelton, among others, have put American men's tennis on the map once again. Michelsen, Tien, and Basavareddy will now aim to follow in their footsteps.
This will be Michelsen's second appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals. He made a couple of finals on the ATP Tour this year and peaked at No. 41 in the rankings. He was the only American there last year, so he's glad to have some company this time. He stated that Fritz's run to the US Open final this year, along with some strong performances by other players makes this an exciting time for American tennis.
"It’s the first time three Americans are competing in the Next Gen ATP Finals, and it feels awesome. Last year, I was the only one here, so it’s nice to have company this time. It’s exciting to see these guys playing so well, and when you see Fritz making a Slam final — when’s the last time an American made it that far in New York? It’s been 20 years, right? It’s really cool to see where American tennis is headed," - Alex Michelsen on the state of American tennis.
Basavareddy echoed Michelsen's sentiments. Seeing his friends' success made him want to improve as well, and he has won a couple of Challenger titles since October. Fritz's US Open run also ignited a desire in him to step up his game.
"I’ve played Alex a couple of times in Challengers and watching his success this year has really inspired me. Seeing him make that jump has shown me it’s possible. And Learner’s dominance this summer and fall in the Challengers has made me want to replicate that. Then, of course, seeing the top American guys like Fritz making the US Open final — it’s really cool. It makes us all want to do the same," - Nishesh Basavareddy said.
Alex Michelsen, Learner Tien, and Nishesh Basavareddy will aim to emulate Taylor Fritz and co. at the Next Gen ATP Finals
Brandon Nakashima is the only American to win the Next Gen ATP Finals with his title-winning run in 2022. Sebastian Korda came quite close to winning the title but came up short in the final in 2021. With three Americans in the draw this time, Alex Michelsen, Learner Tien, and Nishesh Basavareddy will be keen to capitalize on their odds and bring home the trophy.
The Next Gen ATP Finals is a good indicator of what's to come for the champions. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are two former winners, and both have won Major titles and attained the No. 1 ranking since their triumph here.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is another former Next Gen ATP Finals champion and has done pretty good for himself. Andrey Rublev and Alex de Minaur were the runner-ups in the first two editions, and have tasted success as well. Michelsen, Tien, and Basavareddy will find themselves in good company if they do well here.