The Baseline Top 5: Potential ATP Top 10 Debuts in 2020
A mix of young and old players can have a breakout campaign.
In 2019, the ATP penthouse got a lot more crowded with multiple players making their debut in the top 10 at some point during the season. From youngsters like ATP Finals winner Stefanos Tsitsipas to seasoned veterans such as Fabio Fognini, the upper echelon of the standings saw plenty of new faces.
Who’s ready for a big move next year? Here’s a look at five potential candidates.
1
Alex De Minaur
The Australian had the best season to date of his young career in 2019 as he captured three titles on hard courts to finish in the top 20. His game revolves around physicality and competitiveness—much like his Davis Cup captain and mentor Lleyton Hewitt. Next up for De Minaur is making an impact at some of the Masters 1000 tournaments or, even better, a Grand Slam.
2
Denis Shapovalov
Anytime you beat Rafael Nadal at a tournament, there’s going to be pressure to see what happens next. The young Canadian, who accomplished that feat in 2017, mostly lived up to the hype but was unable to reach a singles final two years after the fact. He finally broke through in Stockholm, Sweden, this year and went on to win the title. A few weeks later, he advanced to his first Masters 1000 final in Paris. The pressure’s off, so expect the shotmaking wonder to go even higher in 2020.
3
Christian Garin
It took a little while for the former junior standout from Chile to establish himself among the seniors, but after a breakout 2019 campaign, it’s safe to say he’s arrived now. The 23-year-old won two titles and reached another final, all on clay, this year to finish in the top 40 of the rankings. He also advanced to his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal in Shanghai on a hard court, no less. Garin could emerge as a French Open darkhorse next year, with a strong showing pushing him even further up the standings.
4
Benoit Paire
The flashy French veteran has reached eight singles finals in his career—with three of them coming in 2019. Paire broke a four-year title drought by winning in Morocco this March, and a month later, took the top prize in Lyon. Both of those titles came on clay, and his other final was on the hard courts at the Winston-Salem Open. If Paire continues to show the level of dedication to the game in 2020 that he did this year, the 30-year-old could become the latest one among his compatriots to make a top 10 appearance.
5
Diego Schwartzman
Argentina’s top player right now keeps pushing and pushing toward the top: Last summer, he reached a career-high No. 11 in the standings and he’s finished this year in the top 15. Schwartzman won his first career hard-court title over the summer before advancing to the quarterfinals at the US Open, and also reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal in Rome. As the 27-year-old continues to improve on a yearly basis, 2020 could be the season in which he finally breaks through with his best-ever ranking.
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