From teen phenoms to veteran grinders, every professional tennis player takes a different road in their journey to the top of the game.
But somewhere along the way, there’s always a stop on the ATP Challenger Tour—an essential stepping stone for young players, a proving ground for rising talent and a comeback trail for established veterans, all in one.
Before the glamour, the big titles and even bigger paychecks, players like Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur, Frances Tiafoe and others were earning their stripes in the Challenger circuit, battling for crucial ranking points as they took their first steps toward the ATP Tour.
Over the past few months, we caught up with some of the most celebrated Champions in men’s tennis—and spoke to them about their very first triumph as a Challenger.
Part One: Challenger to Champion: How it all began for Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and other ATP Tour stars
