German teenager Justin Engel earned a surprise Next Gen ATP Finals spot after Jakub Mensik withdrew for medical reasons.
Mensik, the Miami Open champion, joined defending winner Joao Fonseca in missing the elite eight-player under-20 tournament.
Engel now hopes Jeddah becomes his breakthrough moment, following past champions Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Joao Fonseca.
The Nuremberg native started 2025 ranked outside the top 350 before rapidly climbing through strong Challenger-level performances.
Engel impressed the tennis world with ATP Tour wins on all surfaces, becoming the youngest since Nadal to achieve that feat.
He reached consecutive Challenger semifinals in Cassis and Orleans before lifting his maiden Challenger title later that season.
Engel capped his rise by winning the Hamburg Challenger final, becoming the first 2007-born player to claim a Challenger crown.
His late-season surge, including a Bergamo semifinal run, pushed Engel inside the Top 200 and into global spotlight.
Leave a Reply