The future of tennis is serving in quickly. A new generation of players has already begun shaking up professional tennis, gaining wins over top-ranked opponents and hinting at how different the sport may look soon. There are many of these new gen rising young stars, but here are seven of these names with players already making headlines. Everyone should watch out for them!
João Fonseca:
The Brazilian prodigy João Fonseca is proving himself among the new generation. Fonseca first made headlines after winning the 2023 US Open boys’ singles title (juniors), finishing that year as the ITF junior world No. 1 [1]. But his real breakthrough came in 2025–first by defeating top-10 seed, Andrey Rublev, in straight sets at the Australian Open (after being a Qualifier in that tournament), and then by winning the Argentina Open, making him the youngest Brazilian in history to win an ATP title [2]. More recently in 2025, he impressed again with a Basel ATP 500 final appearance [3], losing a close match to Jaume Munar. Fonseca’s known for his explosive forehand and confidence, making him one of tennis’s most promising new stars.
Learner Tien:
Left-hander Learner Tien from California, has built an incredible reputation. His aggressive baseline game has earned him wildcards into Grand Slams, where he has tested many high-ranked players and actually beat many of them. Just recently in the China Open, he made it all the way to the finals against Jannik Sinner. He even beat Lorenzo Musetti and Daniil Medvedev on the way! In the Mexican Open, he beat Alexander Zverev, the 1st seed of that tournament, in straight sets. In the Australian Open, he made it all the way to the fourth round after prevailing in a five setter against Daniil Medvedev. As you can tell by now, he’s definitely made his mark with all these upsets.
Nishesh Basavereddy:
Another name from the American next-gen wave, Nishsesh Basavereddy made a statement in 2025 by getting his first ATP Masters 1000 victory in Cincinnatti–a HUGE step for a player balancing the jump from college to tour-level tennis [4]. In the US Open, he had a close match against the 13th ranked, Karen Kachanov. In the Australian Open, he got a set off Novak Djokovic, 24 time Grand Slam champion, in his first round Grand Slam debut. He’s still a standout player at Stanford, with his all-court movement and strong mental discipline.
Alex Eala:
Alex Eala is not just rising–she’s redefining history for her country. In 2025, she became the first Filipino woman to ever reach the Top 100 on the WTA tour [5]. She followed that milestone with a thrilling win at the US Open, upsetting the 14th seed Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(11), and becoming the first Filipino player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam main-draw match [6]. Known for her intelligent shot-making and fierce competitiveness, Eala trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy; and has followed her mentor, Rafael Nadal’s, mentality with her great calmness under pressure.
Eva Lys:
Germany’s Eva Lys has quietly worked her way into the WTA tour. After making her Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2023 Australian Open, throughout the following years she has slowly climbed up the ladder. She made a Round of 16 appearance at the Australian Open this year, showing consistency that would soon place her in the Top 50 [7]. Just recently, in the China Open, she upsetted 8th seed Elena Rybakina to get all the way to the Quarterfinals, losing only to 2nd seed Coco Gauff. Lys’s court coverage and patience give her a game built for long rallies and baseline battles.
Mirra Andreeva:
The teenage phenomenon Mirra Andreeva continues to shock the tennis world. At just 17, she reached the semifinals of Roland Garros 2024, then followed it up in 2025 by winning the Dubai WTA 1000 title–making her the youngest champion in that tournament’s history [8]. Along the way, she defeated three Grand Slam winners–Swiatek, Vondrousova, and Rybakina in the same week [9]. She also reached the Wimbledon 2025 quarterfinals without dropping a set, joining Maria Sharapova as the youngest woman in the Open Era to do so. At just 18, she’s already 6th in the world, and almost made the WTA Finals (the final tournament of the year that crowns the best player of the WTA tour for the year) [10]. Her mix of fearless power and strategic patience with her coach, Conchita Martinez will bring her very far.
Iva Jovic:
The youngest on this list, Iva Jovic is already being hailed as one of the most talented American teens since Coco Gauff. She captured the 2024 US Open girls’ doubles title and reached the 2025 Australian Open girls’ singles final [11]. Now transitioning to the professional circuit, Jovic has earned wildcard entries into WTA 125 and main tour events, including the 2025 US Open. She’s scored early wins against top-150 opponents. Her poise, two-handed backhand, and aggressive mindset hint at a player ready to rise quickly in the next two seasons.
From Fonseca’s booming forehands to Eala’s historic wins and Andreeva’s precocious dominance, the tennis’s youth movement isn’t waiting for the future–it’s creating it. Whether in juniors or already on the pro tour, these players are rewriting what it means to “be next”.
[2] https://apnews.com/article/74afe91813d66e7762aad7803db8063a
[4] https://tennisstats.com/h2h/learner-tien-vs-nishesh-basavareddy-172745
[5] https://gulfnews.com/sport/tennis/alex-eala-first-filipina-top-100-1.102465567
[7] https://www.wtatennis.com/players/325826/eva-lys/record
[9] https://www.wtatennis.com/players/331809/mirra-andreeva/record
[11]https://www.tennismajors.com/wta/iva-jovic-us-pro-debut-815429.html