5 Challenger gamers to look at on the Australian Open

Australian Open

5 Challenger gamers to look at on the Australian Open

Sakamoto, Jodar to satisfy in opening-round teenage conflict

January 17, 2026

From a #NextGenATP showdown within the opening spherical, to former faculty standouts and different rising abilities, ATPTour.com highlights 5 ATP Challenger gamers to look at in the course of the Australian Open.

Rei SakamotoThe 19-year-old lifted the 2024 boys’ singles crown in Melbourne, turning into the primary Japanese participant to win the junior title on the Australian Open. Since then, the 6’4” (193cm) teenager has made a splash on the ATP Challenger circuit, together with a triumph final November on house soil on the Yokohama Challenger, his last match of 2025.

The primary Japanese teenager to win three Challenger titles, Sakamoto stormed via the Melbourne qualifying draw to make his first main main-draw look. He started with an emphatic 6-1, 6-2 win towards former World No. 21 Daniel Evans and constructed upon that momentum, not dropping a set to earn a milestone look Down Below. Sakamoto will face fellow 19-year-old Rafael Jodar within the first spherical.

Rafael JodarIt will probably be an entertaining opening-round conflict between two rising abilities, Sakamoto and Jodar. Not solely is the Spaniard competing in his first main essential draw, this previous week marked his first try at qualifying for Slam — mission completed. Jodar’s Challenger outcomes have been a key stepping stone to the place he’s right this moment.

Within the second half of the 2025 season, Jodar received three Challenger titles in as many months en path to qualifying for the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals introduced by PIF. On New 12 months’s Eve, the 19-year-old introduced that he was turning professional, forgoing his remaining eligibility on the College of Virginia, the place he spent two seasons. He started this season with a run to the ultimate on the Canberra Challenger, the place he fell to 2025 Jeddah runner-up Alexander Blockx. Jodar is at a career-high No. 150 within the PIF ATP Rankings.

Liam DraxlThe Canadian was one in every of two gamers (Emilio Nava) to earn a season-leading 44 match wins on the Challenger degree in 2025. Draxl, 24, received on the arduous courts of Winnipeg in July and reached six extra finals to cap his career-best 12 months. Now, the previous College of Kentucky standout turns his consideration to his first main main-draw look.

Draxl was practically out of qualifying when he confronted a 3-6, 3-5 deficit towards Mackenzie McDonald within the last spherical. Two factors from defeat at 3-5 within the second set, Draxl hammered a backhand cross to complete an exhilarating alternate through which the American had a chance to place away an overhead. Draxl stormed again to win 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-2, securing his place in the principle attract dramatic style. He’ll begin towards Damir Dzumhur.

Raphael CollignonThe 23-year-old will look to relive his reminiscences from final 12 months’s US Open, the place he reached the third spherical of a Slam for the primary time, having defeated twelfth seed Casper Ruud in a five-set, three-hour, 30-minute battle alongside the way in which. The Belgian faces a tricky check in fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti in his Melbourne opener.

At a career-high No. 72 within the PIF ATP Rankings, Collignon reached his second profession tour-level quarter-final in Brisbane earlier this month. He’s competing within the Australian Open essential draw for the primary time. Collignon, whose father is a mind surgeon, lifted two Challenger trophies in 2025 (Pau, Monza).

Patrick KypsonA seven-time Challenger champion, Kypson was amongst a six-way tie for essentially the most titles (4) at that degree in 2025. The 26-year-old earned a spot in the principle draw by successful the USTA’s Australian Open Wild Card Problem final November, largely helped by his triumphs on the Sioux Falls and Helsinki Challengers.

Competing in Melbourne for the second time (2024) and searching for his first main main-draw win, Kypson begins towards Argentine Francisco Comesana.

Slam debut incoming 🔜

Arthur Gea, Rafael Jodar, Rei Sakamoto, Francesco Maestrelli, Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Michael Zheng and Liam Draxl punch their ticket to the @AustralianOpen essential draw!#ATPChallenger | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/VHsR4k90H9

— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) January 15, 2026