Can Italy continue to increase its presence near the top of the ATP?

For more than a decade, the women ruled Italian tennis. Now, a generation of men hope to replicate their successes.

With Turin taking over hosting the ATP Finals for the next five years, there’s promise that a homegrown talent can become an event centerpiece. At 19, smooth-hitting Jannik Sinner is yet to play a full year at the tour level, but still managed to crack the Top 40.

Sinner skyrocketed up the ATP rankings in 2020, and captured his first career title in Sofia. (Getty)

If former US Open semifinalist Matteo Berrettini, 24, can recapture his 2019 form, he knows what it takes to qualify for the season finale.

Lorenzo Sonego, 25, showed flashes of brilliance last fall at Roland Garros and Vienna where he dismantled world No. 1 Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-1, in just over an hour.

Also in the pipelines, captivating shot-maker Lorenzo Musetti, 18, who with time to develop has the ingredients to become a new frontrunner. Musetti is one of the more talented prospects we've seen in quite some time, and at his home tournament in Rome he dispatched Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori in consecutive matches. They don’t make many one-handed backhands like this anymore.