Darwin Blanch has been viewed for some time as one of the leading young talents in men’s tennis, and the American has now taken a significant step forward on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Blanch, who made his Masters debut as a 16-year-old against Rafael Nadal at the 2024 Madrid Open, has been building his way through Challenger events and has now claimed his first ATP 125 title at the Tiburon Challenger in the United States.

The 18-year-old beat Michael Mmoh 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the final, a result that made him the youngest American to win an ATP 125 title. The victory has also lifted him to world No 160 and moved him up to sixth in the race to qualify for the NextGen Finals at the end of the year.

Blanch’s progress has been followed closely by Carlos Alcaraz, who has been a long-time admirer of the American. The two have practised together often, particularly at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s Academy, when both were still prospects.

Ahead of Blanch’s 2024 meeting with Nadal in Madrid, Alcaraz spoke warmly about his level. “I’ve practised with him a few times in the academy. I know that he has good tennis. He plays very well for his age,” said Alcaraz, when Blanch was just 16.

Asked what advice he offered before the match against the King of Clay, Alcaraz said: “I told him just to enjoy the moment [against Nadal]. This moment is going to be really helpful to his career.

“It was really important to mine, when I faced [Nadal] in 2021 for the first time. I learned a lot from that match and living that experience was really helpful. Just to try and enjoy the moment and give himself the opportunity to enjoy and get experience.”

Blanch now heads to San Diego for another Challenger event immediately after his title run. He is scheduled to face compatriot JJ Wolf in the round of 32 on Tuesday, 21st September.

His 2026 season has already included ATP-level appearances in Winston-Salem and at the US Open, both on wildcards. He lost in straight sets to Rinky Hijikata in Winston-Salem and then fell to Taylor Fritz by the same scoreline in the first round of the US Open.

Arthur Fery has been confirmed as an alternate for Team Europe at the Laver Cup, a further sign of his swift rise through the game this season.

The British player first turned heads at Wimbledon, where he reached the semi-finals as a wildcard before losing to Alexander Zverev in straight sets. That run lifted him sharply up the rankings and carried him to a career-high world No. 33.

Fery later reached the final of the Winston-Salem Open, adding another significant result to a year that has already pushed him closer to the ATP Tour elite. His US Open campaign ended in the first round against Lorenzo Musetti, but his schedule now brings another notable opportunity on home soil.

Discussing his role as an alternate, Fery said: “It’s really special for me. I grew up going to The O2, and now playing for Team Europe in the Laver Cup there is really special in front of all the British fans.

“I hope that I’m going to be able to have some great conversations with all the other players there, and get some great training in whether I’m playing on the court or not.

“Regardless, it’s going to be great spending time around the top players in the world, and also learning from them.” “I can be a good team player as well as an individual player, because it’s definitely different in a team environment.

“You’ve got to support each other and play for the team, not for yourself as much. I’m used to that with college, so that’s already a good step in the right direction for me, and I’m sure that will help me. I’ll be ready to support my teammates from the bench if that’s what’s required from me.”

He will link up with high-profile company that includes seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz and recent US Open champion Alexander Zverev. Team World alternate Ignacio Buse is also in the field, and both reserve players could well get a chance to feature.

Alcaraz is managing a wrist injury, Zverev has already logged plenty of tennis this season, while Casper Ruud has also dealt with injury concerns. Jakub Mensik and Rafael Jodar arrive after demanding Davis Cup ties.

The Laver Cup runs from 25 to 27 September at The O2 Arena in London. Team World will attempt to defend the title it won in San Francisco last year.

Joao Fonseca has become the latest player to withdraw from the Asian Swing’s biggest stop, after deciding he needs more time following his return to competition.

The 20-year-old was back on court at the weekend when Brazil met Switzerland in the Davis Cup. It was not a straightforward comeback. Fonseca had been dealing with an abdominal injury suffered before the US Open, yet still managed to grind out a three-set win over Dominic Stricker in Rio de Janeiro.

The Brazilian was overcome with emotion after the match, and only days after saying he was not fully fit, he has now chosen to sit out the coming tour stretch in Asia.

On Instagram, he wrote, “2026 has been a very challenging year for me. On top of everything the profession demands, a series of injuries ended up taking me out of important tournaments and keeping me from playing the way I would like to.

“I know that’s just part of an athlete’s life, but even so, it’s still frustrating. I made a huge effort to return and represent Brazil in the Davis Cup, but I still need more time.

“I talked a lot with my team, and we came to the conclusion that the best decision right now is to listen to my body, give my mind and body a break, and skip the Asian swing.”

Fonseca had been entered for the Japan Open, where he was listed alongside defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, US Open finalist Ben Shelton and top 10 player Taylor Fritz. With this withdrawal, he will not appear in Tokyo for the ATP 500 event, which runs from 30 September to 6 October.

His absence also removes him from the Shanghai Masters, the biggest tournament in the Asian Swing, which is scheduled for 7-18 October. The event will feature Alexander Zverev, while Jannik Sinner is expected to be there too if his knee injury does not worsen. Alcaraz, Shelton and Novak Djokovic are also on the entry list.

Raphael Collignon and Sebastian Korda are also out. Collignon said earlier this month that a knee problem had forced him to miss the Davis Cup and the Asian Swing, while Korda has been sidelined for more than five months with a back injury and has undergone surgery to “finally relieve the pain”.

Shanghai Masters withdrawal list

Joao Fonseca (world No 28) – replaced by TBC

Raphael Collignon (world No 47) – replaced by Marcos Giron

Sebastian Korda (world No 72) – replaced by Hamad Medjedovic