Nishesh Basavareddy, Dino Prizmic and Martin Landaluce’s path towards the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in December was guided by the footsteps of those who came before them.
Each #NextGenATP star has drawn inspiration from compatriots and personal mentors, players whose influence has helped shape not only their games, but also their approach to the sport and life on Tour.
For Basavareddy, who grew up in Indiana, that inspiration came as much from his Indian-American roots as from one of the most respected figures in American doubles tennis, Rajeev Ram.
“We share a coach with Brian Smith,” Basavareddy told ATPTour.com in New York. “Brian has been coaching Raj since he was 14 or 15, and when I moved to Indiana at the age of eight, I started working with Brian as well. As I got older and started playing on tour, Raj and I crossed paths more and more. He has been a great mentor and now I can call him a friend too.”
Seeing 32-time tour-level doubles champion Ram succeed on the ATP Tour as one of the few Indian-Americans at the highest level gave Basavareddy a model to follow.
“It was huge,” he reflected. “When you’re younger, you don’t really know what the pro tour is like. But seeing Raj travel, compete and win really made me watch it. It also gave my parents confidence. He was one of the first Indian-Americans to actually make it.”
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Basavareddy also cites the current generation of American players, from Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz to Sebastian Korda and Ben Shelton, as everyday examples of how to build a career the right way.
“They were all great to watch,” said Basavareddy, who reached the semi-finals at this year’s ATP 250 in Auckland. “They’re improving every year and they’re great guys off the field. I’ve tried to take little things from all of them.”
Representing both the United States and its heritage is something the 20-year-old is proud of.
“Most of my fans are Indian and the love and support from that community means a lot,” he said. “If I can inspire even a few kids out there to pick up a racket, that would mean a lot to me.”
In Spain, Landaluce has had the unique privilege of learning directly from two of the country’s biggest stars: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Both have set the gold standard for what it means to be Spanish champions.
Landaluce joined the Rafa Nadal Academy at the age of 14 and was immediately thrust into a world-class environment.
“Just a week or two after arriving I was already practicing with Rafa, on clay, his best surface,” Landaluce told ATPTour.com at the Rafa Nadal Academy in August. “It was a big challenge, but I loved it.”
Training next to Nadal left an impression that went far beyond technique.
“What shocked me most was the way he treated me, as an equal,” Landaluce said. “Even though I was 14 and unknown, he respected me, trained hard and took every point seriously. That attitude stayed with me.”
That professionalism, coupled with humility, remains the essence of what Landaluce tries to emulate: “Even with all the fans and kids around, Rafa always made time for them. That humility inspired me. I try to do the same.”
The young Spaniard also finds inspiration from Alcaraz, a good friend and fellow junior champion of the US Open.
“Carlos is a great guy, funny, down to earth and so natural,” Landaluce said. “He has accomplished so much, but he still has that brightness and joy. That motivates me to keep my own spirit alive and to keep learning.”
For Landaluce, this mix of humility, struggle and joy defines what it means to play the Spanish way.
“There is a spirit, we fight to the end,” said Landaluce, who won an ATP Challenger Tour title in Orleans this year. “Even if I’m down 6-0, 5-0, I still believe I can win. That fighting spirit is part of who we are as Spanish players.”
For Prizmic, growing up in Croatia meant looking up to former US Open champion Marin Cilic and 2022 Cincinnati winner Borna Coric. Their success on the world stage showed him what was possible.
“I looked up to both of them,” Prizmic said. “From them I learned to fight for every point, to believe in yourself no matter the score. I first met Borna when I was young at the Piatti Tennis Academy. Since then we have been very good friends. And I met Marin later in Zagreb, when I trained with him.”
Having that access to proven champions has been invaluable, he says.
“It’s great to have players like that around you,” Prizmic explains. “You can always ask them for advice and they are willing to help you.”
A three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion, Prizmic has already had the opportunity to represent Croatia at the Davis Cup, moments that have deepened his sense of national pride.
“We played against Slovakia this year and won,” he said. “That was a great pleasure for me. It is special to wear the colors of your country and feel that support.”
For all three players, their role models are more than just names; they are living reminders of what dedication and faith can lead to. Whether it is the humility of Nadal, the mentorship of Ram or the fighting spirit of Cilic, these examples continue to guide them as they prepare for the biggest stages of their young careers.
This is the third feature of our Next Gen ATP series Next in Line. Read our other stories here:
Wimbledon dreams, Nishikori’s run and Vinci’s field lessons: #NextGenATP stars share early memories
Next steps: how Tien, Basavareddy and Engel make the jump
On November 18 we look at what drives Landaluce, Justin Engel and Federico Cina.
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