Long before they were chasing a spot at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah, they were just kids hitting balls, looking up to their idols and dreaming of one day being on Tour.
In the first part of our Next Gen ATP series Next in Line we go back to the beginning with Rei Sakamoto, Federico Cina and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, three of the best players aged 20 and under in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. From family sessions to Center Court inspiration, their path to professional tennis began in a very personal way.
For Japan’s Sakamoto, one of the most vivid early moments was not a lesson or a victory, but a feeling.
“I was six years old and playing on small courts,” Sakamoto told ATPTour.com in New York. “I think I got hit and it flew away. It was so satisfying.”
Sakamoto laughed at the memory, especially considering there is an even earlier photo of him swinging a racket at the age of three, a moment he can’t remember but one his family knows.
“There’s a picture of me hitting tennis balls with a kid’s racket,” Sakamoto added. “I have absolutely no memory, but I think I started early!”
In Italy, Cina picked up rackets around the same age, but in his case the tennis bug ran deep in the family.
“I started with my grandparents, at home,” says Cina. “So the first time was with them, also with my father, he is a coach, so at the tournaments I always played with him. But the club where I first played was near my house, about ten minutes away. The first years I played at home and when I was about five or six I went to the club and stayed there all day.”
By the time Cina was six, he was spending entire days at the local courts and even traveling to events with his father, who coached US Open finalist Roberta Vinci.
“I remember watching a lot and going to tournaments because my father was a coach,” says Cina, who is now coached by his father Francesco. “As a kid I went to the Slams and Masters 1000 events. They were really fun places and I enjoyed watching them back then. I watched a lot of matches so I think from there I developed an interest in tennis. I watched a lot when my dad coached Vinci, some cool experiences. He was very important in my development because I started because of him and he passed that passion on to me and I am very grateful.”
Budkov Kjaer’s connection to the sport also came through family, albeit with a distinctly Norwegian twist.
“My father was in the Federation for five years, so it was more natural for me to choose tennis,” said Budkov Kjaer. “He was in the Federation when Casper [Ruud] grew up as a junior and established himself on the ATP Tour. So he knew all the transitions and all the things that needed to be done.”
Even as kids with access to fields and coaches, there were specific moments that ignited a fire, the kind that came from seeing the game played at the highest level.
“I remember seeing Kei Nishikori in the US Open final. Cilic destroyed him,” Sakamoto said. “But just to see him play and go so deep in the tournament was great to see. He inspired me a lot. That gave me the confidence that the Japanese can be good tennis players, great tennis players. That’s the competition.”
Budkov Kjaer has won four ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2025 and is sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, aiming to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in December. The 19-year-old remembers having a light bulb moment while sitting in the stands at Center Court.
“I attended the Wimbledon final in 2018 with Djokovic and Anderson and of course I wanted to come back all in white and play on the beautiful courts of Wimbledon,” said Budkov Kjaer, who won the boys’ singles title at the major in 2024. “For me, the completely white, green lawns and perhaps the time of year make Wimbledon extra special.”
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As the trio continues to develop, they took some time to reflect on how far they’ve come and what their younger selves would think of their progress.
“My young junior self would probably give me a high five and say, “Not bad!” At the time I had no idea what it really took, which was perhaps a blessing,” said Budkov Kjaer. “But if you told me as a junior that I would be on the ATP list of 136, win 50 matches and win four Challenger titles in my first year as a professional, I think he would smile quite broadly.”
Cina agreed. His younger self might not recognize the level yet, but he would immediately feel comfortable with it.
“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to play at the Masters 1000s this year,” said Cina, who won first-round matches at the Miami and Madrid level in 2025. “Madrid felt more comfortable than Miami. I’m adapting and feeling more at home every time.”
Sakamoto has enjoyed success on the Challenger Tour this season, triumphing in Cary. On Tour, the 19-year-old advanced through qualifying to compete in Masters 1000 events in Miami and Shanghai. For Sakamoto, the benchmark is still Nishikori and that remains a powerful motivator.
“When I compare myself to Kei at my age, I feel like he is in a different world,” Sakamoto said. “He won his first ATP title just after he turned 18. I won a Challenger, but every time I get closer, I feel further. Still… I’m happy with my steps.”
Read more about Sakamoto here
Read more about Budkov Kjaer here
Read more about Cina here
On October 28, 2025 we will hear how Learner Tien, Nishesh Basavareddy and Justin Engel have adapted to the Tour.
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