Nakashima, Lehecka Qualify For Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals
Brandon Nakashima and Jiri Lehecka have qualified for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, joining Lorenzo Musetti, Holger Rune and Jack Draper. The 21-and-under season finale will be played at the Allianz Cloud in Milan from 8-12 November.
Nakashima will compete in the prestigious event for the second consecutive year after advancing to the knockout semi-finals last November.
In July, Nakashima cracked the Top 50 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time. The 21-year-old continued his ascent last month, when he won his first ATP Tour title in San Diego.
This California native has excelled on the big stage this year, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon and the third round at both Roland Garros and the US Open. Nakashima is the youngest American in the world’s Top 100.
Lehecka broke into the spotlight early in the season at the ATP 500 in Rotterdam. Entering the week, the Czech player had not won an ATP Tour match. The qualifier battled to the semi-finals, defeating then-World No. 12 Denis Shapovalov along the way.
The effort helped the 20-year-old crack the world’s Top 100 for the first time. Lehecka reached a career-high World No. 59 in August.
The Czech also lifted an ATP Challenger Tour trophy on home soil in Liberec and made another Challenger final in Mauthausen, Austria.