The ATP has officially announced the nominees for the 2025 ATP Awards, unveiling the shortlists for three major categories — Breakthrough of the Year, the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, and Coach of the Year. Winners will be revealed during ATP Awards Week beginning 8th December 2025, while fans have already cast their votes for the Fans’ Favourite awards, with voting starting on Friday the 21st of November 2025.
Breakthrough of the Year: Four Rising Stars Who Redefined 2025
This year’s Breakthrough of the Year category features four players whose 2025 seasons marked major turning points in their careers: Jack Draper, Joao Fonseca, Jakub Mensik, and Valentin Vacherot.
Draper’s nomination follows a season in which he claimed the biggest title of his career — the Indian Wells Masters 1000 — a win that propelled him into the top 10 for the first time and solidified his long-anticipated emergence after years battling injuries.
Fonseca, the 18-year-old Brazilian sensation, put together one of the most electrifying seasons on tour. He captured his first ATP title in Buenos Aires, becoming the youngest South American champion in history, and later won his first ATP 500 title in Basel to surge into the world’s top 30. His run also included a Buenos Aires final that made him the youngest ATP clay finalist since Carlos Alcaraz.
Mensik’s season was defined by a stunning Miami campaign in which he won his first ATP title at the Miami Open, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final and at the time, denying the 24-time Grand Slam champion his 100th career title. The 19-year-old Czech also gained attention for embracing analytics, using ATP Tennis IQ extensively to sharpen his serve and match tactics.
Vacherot delivered perhaps the most improbable storyline of the season. The Monegasque began the year outside the Top 200 and ended it with a historic Masters 1000 crown in Shanghai. His title run, which included wins over Holger Rune and Djokovic, made him both the lowest-ranked Masters champion in ATP history and the first Monegasque player ever to win an ATP singles title.
Sportsmanship and Coaching Excellence: The Other Nominees
The nominees for the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award are Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Grigor Dimitrov, and Casper Ruud — four players long recognised for their professionalism, respect for opponents, and contribution to the spirit of the sport.
Meanwhile, the Coach of the Year category features a mix of long-established leaders and breakthrough mentors. Benjamin Balleret earns recognition for guiding Valentin Vacherot through his extraordinary rise. Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi return to the shortlist after steering Jannik Sinner to another elite-level season. Juan Carlos Ferrero and Samuel López are nominated for their continued role in Carlos Alcaraz’s development. Frederic Fontang appears for his work with Felix Auger-Aliassime, while Bryan Shelton earns a nod after another season of progress from his son, Ben.
How Winners Will Be Selected
The ATP also confirmed changes to the awards process. Nominees for the Breakthrough award and the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award were determined through voting by the International Tennis Writers’ Association (ITWA). However, for 2025, the final winners will be selected by the ATP #1 Club, comprising the 29 current and former ATP world #1 players.
Coach of the Year nominations were determined by fellow ATP coaches, who will also choose the winner in the final round of voting.
What Happens Next
All eyes now turn to Awards Week, beginning 8 December, when the ATP will announce the winners across all categories including the hotly anticipated Fans’ Favourite awards in singles and doubles. With breakthrough stars, seasoned professionals, and trailblazing coaches all in the mix, the 2025 edition promises to be one of the most competitive yet.
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