2025 ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals: meet the boys
The countdown to the 2025 ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals – the junior equivalent of the ATP and WTA Finals – is on.
The ITF Junior Finals are a prestigious showpiece event which see eight of the world’s best boys and girls do battle at the Sichuan International Tennis Center in Chengdu, China.
Ranking points accrued over the past twelve months on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors have counted towards qualification for the Finals, which will take place from 22-26 October.
Once in Chengdu, the eight boys and eight girls will be split into two respective groups of four, with the top two in each group advancing to the semi-finals following three days of round-robin action.
For the first time, the winner of each event will earn 1000 ranking points - equivalent to what is on offer at a Junior Grand Slam - which could make a significant difference in a player’s quest to finish 2025 as the year-end No. 1.
Players will also benefit from travel grants to support their future progression to professional tennis. A record $220,000 USD will be paid out this year, with the 2025 winners receiving up to $23,000, with the grants then staggered through to those finishing in eighth place.
The ITF Junior Finals are an esteemed event and far more than a tennis tournament. Players are immersed in Chinese culture and participate in activities away from the court, with the event showcasing what life as a pro is like.
The ITF Junior Finals are both a celebration of junior excellence and a proven step towards the elite professional game.
Meet the boys who will be competing in Chengdu:
Vasilev has made his mark this season and will be the highest-ranked boy on show at the ITF Junior Finals, having risen to No. 2 in the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Rankings. His Junior Grand Slam performances improved as the season progressed as he reached the third round at the Australian Open, quarter-finals at Roland Garros, semi-finals at Wimbledon and then the US Open final. In New York, he lost out to fellow countryman Ivan Ivanov, who also triumphed at Wimbledon. The 18-year-old has won two J300 titles this season – at Villena and Plovdiv – and reached his first ITF World Tennis Tour Men’s final at M15 Sofia in August. He also enjoyed a Davis Cup debut to remember in September, winning two matches as Bulgaria beat Finland to reach the 2026 Qualifiers 1st Round.
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Santamarta Roig has only contested three ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors events outside of Grand Slams this season, winning two of them – at J500 Gaspar and J500 Offenbach. J500s are a rung below Junior Grand Slams in terms of ranking points on offer and Santamarta Roig has joined a host of players, including former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, to have won three J500 singles titles, although nobody betters the four won by Marcos Baghdatis. Santamarta Roig’s best Junior Grand Slam results of the season came at Roland Garros and the US Open where he reached the third round. The 18-year-old has continued to gain experience within the pro game on both the ITF World Tennis Tour and at ATP Challenger events, reaching the semi-finals at M25 Tarragona in March.
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Like Santamarta Roig, Vasami’s highlights of 2025 include two triumphs at J500 events – at Cairo and at Milan – while the 17-year-old also triumphed at J300 Casablanca. At J500 Milan, Vasami became the first Italian singles winner there for more than a decade – since Gianluigi Quinzi back in 2012. Vasami’s best Junior Grand Slam performance came at Roland Garros where he reached the quarter-finals. He has also gained some important experience of pro tennis, both on the ITF World Tennis Tour and at ATP Challenger events, reaching the semi-finals of the Milan Challenger in June. Milan has very much proven a happy hunting ground for Vasami this season.
Willwerth made a rip-roaring start to the 2025 campaign by blasting his way to the Australian Open boys’ final in January where he slipped to defeat against Switzerland’s Henry Bernet. The 18-year-old also reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in singles, while he and Noah Johnston lost out in the boys’ doubles final at both Roland Garros and the US Open. Willwerth has this season contested more matches on the ITF World Tennis Tour and at ATP Challenger events than any previous season, and has won three main draw matches in that time. He reached the quarter-finals at M15 Orange Park in May.
Schoenhaus has had an extremely consistent season, contesting seven junior events and reaching at least the quarter-finals of all but one of them. The 18-year-old came close to a Junior Grand Slam title at Roland Garros where he reached the final but succumbed to fellow German Niels McDonald after leading by a set. The teenager also reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the quarters at the US Open, on both occasions losing to eventual champion Ivan Ivanov. Schoenhaus will head into the ITF Junior Finals in form after earlier this month winning his maiden professional title on the ITF World Tennis Tour – at M15 Monastir.
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Yannick Theodor Alexandrescou (ROU)
Alexandrescou is a year younger than most of his fellow competitors in Chengdu and the teenager has shown considerable promise this season. The 17-year-old has won four ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors titles in 2025, building on the six he claimed last year, all of which have come at J300 level – at Asuncion, Vrsar, Bytom and College Park. He also reached the final at J500 Offenbach in April, while his best Junior Grand Slam performance came at Roland Garros as he made the quarter-finals. Alexandrescou, who was a member of the Romania team that finished runners-up at the 2024 Davis Cup Junior Finals, has contested three events on the ITF World Tennis Tour Men’s this season, reaching the quarter-finals at M15 Alaminos and M25 Zaragoza.
Kennedy, who was a member of the USA team that defeated Alexandrescou’s Romania to claim Davis Cup Juniors glory in 2024, is another 17-year-old to be taking to the court at the ITF Junior Finals. Kennedy lifted silverware at J300 Santa Croce sull’Arno in May, while he also reached the final at J300 Indian Wells and the semis at J500 Gaspar and J500 Milan. His best Junior Grand Slam performance in singles came at the Australian Open where he reached the quarter-finals. In doubles, he and Keaton Hance were crowned US Open boys’ doubles champions in September. The teenager has gained further exposure to pro tennis this season and reached the semi-finals at both M15 Orange Park and M15 Lexington.
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Paldanius has enjoyed big successes in doubles this season having triumphed at both the Roland Garros Junior Championships and the Junior Championships, Wimbledon alongside Poland’s Alan Wazny. His best Junior Grand Slam singles performance came at the Australian Open where he reached the semi-finals, losing to eventual champion Henry Bernet. It was a strong start to the campaign for Paldanius as he also reached the semis at J300 Traralgon – the junior warm-up event for the Australian Open – and J300 Santa Croce sull’Arno. In March, the 18-year-old came close to claiming his maiden ITF World Tennis Tour Men’s title after slipping defeat in the final at M15 Sharm El-Sheikh.