The countdown to the end-of-year ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals in Chengdu is well underway as preparations for Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam of the year, intensify.

After four editions of the ITF Junior Masters, the ITF has decided that the 2019 edition of the competition is to be rebranded as part of the wider exercise that has seen the ITF Junior Circuit renamed the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors.

The event will now be known as the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals, underlining its status as the year-end championship for the best junior performers on the Tour.

Given ranking points at a level between Grade A and Grand Slams are on offer, the Finals could well play a crucial role in determining the year-end junior world No. 1s and the ITF Junior World Champions.

As in previous years, the top seven boys and girls in the Road to Chengdu standings plus one Chinese wild card – provided they have finished in the Top 25 – qualify. The event will take place at the Sichuan International Tennis Center between 23-27 October.

The qualification picture has become clearer in recent weeks due to Roland Garros, with Denmark’s Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune and Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada leading the Road to Chengdu race following their titles in Paris.

As it stands, American Martin Damm, Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante, Czech Jonas Forejtek, Junior Australian Open champion Lorenzo Musetti, Toby Kodat and Emilio Nava – both of USA – and Canadian Liam Draxl complete the top eight in the boys’ standings. Bu Yunchaokete is currently the highest-ranked Chinese player in ninth place.

The ultimate aim of all boys in contention to play in Chengdu is to emulate American Brandon Nakashima, who overcame Tseng Chun Hsin of Chinese Taipei in the final to be crowned 2018 ITF Junior Masters champion.

“I was really excited about the opportunity to compete at the ITF Junior Masters. It was my goal at the beginning of the year to play well and to qualify,” said Nakashima.

“It was very important for me because it showed that I’d had a successful year in tournaments and that I was one of the top juniors in the world. It meant a lot and showed that all my hard work during the year had paid off.”

Kodat, who was defeated by Rune in the final at Roland Garros earlier this month, is just one whose attention is fixed on making sure he is in the mix for end-of-season glory. He said: “It would be very good to qualify. It will be tough looking at the players competing, but I really hope I can play at the end of the year.”

In the girls’ standings, Fernandez is followed by 2019 Junior Australian Open winner Clara Tauson, USA’s Emma Navarro, 2018 Masters champion Clara Burel, France’s Diane Parry, Zheng Qinwen of China, Japan’s Natsumi Kawaguchi and Colombia’s Maria Camila Osorio Serrano.

Burel, Osorio Serrano – the pair met in the final with the French right-hander winning in straight sets – and Tauson are all potential returnees to the tournament, having played at last year’s edition. Osorio Serrano also participated in 2017.

Rennes-born Burel has nothing but fond memories of the tournament. Winning in Chengdu ended her search for major silverware after losing in the singles final at the Junior Australian Open, Junior US Open and the Youth Olympic Games in 2018. Victory also saw her seize the junior girls’ No. 1 spot and contributed to her being named ITF Junior World Champion.

“I was really looking forward to playing my first ITF Junior Masters in China – I was so excited,” said Burel. “The tournament meant a lot because being a part of it meant that I was one of the best junior players of the year and that I’d had success.

“Having success in Chengdu was a great way to end the year. It was a big accomplishment for me and a great transition to the women’s ITF World Tennis Tour.”

The list of players to have played at the Chengdu extravaganza before enjoying success in the professional ranks is long and distinguished. The likes of Marketa Vondrousova, Sofia Kenin, Jelena Ostapenko, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Miomir Kecmanovic, Jil Teichmann, Aliona Bolsova and Anna Blinkova – all of whom are currently in the Top 100 of the men’s and women’s rankings – have featured at the ITF Junior Masters since its inception in 2015.

Vondrousova, who reached the Roland Garros final before losing to Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, said: “I remember it was a great competition and another opportunity to play against the top junior players. The round-robin format is great. It also gives players motivation to play their best the whole year with the hope of qualifying.”

Once again, the boys’ and girls’ singles events at the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals will consist of two round-robin groups, with the top two players in each group qualifying for the semi-finals. The qualification period for the tournament runs until 9 September 2019.

ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Finals participants will be awarded travel grants based on their final finishing positions, ranging from $7,000 to $15,000.