Failure is the mother of success; Lernerchen claims his first Next Gen Finals title with a four-match winning streak.

For American player Lernerchen, the 2025 season was a breakthrough year. Starting from the Australian Open qualifiers, he achieved a six-match winning streak and reached the Grand Slam round of 16 for the first time in his career. Despite suffering a seven-match losing streak in main draws afterward, he courageously pushed through. By late July at the Rogers Cup, Lernerchen advanced to his first Masters 1000 round of 16; in mid-September, he reached his first tour final at the China Open; and in early November, he claimed his first ATP Tour title at the ATP 250 Metz Open with a five-match winning streak.

Riding high on confidence, Lernerchen entered the Next Gen Finals as the top seed. Last season, he had reached the final here but, despite taking the first set, he was overturned by Fonseca who claimed the championship, leaving Lernerchen as runner-up.

He was placed in the same group with Spain’s Hodar, Norway’s Budkov-Sher, and Spain’s Landaluce. In the group’s opening match, Lernerchen faced Hodar, who had won three Challenger titles this year and earned his first tour-level victory, showing solid form.

In the first set, Lernerchen delivered an ace and demonstrated strong form. However, the match took a dramatic turn as Hodar fought back fiercely, pushing the contest to a deciding set and eventually pulling off a stunning upset. Losing the opener put Lernerchen in a difficult position, requiring him to win all remaining group matches and rely on other results to advance.

In the second match, Lernerchen faced Landaluce, who had lost his opener to Budkov-Sher and, like Lernerchen, was coming off a defeat. This match was do-or-die for both players. Unexpectedly, Landaluce took the first set, but Lernerchen, under pressure, adjusted his game and won the next three sets to complete a comeback. Meanwhile, Budkov-Sher defeated Hodar, keeping Lernerchen’s hopes of advancing alive.

In the final group match against Budkov-Sher, who had won four Challenger titles this season, Lernerchen again dropped the first set. Fortunately, he rallied to win the next three sets and secure a comeback victory. Despite Hodar’s dominant win over Landaluce in the compatriot clash, he was eliminated due to a disadvantage in game difference. Lernerchen narrowly escaped elimination and advanced to the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Lernerchen faced fellow American Basavareddi, who had reached a tour semifinal in 2025 and was a formidable opponent. Lernerchen won convincingly in straight sets, advancing to the Next Gen Finals for the second time and coming one step closer to the title.

In the final, he played against Belgium’s Brox, who had won two Challenger titles this year and earned his first tour-level victory. Throughout the match, Lernerchen maintained control, winning in straight sets and capturing his first Next Gen Finals championship.

Emerging from the shadow of past defeats, Lernerchen’s four-match winning streak showcased his strength and determination. We look forward to his continued strong performances in future tournaments. That’s today’s tennis story; more to come tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)