David Ferrer names two European players who he thinks could break into the top 10 of the ATP rankings

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David Ferrer has revealed his high hopes for the future of two European ATP players.

Ferrer is leading Spain at the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna, as he looks to match his success in the competition now as a captain.

The former world number three has already been handed a blow, with world number one Carlos Alcaraz withdrawing from Ferrer’s team of players.

When speaking ahead of Spain’s quarterfinal tie at the Davis Cup Finals, Ferrer has praised two of the players in their upcoming opponents’ team.

David Ferrer suggests he thinks Jakub Mensik and Jiri Lehecka could break the top 10

In their opening tie in Bologna, Spain will play Czechia, who have already knocked USA out of the Davis Cup this year.

Led by two top 20 players in Jiri Lehecka and Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik, Czechia look to be a real threat for Spain, and Ferrer has suggested both are capable of breaking into the top 10 in the future.

“Starting with Lehecka, he’s a player who’s had a strange end to the year,” Ferrer told Punto de Break. “He also had an injury for a good part of last year… but he’s a player who, in my opinion, is easily a top 20 player, and a player with the potential to be a top 10 player. No doubt about it.

“He’s very Czech; Czechs always end up playing at the same speed, very flat, they’re indoor players. Besides, he’s a mentally strong player. He’s the kind of guy you have to compete against and beat. I think it works in our favor that he came into the year with less confidence, winning fewer matches.”

Ferrer added, “Mensik is a young player who I think will be top 10. He’s a player who’s going to be up there. This year he’s already won Miami, he’s won a Masters 1000; it’s also true that he’s had more injuries, he’s had knee problems, but he’s a guy who serves extraordinarily well… we’ll see how he handles it, right?

“I haven’t yet seen Mensik play anything like a knockout round with that pressure of a Finals. If our player is Pablo Carreño [Busta], I think that’s where we might have our chances.”

Who was the last Czech man to reach the top 10 in the ATP rankings?

Czech tennis success has mostly been associated with the WTA Tour, with Barbora Krejcikova winning Wimbledon just last year.

However, there have also been successful Czech players on the ATP Tour as well, including former world number one Ivan Lendl being an eight-time Grand Slam champion.

Lendl is one of six former top 10 players from Czechia, which includes American player Sebastian Korda’s Grand Slam winning father, Petr Korda.

The last Czech ATP player to be in the top 10 of the ATP rankings was Tomas Berdych, who is now actually the captain of the Czechia Davis Cup team.

Berdych will hope to lead Lehecka and Mensik to Czechia’s first Davis Cup title in 12 years, beginning with their quarterfinal tie against Spain on Thursday, November 20.