It went down to the wire but Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante has been named boys’ ITF World Champion following a flurry of titles during the final few weeks of 2019.

Being crowned singles champion at three tournaments in as many weeks from late November onwards ensured Tirante rocketed to the summit of the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Rankings presented by IMG Academy.

Closing the campaign as the top-ranked boy on the planet represented remarkable progress for a player who finished 2018 with a combined year-end ranking of No. 134.

“I’m very happy with my 2019,” said Tirante. “It’s been an important year because I’ve learnt how to play under pressure. I ended last year ranked 134 in the ITF juniors ranking and ended up as No. 1. I won five titles, three of them Grade A, and I managed to reach my first professional final in Mexico. This recognition as the boys’ ITF World Champion makes me super happy because of all the effort and the sacrifice I’ve put in during all these years.

“I dedicate this award to my grandmother, who passed away two weeks ago,” he continued. “I know she must be proud of me from wherever she is. Next year will be my first complete year as a professional tennis player. I hope I can have an outstanding 2020. I need to believe in my tennis, knowing that even better things will come my way.”

While the 18-year-old’s best singles showing at a Junior Grand Slam was a third-round appearance at Roland Garros in June, it was a season laced with top-end silverware.

In total, Tirante sealed five singles titles in 2019, three of them at Grade A level, and it was his victory at the prestigious Orange Bowl in mid-December which secured his place at the top of the junior rankings.

Tirante, who also won JA Porto Alegre in February, progressed to the final in Florida and indeed beat fellow Argentinian Juan Bautista Torres to lift silverware without dropping a set.

Success at the Orange Bowl followed victory at J1 Bradenton where he beat another fellow countryman, this time Roman Andres Burruchaga, in the final, while his spate of trophies began at JA Merida.

Tirante overpowered France’s Arthur Cazaux in the singles final at JA Merida, and it was a double-pronged silverware assault in Mexico as he and American Dali Blanch secured doubles joy.

Although a Junior Grand Slam trophy was not forthcoming in singles, it was a different story in doubles. In June, Tirante teamed up with Brazil’s Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida to triumph at Roland Garros.

The duo thrived on the clay of Paris, progressing to the final in ruthless fashion before dispatching Italy’s Flavio Cobolli and Dominic Stephan Stricker of Switzerland in straight sets.

Tirante claimed that winning a Junior Grand Slam doubles crown would remain one of his “best memories” and insisted that it would have a positive effect on his singles. Looking at his recent results, it is hard to argue with the La Plata-born teenager.