Donald Young knows that the ATP Tour guarantees no victories, only defeats. But after suffering a series of shattering losses during his artificial elevation to the pro tour, Young found his way in 2007 and finished inside the Top 100. Will 2008 be his coming out party?

Donald Young is accustomed to winning tennis matches and the 18-year-old proved that in 2007 - at least on the Challenger circuit. Now the Atlanta teenager is gearing up for his first full campaign as a regular member of the ATP tour.

"He's got a lot of good instincts for the game and he's been able to win at the junior level and then at the Challengers," said U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe, who has watched Young's progress over the past three years. "He's been able to get the experience and get more pop on his serve. Now it's getting his physical maturity up and once he does that he will be able to win at the tour level. His forehand is a big weapon. In the last year he's stepped up."

Young finished last year as the youngest player in the Top 100 South African Airways ATP Rankings at No. 98, making the jump with successful results early in the season at the Futures level and then in Challengers. He compiled a 34-14 record in Challengers, winning one title and reaching four other finals. (Donald Young's rankings history)

In limited ATP level play (2-3), the left-hander also broke through to win his first ATP match, breaking an 0-11 career mark, and he advanced to the third round at the US Open.

But one year ago Young was looking for the confidence on the pro scene that took him to a Grand Slam junior title and that saw him become the No. 1 junior player in the world in 2005.

"He played too much too soon (at the tour level) and he wasn't physically ready for that," added McEnroe. "The good news is he learned from the mistake and then learned to gain confidence in the juniors and Challengers. He got a lot of tough press but mentally he’s a pretty tough kid."

He needed to be. In March 2006 at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Young suffered the worst loss of his career – a dreaded double bagel - to No. 81 Carlos Berlocq. "I never lost 6-0, 6-0 in my life and it was an all-time low," says Young, who began to question whether he belonged at ATP level. "I went back home, hung out with my friends and I didn't feel like traveling. I didn't want to play much."

The loss was Young's ninth straight without winning a set. Young would take the first set off of then No. 23-ranked Novak Djokovic in the first round of the US Open. He closed out 2006 by reaching the quarterfinals at the Louisville Challenger and said "I felt like I was playing better."