If you hail from Spain and are on the ATP World Tour, it is not difficult to become lost in the shadow of Rafael Nadal, one of the all-time greats. Nadal’s presence, coupled with the fact that there are currently 14 Spaniards in the top 100, means that grabbing headlines is not an easy feat. However, there are a group of players, led by Roberto Bautista Agut, who are chomping at the bit for their opportunity.

Agut, fresh off a semifinal run at last week's Madrid Masters 1000 event, will enter Roland Garros as a dangerous opponent capable of wreaking havoc. The Castellon de la Plana native saw his ranking surge 17 positions after a run that included victories against fellow countrymen Tommy Robredo and Fernando Verdasco, before falling to Nadal in the semifinals. With his success, Agut improved to a career high of world No. 28, which likely will be rewarded with a seed when the French Open draw is revealed.

Unlike some clay specialists from Spain, Agut has a game that translates to all surfaces. Rewind to the Australian Open for proof, where the 26-year-old defeated then-world No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro in an epic five-setter before falling to Grigor Dimitrov in the round of 16. The Spaniard also notched victories on hard courts against Philipp Kohlschreiber and Benoit Paire  before engaging in the marquee tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami. Tomas Berdych and Jerzy Janowicz both felt Agut's sting in those March Masters 1000 events held in the United States.

Interestingly, Agut may have signaled his breakthrough season was at hand when he stepped on the red clay following those hard-court venues. It was on the dirt where he validated his early season success by battling toe to toe with Fabio Fognini and Kei Nishikori in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. Having competed with vigor, despite losing those matches, he carried his solid play and momentum into the Madrid Masters, where he found his best result on the surface last week. The semifinal run certainly infused confidence and underscored his ability to compete at a high level on clay as Roland Garros approaches.

Agut has developed a style that tends to depart from expectations for most Spanish men. In contrast to Nadal, he strikes the ball fairly flat, powering through shots such as his two-handed backhand. He uses comparatively less topspin, a technique that has become widespread among professionals, and he is a very capable net player, where many modern players rarely venture. Nonetheless, Agut’s playing style has found success, and favorable results have materialized in 2014, where he has improved 45 positions from when the initial rankings of the year were announced.

While Nadal and Nicolas Almagro appear to have a number of years left ahead of them, six of the 14 top-100 Spaniards are above the age of 30. Among them are David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo, Fernando Verdasco, and Feliciano Lopez, all currently within the top 30 of the world rankings. Agut, along with Marcel Granollers, leads the next tier of Spanish men looking to rise.

However it is Agut, at the age of 26, who appears to have the greater upside. While Granollers has been a consistent performer, having spent the better part of the last few years within the top 40, he has been eliminated in nine tournaments in 2014 without earning a single victory. As he approaches his 29th birthday, questions arise as to his prospects of breaking into the upper tier.

Likewise, Daniel Gimeno-Traver is approaching his 29th birthday as well. The Valencia native has not gained significant traction on the tour of late and is clinging to a ranking just inside the top 100. Although he is a tough out, Gimeno-Traver achieved his best ranking at No. 48 in March of 2013.

However, one young player beginning to show potential is Pablo Carreno Busta, who at the age of 22 has risen nearly 100 spots from a year ago to 68th in the world. Perhaps he, along with Agut, may eventually settle in behind Nadal and Almagro as age and wear and tear take their toll on the more seasoned Spanish veterans.

As history has demonstrated, the Spanish contingent on the ATP Tour will remain strong in the coming years. From the country that has given us Rafael Nadal, Carlos Moya, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Manuel Orantes, and Alex Corretja, it is only reasonable that another great talent is just around the corner. In the meantime, one player who is peaking at the ideal time and age is Agut, who could be a factor at Roland Garros if he continues to ride his recent momentum. As age catches up to some, the men's game will still be in good hands in Spain. With Rafael Nadal continuing to stake his claim as one of the greatest to ever play the game and the next generation looking for their chances in the spotlight, the country appears to be rock-solid moving forward.