The 2024 tennis season brought with it a huge mix of
fortunes for some of tennis biggest stars. As we saw Rafael Nadal and Andy
Murray retire, we’re seeing a transition from one era to the next, giving
opportunities for new names to climb to the pinnacle of the sport.
While some players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner cemented
their positions as the next big thing, others struggled to meet the lofty
expectations set for them. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look
at the performances of five notable ATP players who may be left scratching
their heads at their up and down seasons in 2024.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
For
Stefanos Tsitsipas, 2024 was a year to forget. The
26-year-old Greek star, once touted as the next big thing in tennis,
experienced a sharp drop off in his form and he tumbled down the rankings. After an
impressive 2023 season that saw him reach the Australian Open final (his second
Grand Slam final after the French Open in 2021), expectations were high.
However, Tsitsipas’ 2024season ended with him ranked 11th, his lowest position
in many years.
The year started promisingly, with Tsitsipas capturing his
only title of 2024 at the Monte Carlo Masters, his first Masters victory in two
years. Beyond that, his performances were inconsistent, ending the year with a
45-22 win-loss record. For the first time since 2018, Tsitsipas failed to
qualify for the ATP Finals, something he’ll be desperate to put right next year.
Stefanos Tsitsipas struggled to find his best form in 2024
Adding to the turbulence was his public bust up and eventual
split from his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, as his coach in August. Reports
surfaced of what had become
a toxic coaching and fatherly relationship that had
plagued the Greek star for years, and certainly would have contributed to his form.
According to some reports, Tsitsipas felt his father’s methods were harmful,
leading to their professional separation. "Not making it into the ATP
Finals this year was a humbling experience, teaching me the value of resilience
and perspective," Tsitsipas wrote on Instagram. He added, "I strive
for it, but I’ve learned that perfection doesn’t exist within me, and that’s
okay."
The year’s struggles raise questions about Tsitsipas’
ability to reclaim his position among the world’s elite. With a fresh start at
the United Cup representing Greece to kick things off in 2025, Tsitsipas and
his fans will be hoping 2024 was simply a blip that he can quickly put behind
him.
Cameron Norrie
Cameron Norrie’s 2024 season was unfortunately a disappointment,
as he struggled with injuries and poor form. Entering the year ranked 18th, the
29-year-old Brit ended the season in 49th place, his lowest ranking in years
and a far cry from his career-high of 8th back in 2022.
Norrie started the year with promise, recording his 200th
career win at the Barcelona Open. However, injuries derailed his momentum. A
withdrawal from the US Open in August and his absence from the Paris Olympics
highlighted the physical struggles he faced throughout the season, and he must
find a way to stay fit for longer periods going forward.
Despite the setbacks, Norrie showed signs of resurgence
toward the year’s end. He reached the semi finals of the Moselle Open, and this
was a much needed bright spell for Norrie who may have had his confidence restored
heading in to next year. With renewed focus and recovery, Norrie aims to
rebuild in 2025 and re-establish himself as Britain’s leading tennis figure,
but how far back up the rankings can he climb?
Holger Rune
Holger Rune’s 2024 season was a stark contrast to his previous
campaign just 12 months ago, as the Danish star, ranked 8th in 2023, ended this
year in 13th place. Of course, at just 21 years old, Rune remains a promising
talent, but his results this season left much to be desired.
Holger Rune is still one of the brightest talents in tennis
Rune’s performance at Grand Slams was particularly
underwhelming. Much as been made of the fact he failed to make significant
progress at the majors, raising questions about his ability to handle the
pressure when the pressure is on and the lights shine brightest. Injuries and
inconsistencies compounded his struggles, preventing him from building on the
momentum of previous years.
The Dane’s remains one of the most exciting young talents,
but he will need to address these challenges if he hopes to break back into the
top 10 and compete with the game’s elite in 2025. Yet, at 21, he still has
plenty of time to learn and master his craft.
Daniil Medvedev
Now we land at the year of
Daniil Medvedev, and what a
strange one it was. The 28-year-old Russian finished the season ranked 5th, a
drop from his position as world number 3 in 2023. While a top-five finish is
impressive, Medvedev’s inability to capture a single title this year raises
concerns, and he would have definitely been expecting to update his trophy
cabinet at some point this year.
Medvedev, who won the US Open in 2021 and briefly held the
world number 1 ranking in 2022, struggled to find his best form throughout the
year. The Russian was honest about his frustrations at not winning a title this
year, but hopes he can use it as motivation to fine tune his preparation and
game next year.
Despite the setbacks, Medvedev remains one of the very best on
the court right know, and if he can address the gaps in his game, a return to
the top of the rankings is well within reach. One thing is for sure, he’ll want
to end his current trophy doubt as soon as possible in the new year.
Novak Djokovic
Ok, bare with us on this one, we’re not trying to discredit
the legend himself, as
Novak Djokovic’s 2024 season was both historic and
unusual. The Serbian legend completed the career Golden Slam by winning Olympic
gold in Paris, the one title that eluded him throughout his illustrious career
up until this year. However, for the first time in seven years, Djokovic failed
to win a Grand Slam title, a testament to the growing competition on the ATP
Tour. So he had the highest of highs at the Olympics, but struggled throughout
the rest of the year?
As Nadal and Murray said farewell to the sport, Djokovic has
been left as the last of his generation and competing against the new kings of
the sport in Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. We all know Djokovic can’t keep
going forever, but his win at the Olympics showed that he is not done just yet.
But his absence from the ATP Finals felt like a poignant moment, and we’re left
wondering how much longer Djokovic will be amongst the elite.
At 37, Djokovic remains a top contender, but father time
waits for no one and
he is now certainly writing the final few chapters of his
career. His focus now turns to 2025, where he will aim to add to his record 24
Grand Slam titles.
So there you have it, five players we feel will be hoping
for better results in 2025. The question is, can they turn their fortunes
around, and are there any other players we’ve missed off of our list?