As the Olympic Games are in full flight and the Tour players battle it out on a slow clay or an American or Canadian hard court, don’t look now but the US Open is just around the corner also. The run home to the end of a long season starts now. But who have been the best performers on the ATP/WTA Tours in 2024? Who have made the biggest gains? Here is my brief break down.
Best Performers ATP
Jannik Sinner - Has been the stand out performer on the ATP Tour this year with a 42–4 record on the year. Started in amazing fashion winning the Australian Open in a five set beauty over Medvedev and continued his form into the hard courts in the United States. No surprise that niggling injuries due to the number of matches have halted his dominance but very rare to see him lose early in the week no matter the event. Deserves #1 billing.
Grigor Dimitrov - The Bulgarian champion took out the Brisbane International in January and is 32–11 on the year. Remarkably back into the Top Ten and even more remarkable is the fact that Brisbane was Dimitrov’s first title in five years. It shows how tough the ATP Tour is when a guy of his stature goes that long between drinks. Still able to compete with the very best in the game. A big US Open coming up after the early retirement at Wimbledon.
Alex De Minaur - There is no question that De Minaur should be on this list. He has found the week in week out consistency that only the elite on tour reach and with a current world ranking of #7 the next frontier is the very very special Top Five. 36–12 on the year De Minaur has the belief, physicality and durability to go the distance with anyone but must bounce back from his Wimbledon mishap. You felt with the amount of match wins mounting and little rest something could occur. It did and now he must recharge for the run home. An outstanding season from the Aussie.
Carlos Alcaraz - Has bounced back incredibly well from a slow start to 2024. 33–6 on the year. A French Open title followed by Wimbledon makes it a huge success for the Alcaraz camp considering Australia was a disaster where he was accused of showboating and playing to the fans.
Seems to have shaken off that tag and it still seems when playing his highest level there is nobody who can match him. Silver medal in Paris where he was left in tears and devastated at the result shows how much he cares. Or was it disbelief that he lost the Gold. Just when you think he has distanced himself from Djokovic you must think again. Mentally must stay the course til end of season 2024. Big challenge.
Novak Djokovic - What can you possibly say. Djokovic with a roller coaster season that has seen consistency at the Slams but no silver ware. But a Gold medal where he defeats Alcaraz in the final in an epic contest and wrestles back the attention and narrative in his favour.
Battled the knee issue at the French Open. A final at Wimbledon, but the Gold in Paris glosses over all the disappointment of 2024. 23–7 on the year and just playing the Events that he thinks matters is the focus for Djokovic. Does the motivation remain from here on out??? Has won everything in the sport.
Best Performers WTA
Jasmine Paolini - The 28 year old Italian has come from the clouds. A stirring run to the French Open Final was enthralling and captivating. It was a lovely story. To think she could follow it up at Wimbledon was absurd. Thats exactly what she did. 30–13 on the year to go along with a WTA title and a Top 5 ranking. Rocketed into the Elite stratosphere after years in the wilderness.
Emma Navarro - American tennis on the women’s side is flying and so is Navarro. The former University of Virginia stand out took the title in Hobart to start the year and has put together a 40–16 record and a #15 world ranking. Hard not to take notice and a Top Ten ranking seems inevitable possibly throughout the American swing and the US Open. The challenge for Navarro is maintaining her wins as the locker room gets more familiar with her game.
Iga Swiatek - Hard to be 47–5 on the year and not get a mention in the best performed. 5 titles for Swiatek up until now including another French Open title where she seems unbeatable. Struggling to impact on the grass at Wimbledon and losing early at the Olympics is definitely not a tick as Gold was all that was on her mind. Swiatek measured on Grand Slam silverware. US Open coming up is super important for her to maintain her edge and dominance in the locker room.
Elena Rybakina - The big hitting Kazak has maintained her Top Five status and with 3 titles and a 40–8 record it’s an extremely attractive 2024 CV. But Wimbledon 2022 seems an eternity ago and a number of opportunities have slipped to add to that Major silverware. Stoic and calm when on court sometimes she is questioned on her desire and will to win. You feel that more Majors are surely on the cards but it won’t get easier from here on out. There are a pack of up and comers in the back ground that she needs to hold off. Must start accumulating Slam trophies at US Open 2024.
Qinwen Zheng - A 24–12 match record does not jump off the page. Disappointing early French Open loss combined with a Wimbledon first round disaster that was catastrophic. But a break through for the Chinese youngster in Australia with a run to the Open Final where it took a Sabalenka power masterclass to stop her. Olympic Gold in the women’s singles at Paris 2024 where she took down Swiatek on the clay and went on to win the Gold Medal. Forever now a hero in her native China you feel this is just the beginning. Winning Gold for her country arguably carries more weight than a Major. Just 21 years of age and based on Australia and Paris alone it is hugely significant. With confidence and belief building Zheng could become the next Asian superstar. US Open run to the Semis and beyond now must be the goal.
These are the best performers on the ATP/WTA Tours so far in 2024. Keep an eye on these athletes at the back end of the season to see if they can maintain this elite and out of this world form.
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