The 2024 tennis season has been a spectacle of thrilling rallies, powerful serves, and unexpected upsets.
New stars are emerging, while certain veterans continue to defy expectations. But who are the players consistently bringing their A-game and dominating the court?
Get ready to meet the “Set of Aces,” the five male players who’ve captured the world’s attention with their on-court brilliance so far this year.
Each one of these are staking their claim to be the best in the field, so let’s begin!
Novak Djokovic
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Even at 36 years old, Serbian legend Novak Djokovic, affectionately nicknamed “The Djoker,” continues to defy expectations.
As the current No. 1 ranked player, Djokovic remains a dominant presence on the court with his wonderful technique and powerful play.
The Serbian’s relentless drive was on display at the Riyadh Open, even though he eventually lost to rising star Carlos Alcaraz.
This impressive performance, coupled with his impressive track record and his third title at the Cincinnati tournament shows just how Djokovic is set to leave an unequalled legacy on the sport when he does eventually retire.
Jannik Sinner
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At just 22 years old, Italian Jannik Sinner might still be considered a prodigy by some, but he’s showing signs of becoming a fully rounded superstar.
Sinner has rocketed up the rankings in 2024, reaching a career-high No. 6 recently. His rise is down to relentless determination and a knack for big performances, topped off by an impressive Canadian Open win in August.
Having turned pro just five years ago, Sinner’s spirit and remarkable on-court presence has got the tennis world buzzing, and we’ll surely see more tournament success from him over the next few years.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
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When Stefanos Tsitsipas made short work of Casper Ruud by winning in straight sets at the Monte Carlo Masters this year, he made history.
This was the first time a player in the professional era had won his first three Monte Carlo finals in straight sets, underlining Tsitsipas dominance in the city. Perhaps it’s the Greek’s lucky place: if so, maybe he learns how to play roulette so he can really take advantage of his good fortune in one of the city’s many casinos.
Fans will know, however, that it’s anything but luck that is powering his success. Tsitsipas is known for his hard work ethic and, at the age of 25, looks like he’s about to enter his peak.
Carlos Alcaraz
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Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz continues to come on leaps and bounds.
Alcaraz’s 2023 season was nothing short of phenomenal. He amassed an impressive collection of trophies, including two Grand Slam titles and a dominant showing of four Masters 1000 titles.
At the tender age of 20, Alcaraz’s brilliance has continued into 2024 and he now sits in third place in the rankings, behind Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner. If he keeps it up, he’ll surely become a torchbearer for the sport’s future, just like his hero Rafa Nadal was.
Daniil Medvedev
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Former World Number 1 Medvedev has made a successful career out of his never-say-die attitude and fierce will to win.
After a fine 2023 in which he spent much of his time in ATP’s top 3, with high points including his Cincinnati Masters encounter with Alexander Zverev, Medvedev has kept up a great run of form, despite dropping to fourth.
He reached the final of the Australian Open but lost to Jannik Sinner in five sets after an arduous tournament in which he set a record for most time spent on court at a Grand Slam tournament (24 hours, 17 minutes). Medvedev also notched up his 350th career win at the Miami Open.
At 28, the Russian’s career may be reaching its twilight, but the player shows no signs of slowing down as he makes an assault on the top of the rankings.
So, what will the rest of 2024 bring? Will we see a new contender make the top 10 rankings or will the likes of Djokovic and Medvedev continue to dominate? The likes of Wimbledon and the US Open will provide us the answers as we enjoy the latest slice of Tennis history on our TV screens.
