Berrettini, Cilic, Nishikori nominated for 2024 Comeback Player of the Year
Call it a comeback.
Matteo Berrettini, Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori have starred on the ATP Tour for years, their talents clear for all to see. But their 2024 efforts showcased another side to the superstars, as their resilience paved the way to standout seasons and dramatic rises in the PIF ATP Rankings — as well as ATP Awards nominations for Comeback Player of the Year.
| Player | Age | 2024 Low Ranking | Current Ranking |
| Berrettini | 28 | 154 | 34 |
| Cilic | 36 | 1,095 | 180 |
| Nishikori | 34 | 581 | 106 |
Nominees for Comeback Player of the Year are determined by an International Tennis Writers’ Association (ITWA) vote. The winner is selected by players from the shortlist.
ATP Awards winners will be announced during Awards Week, starting Monday, 9 December.
[ATP APP]Matteo Berrettini
Berrettini shut it down for the 2023 season after an ankle injury forced him to retire in the US Open second round. After joining forces with new coach Francisco Roig, the Italian was poised to return to competition at the Australian Open, only to withdraw on the eve of his opening match.
With his PIF ATP Ranking at a season-low of No. 154, he finally stepped back on the court in March at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Phoenix, where he reached the final. After dropping a three-setter to Andy Murray in Miami, Berrettini re-announced himself on the ATP Tour by winning the ATP 250 in Marrakech.
That proved to be the first of three ATP 250 titles for the Italian on the year, with the 28-year-old backing it up with triumphs in Gstaad and Kitzbuhel — all on clay — to bring his tour-level singles trophy count up to 10. He also reached a grass-court final Stuttgart on his way to a 32-12 season.
“When you’re not able to do your job and what you like to do, then it’s always a struggle. So I’m really appreciating every moment that I have to spend on court, to perform and give my best,” he told the press at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. “I know it’s a process. I did a great job this year to build up again my ranking, and I’m feeling good.”
Berrettini closed out his 2024 campaign by helping Italy retain its Davis Cup title, notching crucial singles wins in the final two rounds.
Marin Cilic
Plagued by a knee injury for much of 2023, Cilic first attempted to return to the ATP Tour at the start of this season. But after four winless appearances to start the year, he made the difficult decision to undergo knee surgery in May.
“My desire to play again at the highest level hasn’t faded; on the contrary, it is as strong as ever,” Cilic wrote on social media after going under the knife. “The journey over the last 15 months has been challenging, but I am motivated to get back.”
Following a successful rehab period, his renewed comeback attempt began in late August. After finding his legs in two ATP Challenger Tour events, the Croatian stunned the tennis world by winning the ATP 250 in Hangzhou, beating Top 50 stars Brandon Nakashima and Zhang Zhizhen in the semi-finals and final, respectively.
The wild card arrived at the event at No. 777 in the PIF ATP Rankings and became the lowest-ranked champion in ATP Tour history.
“It has been a difficult period for me in the past few months. I lost my ranking and I didn’t play too much,” Cilic said before thanking the tournament for his wild card. After dropping out of the top 1,000 in the PIF ATP Rankings in early 2024, Cilic soared more than 800 places to ultimately finish the season inside the Top 200.
Kei Nishikori
After nearly eight months on the sidelines, Nishikori played his first tournament of the 2024 season at the Miami ATP Masters 1000. Though he suffered a first-round defeat to Sebastian Ofner, he kept a positive outlook on his return.
“I never lose that motivation. It’s always there. Some reason I cannot explain, but some reason motivation is always there,” Nishikori said in his post-match press conference. “I’m looking forward to getting my tennis back.”
After picking up a win at Roland Garros, competing at Wimbledon and representing Japan at the Paris Olympics, the 34-year-old put down a marker with a quarter-final run at the Montreal ATP Masters 1000, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas along the way. He reached another tour-level quarter-final on home soil in Tokyo before ending the season with two deep runs on the ATP Challenger Tour, capping his year with a title in Helsinki.
Nishikori’s joy at returning to the professional game has been evident throughout the season. In Montreal, after ripping a winner to beat #NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen in the first round, he was nearly laughing as he looked to his team because of how well he closed out the match.
“I surprise myself too sometimes,” he joked. “It was different when I was young. I feel like I’m trying to enjoy it a little more because I really appreciate where I am right now.”
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