Britain's 2025 Davis Cup bid to start in Japan
Great Britain are handed a trip to Japan in the first round of qualifying for the 2025 Davis Cup – with Italy to host the eight-team finals.
Great Britain are handed a trip to Japan in the first round of qualifying for the 2025 Davis Cup – with Italy to host the eight-team finals.
The strength in depth of men’s tennis ensures there are no guarantees on the ATP Tour.
The PIF ATP Rankings offer a tangible way to assess the order of things in the men’s game, yet the 2024 season nonetheless offered plenty of seismic upsets. There were results that rocked top stars, went against the form book and catapulted young players’ names into the global spotlight.
As part of our annual in-review series, ATPTour.com counts down the five most unexpected upsets of the year. On Tuesday we’ll look at the biggest upsets at the Grand Slams.
[ATP APP] 5) Madrid R2: Monteiro d. Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4
Not even a Top 10 opponent in red-hot form was enough to stop Thiago Monteiro when he was in full flow at the Mutua Madrid Open.
After coming through qualifying at the ATP Masters 1000 event, Monteiro stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas with a clinical, clean-hitting display. Tsitsipas entered the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with a 10-1 record for the year on clay after winning Monte-Carlo and reaching the final in Barcelona, but the Greek was powerless to deny the inspired Monteiro from notching the fourth Top 10 win of his career.
The Brazilian’s triumph against the then-No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings was placed in even greater contrast by the fact he had lost in the first round at an ATP Challenger Tour event to then-World No. 255 Jaime Faria just one week prior. Monteiro’s upset was ultimately a demonstration of just how quickly fortunes can change in tennis.
“Every week you have a new opportunity,” said Monteiro, who went on to reach the third round in Madrid before making the fourth round in Rome, also as a qualifier. “These past few weeks I wasn’t feeling really good on the court. I was trying to do well at Challengers, but it didn’t work. I just kept up the hard work, day by day. Even when I was not feeling good and not winning matches, I kept believing in myself, and this week it has paid off.”
4) Rio de Janiero R1: Fonseca d Fils 6-0, 6-4
How to capture the immediate attention of your home fans, Joao Fonseca style.
Competing as a No. 655-ranked wild card at the Rio Open presented by Claro, the 17-year-old charged past seventh seed Arthur Fils in just his second tour-level match. Fonseca, who became the first player born in 2006 to win an ATP Tour match with his commanding victory in his hometown, fell to his knees and put his head in his hands after securing a famous win.
“I am so happy. It couldn’t be better than this to get my first win 10 minutes away from my house and with all my friends, all my family watching,” said the Brazilian, who beat Cristian Garin in his next match before falling to Mariano Navone in the quarter-finals. “It’s very special… I was focused on making every ball. Obviously, I was nervous, I was shaking, but I wanted so much to win, I made it.”
The quality of opponent Fonseca had beaten was only emphasised across the rest of 2024, when Fils lifted ATP 500 crowns in Hamburg and Tokyo and rose to a career-high No. 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The pair may even meet again before 2024 is done, with Fonseca (now at a career-high No. 145 himself) joining Fils in the lineup for December’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.
3) Shanghai QF: Machac d. Alcaraz 7-6(5), 7-5
Carlos Alcaraz was on a late-season 12-match tear that had seen him go unbeaten across the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage, the Laver Cup, and the bulk of the 2024 Asian swing. Then the No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings ran into Tomas Machac at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
The 24-year-old Czech had enjoyed an impressive season up to that point. He reached his maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final in March in Miami, upset Novak Djokovic en route to his maiden ATP Tour final in May in Geneva, and had returned to a joint career high of No. 33 in the PIF ATP Rankings ahead of Shanghai. Yet the way he blew away the in-form Alcaraz at the Chinese Masters 1000 was nonetheless something to behold.
Machac powered 20 winners past the Spaniard in the opening set alone, and later kept his cool to seal victory after Alcaraz reclaimed an early break in the second set. The Czech, who became the fourth lowest-ranked semi-finalist in Shanghai tournament history, had given another reminder of his potential to push further towards the top of the game.
“I knew that the level of my tennis would be great because I am playing the best right now, for sure,” said Machac, who finished his season at a career-high World No. 25. “I beat Tommy Paul [in my] last match with an unbelievable performance. With these types of players, I have to play this level otherwise it’s 6-2, 6-3 [and] you go home, there is no other option. I am happy I managed to play like this for two sets.”
2) Doha QF: Mensik d. Rublev 6-4, 7-6(6)
Jakub Mensik’s emergence as one the ATP Tour’s brightest talents has happened gradually across the past 18 months. Yet it was arguably his maiden Top 5 win, clinched in style against Andrey Rublev at February’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open, that cemented his status as a bona fide star in the making.
The 18-year-old Mensik downed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and former World No. 1 Andy Murray in Doha to reach his maiden ATP Tour quarter-final. His next opponent, Rublev, was the owner of an impressive record at the ATP 250: he reached the final there on debut in 2018 before winning the trophy in 2020. Competing as the World No. 5 and top seed, Rublev was undoubtedly the favourite in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with a #NextGenATP star.
As it was, Mensik had no trouble bringing his huge game to one of the biggest matches of his young career. The Czech, who used a Next Gen Accelerator Programme wild card to gain entry into the event, saved all six break points he faced in the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and sealed a straight-sets victory that guaranteed his rise into the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time.
“It’s just been an incredible week from the beginning. I played very well and I knew I could play with the big players,” said Mensik, who reached the final in Doha before falling to Karen Khachanov. “It’s an amazing feeling to reach the semi-finals after beating those good players.”
1) Indian Wells R3: Nardi d. Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Luca Nardi may have felt he had already ‘won’ simply by setting a third-round clash with World No. 2 Novak Djokovic at the BNP Paribas Open. After losing in qualifying, the Italian was granted a main-draw spot as a lucky loser, immediately capitalised by defeating Zhang Zhizhen for his first Top 50 win, and then set about preparing to take on his childhood idol Djokovic in the third round.
Things only got better from there for Nardi in Indian Wells. Competing as the World No. 123, he stunned the tennis world by sinking the five-time champion in a see-saw battle in Tennis Paradise. The 20-year-old outhit Djokovic by 16 winners to two in the final set to snap Djokovic’s 11-match winning streak at Masters 1000 events.
Nardi was just the ninth player from outside the Top 100 to defeat a Top 2 opponent since 2015. His shock win helped him surge into the Top 100 for the first time after Indian Wells, while it also made his name instantly familiar with tennis fans the world over.
“I think that before this night no one knew me,” Nardi said after recording just his fifth tour-level match win. “I hope that the crowd enjoyed the game. I’m super happy with this one.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The ATP today published the 2024 year-end PIF ATP Rankings on ATPTour.com with Jannik Sinner finishing as ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF for the first time.
The Italian began his season by winning his first major title at the Australian Open and never looked back. In June he became the first player from his country to reach World No. 1 in the history of the PIF ATP Rankings (since 1973) and has not relinquished it since.
The likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev pushed the 23-year-old throughout the season, but Sinner remained undeterred. He claimed eight tour-level titles — including his first two majors (Australian Open and US Open) and the Nitto ATP Finals trophy — en route to a dominant year-end finish.
Sinner entered the 2024 season at World No. 4 and with 10 titles to his name. He nearly doubled that total in one season with his Tour-leading eight crowns, earning three ATP Masters 1000 triumphs (Miami, Cincinnati and Shanghai), and emerging victorious at two ATP 500 events (Rotterdam and Halle).
This is Sinner’s 26th week at World No. 1, which places him 17th among the 29 players who have joined the prestigious ATP No. 1 Club. Last season’s ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF, Novak Djokovic, was World No. 1 until Sinner took the mantle in June.
Djokovic extended his record for weeks at the top to 428. This is the Serbian’s 17th appearance in the Top 10 of the year-end PIF ATP Rankings, putting him third behind only Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (18 each).
No. 3 Alcaraz is the third player to finish in the top three on three occasions before turning 22. The other two are Bjorn Borg (1974-77) and Nadal (2005-07). The Spaniard won Roland Garros and Wimbledon to become the youngest man to claim major glory on all three surfaces (hard, clay and grass).
No. 1 Sinner, No. 2 Zverev and No. 4 Taylor Fritz all finished at a career-high year-end PIF ATP Ranking. Zverev became just the third German to end a season in the top two, joining Boris Becker and Michael Stich.
It was a season of breakthroughs for Fritz, who is the first American to finish in the top four since James Blake ended the 2006 season in the same spot. Fritz reached his maiden major final at the US Open and advanced to the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time.
No. 5 Daniil Medvedev has earned a top five finish in five of the past six seasons. He reached the Australian Open final, marking the fourth straight year in which he has advanced to a Grand Slam championship match.
Alex de Minaur is the lone new face in the year-end Top 10 after climbing to a career-high No. 6 in July. He became the first Australian player to crack the Top 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings since Lleyton Hewitt did so in 2000. It is the second straight year in which only one player has broken into the Top 10 for the first time (Frances Tiafoe in 2023).
Two players returned to the year-end Top 10: No. 6 Casper Ruud (third appearance) and No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov (second appearance). The seven years between Dimitrov’s appearances (2017 to 2024) marks the biggest gap between year-end Top 10 finishes in PIF ATP Rankings history.
Seventeen players in the year-end Top 20 have qualified for or competed in the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in their careers. Two of the top three, World No. 1 Sinner (2019) and World No. 3 Alcaraz (2021), won the title.
2024 YEAR-END PIF ATP RANKINGS TOP 10
1) Jannik Sinner – Becomes first Italian to earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. Has not relinquished top spot since claiming it on 10 June.
2) Alexander Zverev – Finishes in the year-end Top 2 for the first time, becoming the first German to do so since Michael Stich in 1993.
3) Carlos Alcaraz – Finishes in year-end Top 3 for the third consecutive season.
4) Taylor Fritz – Climbs to career-high No. 4, becoming the fifth American this century to end a season in the top five. He joined Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and James Blake on the list.
5) Daniil Medvedev – Secures fifth year-end Top 5 placement, with them all coming since 2019.
6) Casper Ruud – Returns to year-end Top 10 after ending 2023 at No. 11.
7) Novak Djokovic – Claims 17th year-end Top 10 finish, secures Olympic gold medal at Paris Olympics. The 37-year-old is the third-oldest player to finish in the Top 10 behind Ken Rosewall (1973-75) and Federer (2019-20).
8) Andrey Rublev – Maintains consistency, ending season in Top 10 for fifth consecutive year.
9) Alex de Minaur – Cracks the year-end Top 10, first Australian to do so since Lleyton Hewitt was No. 4 in 2005.
10) Grigor Dimitrov – Returns to the year-end Top 10 for the first time since 2017, when he was No. 3.
2024 Year-End PIF ATP Rankings Quick Facts
The 2025 ATP Tour season begins on 27 December 2024 with the 18-country United Cup, which will take place across Australia in Perth and Sydney.
View Full 2024 Year-End PIF ATP Rankings
The 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF will award a tournament-record $2.05 million in prize money at the 20-and-under event, which will be played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 18-22 December.
If the champion at this year’s tournament lifts the trophy with an undefeated record, he will earn $526,480.
Three matches at this year’s Next Gen ATP Finals will be worth more than $100,000. Each semi-final victory will be worth $113,500 and the championship match will yield the winner $153,000. The participation fee for each player at the event is $150,000.
[ATP APP]Prize Money
| Alternate | $15,000 |
| Participation Fee | $150,000 |
| Round-Robin Match Win | $36,660 |
| Semi-Final Win | $113,500 |
| Final Win | $153,000 |
| Undefeated Champion | $526,480 |
Sebastian Korda is making the most of his time off the court by diving back into his favourite hobbies.
The 24-year-old, alongside sister and LPGA No. 1 Nelly Korda, attended the Tampa Bay Lightning game on Saturday evening. Avid hockey fan Korda, who grew up playing the sport and often spends time with NHL players, was invited to crank the team’s Tesla Coils before the match.
[ATP APP]Korda underwent elbow surgery in October and has not played since his second-round defeat to Tomas Machac at the US Open. The American has, however, been enjoying his recovery time away from the court.
In November, Florida native Korda paid a surprise visit to The Annika LPGA event to watch his sister Nelly claim the title, marking the first time he has been able to watch her win a tournament in person.
<img alt=”Sebastian Korda, Nelly Korda” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/12/02/10/11/korda-korda-lpga-trophy-2024.jpg?w=100%25″ />Sebastian Korda celebrates sister Nelly Korda’s triumph at The Annika LPGA tournament. (Photo Credit: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
After collecting his maiden ATP 500 title at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in August, Korda rose to a career high of No. 15 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Yet his 2024 season was cut short through injury following his US Open campaign.
With a 31-19 record in 2024, according to Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Korda will be eager to build some momentum upon return to action in 2025.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro pays an emotional goodbye to tennis after a farewell exhibition against Novak Djokovic.
The conclusion to Tennis Scotland’s season will be shown live by BBC Scotland from Scotstoun Community Indoor Tennis Centre.
“It’s a long love story that you and I have…”
Grigor Dimitrov is one of the most thoughtful players on the ATP Tour and that showed in his ‘Love Letter to Tennis’.
[ATP APP]The former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings took fans back to his beginnings in the start and explained how his relationship with tennis has evolved over time.
How many times has the sport broken the Bulgarian’s heart? Learn that and much more in the full feature below.
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To mark the end of another thrilling season, ATPTour.com is unveiling our annual ‘Best Of’ series, which will reflect on the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and more. Today, we are looking at the best Grand Slam matches of the year.
The game’s biggest stars shined bright on the Grand Slam stage this season, with the best-of-five-set format serving up a slew of memorable matches in 2024. Each of the dramatic encounters listed below went the distance, with twists and turns throughout each of the five frames.
There were plenty of matches to choose from, with standout encounters like Daniil Medvedev’s Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev (read more) just missing out.
Wins for Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe feature in our selection of top major matches, with Sinner, Alcaraz and Tiafoe all appearing twice.
[ATP APP]5) US Open R3, Frances Tiafoe d. Ben Shelton, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3
Almost one year to the day after their electric 2023 US Open quarter-final encounter, Americans Tiafoe and Shelton produced another classic at their home major. In an Arthur Ashe Stadium battle of top servers, it was Tiafoe’s returning and net play that made the difference in this match of razor-thin margins.
After three sets, the scoreboard looked similar to 2023: Shelton won the first and third sets, taking the latter in a tense tie-break. But the sets were closer in the sequel, and Tiafoe felt the tennis was better, too.
Avenging his previous New York defeat and a three-set loss in April’s Houston final, Tiafoe carved out 21 break points against the electric Shelton serve, with that number nearly matching the lefty’s ace count. Tiafoe converted five — one in each set — on his way to his second US Open semi-final appearance.
“Since I’ve been on Tour, today was probably the best that anyone has returned my serve that I have seen,” Shelton said. “From early in the match, there was one where I went big out wide, like 130 [mph], and he cracked it down the line clean, hit the baseline, and I was, like, ‘Oh, one of those days.'”
“I think the level was a lot higher this year than we played last year, throughout the five sets,” he said.
It was not just about the tennis, either. The clash felt like a spectacle, with the fans inside the world’s biggest tennis-only stadium thrilled throughout. Even in defeat, Shelton could not help but smile as he approached the net to greet Tiafoe.
<img alt=”Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/27/05/08/tiafoe-shelton-us-open-2024.jpg?h=1280&w=1920″ />
Photo credit: Al Bello/Getty Images
4) Wimbledon R3, Carlos Alcaraz d. Frances Tiafoe, 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2
Two of the game’s greatest entertainers combined for one of the must-see matches of the 2024 season. Competing for the first time since their five-set epic in the 2022 US Open semi-finals, Alcaraz and Tiafoe once again went the distance in a show-stopping affair on Wimbledon’s Centre Court. Like in New York, Alcaraz emerged victorious and went on to lift the title.
Tiafoe had been slumping entering Wimbledon, but with nothing to lose against the Spanish defending champion, he hit fearlessly off both baseline wings to build a two-sets-to-one lead. At 4-4 in the fourth set, Tiafoe threatened at 0/30 but could not make the crucial breakthrough. Instead, Alcaraz took back control of the match by racing to a 5/0 lead in the ensuing tie-break.
The American opened the deciding set with a confident hold, but Alcaraz cruised through five straight games to stop Tiafoe’s upset bid.
“It is always a big challenge playing against Frances,” Alcaraz said. “He is a really talented player and tough to face. We saw it once again that he deserves to be at the top and deserves to fight for big things. It was really difficult for me to adapt my game, find solutions and try to put him in trouble, but I am really happy to do it at the end of the match.”
<img alt=”Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/27/05/06/alcaraz-tiafoe-wimbledon-2024.jpg” />
Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images
3) Roland Garros SF, Carlos Alcaraz d. Jannik Sinner, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
In what he called one of the toughest matches of his career, Alcaraz outlasted Sinner in a battle of attrition on Court Philippe-Chatrier. On the way to his first Roland Garros title, the Spaniard twice surged back from a set down and overcame a slow start that saw him trail 4-0 in the opening set.
“You have to find the joy suffering,” said Alcaraz, who dominated the winner count (65-39) but won two fewer points than the Italian (145-147). “That is the key, even more here on clay at Roland Garros. Long rallies, four-hour matches, five sets. You have to fight, you have to suffer — but as I told my team, you have to enjoy suffering.”
Sinner struggled with cramp midway though the third set but still found a way to take a two-sets-to-one lead, breaking serve immediately after receiving treatment. There were 10 breaks in the first three sets, but neither man could create a single break point in the fourth until Alcaraz broke through in its final game to force a decider. The Spaniard kept his foot firmly on the pedal to start set five, winning the first three games to cash in on his momentum.
As both players struggled to find their very best tennis for sustained stretches, this was a battle of heart and will as much as it was a test of skill. The drama continued until the final ball, with Alcaraz fighting through deuce in each of his last three service games. On his third match point, he sealed his place in the final.
2) Australian Open Final: Jannik Sinner d. Daniil Medvedev, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
Known for thinking through matches like a chess player, Medvedev knows a thing or two about opening gambits. The all-out attack he sprung from the first ball of this Grand Slam final was one of the more surprising tactical moves of the season, and the unconventional approach took the third seed to the brink of his first Australian Open title.
“I was expecting something different from his side,” Sinner said. “So I had this feeling that he might come out a little bit more aggressive. But not this aggressive.”
Medvedev had played three five-setters on the way to the final and decided to let it rip in an effort to shorten points. The typically methodical baseliner unleashed the aggressive side of his game in the first two sets.
With Sinner searching for answers, Medvedev fought to deuce on return at 4-4 in set three. But Sinner survived that game then broke for the first time in the match to snatch the set, flipping the match on its head. Medvedev created another break chance at 3-3 in the fourth, but again Sinner escaped before closing out the set with a break in its 10th game.
The Italian pulled back in the rallies as the match wore on, inviting lengthier exchanges as he shifted the direction of the match with patience and poise. He finished as a worthy winner, and his first Grand Slam title paved the way for a historic season that saw him debut at World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the first time.
<img alt=”Jannik Sinner” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/01/28/13/03/sinner-australian-open-2024-sunday-final-celebration-zoom.jpg” />
Photo credit: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
1) Roland Garros R3: Novak Djokovic d. Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
The first of two consecutive comeback, five-set wins for Djokovic, this third-round thriller twisted and turned late into the early morning hours in Paris. The Serbian started well and, after leading by a break early in set two, had a set point on serve in the second-set tie-break. But the complexion of the match quickly changed when Musetti rattled off three straight points to level at one set all. Though midnight had already struck, the 25th-seeded Italian continued what could have been a Cinderella story with a dominant third set.
Musetti’s majestic one-handed backhand began to get the better of Djokovic’s rock-solid two-hander, and the Italian was firmly in the ascendency entering set four. Both players used every bit of Court Philippe-Chatrier, mixing in a steady stream of drop shots and angled attacks that kept the crowd entertained until a record-late finish at 3:07 a.m., breaking the event’s latest previous finish of 1:25 a.m.
“It didn’t feel great playing him that third set [and] at [the] beginning of the fourth,” Djokovic said. “The crowd definitely got me going. I really needed that push, I really needed that energy. At two-all in the fourth, they start chanting my name and I just felt a great new wave of willpower and energy. And I think I was a different player from that moment onwards. I think from that moment I probably lost only one game the rest of the match.”
The one-sided ending was reminiscent of Djokovic’s five-set win against Musetti at Roland Garros in 2021. In their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, the Serbian stormed back from two sets down, winning 16 of the last 17 games before Musetti retired late in the fifth set. On this occasion, the Italian soldiered on but could not stop Djokovic from crossing the finish line after four hours, 29 minutes of memorable all-court action.
“That was perhaps the best match I ever played here,” Djokovic added, addressing the crowd in French. “The most exciting. Thank you so much. And now, who’s going to sleep? It’s impossible to sleep now with all this adrenaline. If you’re going to celebrate, I’m coming too!”
<img alt=”Novak Djokovic celebrates his five-set comeback win after 3:00 a.m. win over Lorenzo Musetti.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/06/02/01/32/djokovic-roland-garros-2024-saturday-2.jpg?h=1080&w=1920″ />
Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images
As the 2024 season draws to a close, it is time to reflect on the epic battles and career-defining performances that will stay etched in fans’ memories for years to come.
At the heart of the action were some of the Tour’s standout performers across the year: Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz. As part of our annual season-in-review series, ATPTour.com counts down the finest ATP Tour matches of 2024.
[ATP APP]5) United Cup F, Zverev d. Hurkacz 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-4
Donning their country’s colours can often ignite a player’s best tennis. Just ask Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz, who produced a show-stopping clash in the final of this year’s innovative United Cup.
Zverev, requiring a win to keep Germany alive, rallied from the brink of defeat to overcome Hurkacz and send the final into a decisive mixed doubles rubber. Facing championship points at 4/6 in the second-set tie-break, Zverev pulled off a flicked forehand passing shot that caught the outer edge of the sideline by millimetres. It proved a pivotal moment in the match. He reeled off three further points to turn it on its head.
“I have absolutely no idea [how I won],” said Zverev. “I saved a match point by hitting a passing shot this much on the line, so this is how tennis goes sometimes. You win and lose by millimetres and today I was lucky enough in a way.”
In a match decided by the finest of margins, it was Zverev who held his nerve to secure a vital win. The German would later return to the court with partner Laura Siegemund to seal the title with another stunning victory, kickstarting his 2024 year in emphatic fashion.
4) Hamburg F, Fils d. Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1)
A title clash between the home favourite and one of the Tour’s brightest prospects was always destined to produce drama, wasn’t it? In the Hamburg final, Zverev’s greater experience and vocal home support did not prove to be enough as Arthur Fils delivered a stunning performance to secure his maiden ATP 500 crown.
In the dying embers of a fiery, three-and-a-half-hour battle, Fils was daring enough to attempt an underarm serve facing a break point at 5-5, which electrified the German crowd under the closed roof. That crucial break point was one of 21 that the #NextGenATP star saved throughout the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats, before he dominated the decisive tie-break to seal the win.
“When we closed the roof I knew it was going to be just a fight,” said Fils. “You just have to fight until the last point, until the last ball. I think that [I’ve been] practising for this kind of moment for a long time so I’m really happy to win it.”
Fils’ gritty triumph against the then No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings – the biggest of his career – proved to be a catalyst for a stellar run of form at ATP 500 level. Including his titles in Hamburg and Tokyo, the Frenchman won 13 consecutive matches to clinch the ATP 500 Bonus Pool.
3) Monte-Carlo SF, Tsitsipas d. Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
When it comes to the Rolex Monte-Carlos Masters, Stefanos Tsitsipas rarely puts a foot wrong. In the semi-finals this year, the two-time champion in the Principality found a fitting way to record his first win over a Top 3 opponent since 2022 when he outlasted Jannik Sinner in a high-quality clash.
Their two-hour, 40-minute match was defined by gruelling baseline exchanges, which were forced to end through moments of brilliance. Both Tsitsipas and Sinner fired 27 winners, but it was the former who reeled off four consecutive games from 2-4 in the deciding set to complete an epic comeback.
“It was tennis at its highest level that I have been able to play,” said Tsitsipas. “Jannik was an extremely difficult opponent and it can be seen throughout the year so far. He has been very consistent and I could see that throughout today with his game.”
Tsitsipas would go on to defeat Casper Ruud in the championship match to clinch his third title at the ATP Masters 1000 event, becoming just the fifth player to achieve this feat (after Nadal, Borg, Muster and Nastase).
2) Cincinnati SF, Sinner d. Zverev 7-6(9), 5-7, 7-6(4)
Sinner was heading into his semi-final encounter in Cincinnati with former champion Zverev having lost each of their previous four Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, but the Italian battled through a hip niggle to secure a thrilling victory.
In a pendulum-swinging, three-hour, seven-minute clash, which featured rain in the first set, Sinner displayed remarkable resilience to cross the line. Zverev let slip a break lead in the first set as well as two set points in the tie-break before Sinner took the lead.
Despite Sinner’s edge, little separated the two and the German fought back with light fading in Cincinnati. Sinner summoned the energy to unleash a forehand return winner to bring up two match points in the deciding-set tie-break, which he converted on the second attempt.
“Sometimes you have to play a bit with the gut feeling, and I think this today was my strength,” said Sinner, who went on to clinch his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title with his triumph over Frances Tiafoe in the final. “[There were] some ups and downs, which can happen, especially when you play [for] more than three hours. It was a good match, I think for both of us.”
1) Beijing F, Alcaraz d. Sinner 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3)
With the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner already brimming with spectacular encounters, the Beijing final was yet another testament to the stature of their duel. Through a high-quality display of bruising ball-striking paired with exquisite feel at the net, the two young stars pushed each other to their limits.
Sinner had established himself as the standout contender on hard courts in 2024, but Alcaraz proved a stubborn obstacle for the Italian, who won their two previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings. Eager to spoil Sinner’s 16-match winning streak, Alcaraz’s nerve and skill came to the fore in a breathtaking showdown.
After clawing back from a set deficit and letting slip a break lead in the final set, it seemed the final was becoming further out of reach for Alcaraz, who trailed 0/3 in the decisive tie-break. Yet the Spaniard had other ideas, stringing together seven consecutive points to seal a gutsy three-hour, 21-minute victory – the longest match in tournament history.
“I never lost hope,” said Alcaraz. “Honestly I knew that [when I started it] that every tie-break Jannik plays is almost to his side. I thought that in the third set, I’m not going to lie, three-love down, two mini breaks for him. So I didn’t lose hope, but I thought, ‘Okay, I have to give everything that I have just to try to give myself the opportunity to be close.’”
With the triumph Alcaraz took a 6-4 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, marking the first time either of them had won three consecutive matches against the other. Sinner’s defeat to Alcaraz in Beijing, however, proved to be his sole loss in 27 matches from Cincinnati onwards in a stellar end to the 2024 season.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]