Tennis News

Draper, Machac, Mpetshi Perricard, Tabilo up for Most Improved in 2024 ATP Awards

A tennis player is never finished fine-tuning their game. Our four Most Improved Player of the Year nominees in the 2024 ATP Awards took it to another level this season in their pursuit of greatness.

Jack Draper, Tomas Machac, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Alejandro Tabilo showed big performance boosts throughout the year and made significant jumps in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Nominees for Most Improved Player of the Year are determined by an International Tennis Writers’ Association (ITWA) vote. The winner is selected by players from the shortlist and will be announced during ATP Awards week, starting Monday, 9 December.

Jack Draper
British No. 1 Draper, who will turn 23 on 22 December, broke through this season with his first two career titles this season in Stuttgart and Vienna. After injury struggles in 2023, he rose to a career-high PIF ATP Ranking of No. 15 behind those two trophies, beating Matteo Berrettini and Karen Khachanov, respectively, in the finals. One week after his triumph in Austria, he celebrated with a Top 10 win against Taylor Fritz at the Rolex Paris Masters.

“I’ve had a lot of tough moments but I’ve always tried to stay strong,” Draper told ATPTour.com after claiming his maiden tour-level crown. “I think it shows my love for tennis and the amazing people I have around me to push me to keep on persevering and keep on moving forward.”

Draper set the tone for the 2024 season by reaching the Adelaide final in his first tournament of the year. He broke into the Top 50 by February and reached the Acapulco semi-finals in his first event as part of that group. The Briton finished the season with a 39-22 record.

Tomas Machac
Machac climbed 53 places in the PIF ATP Rankings this season to end the year as the World No. 25. The 24-year-old reached his first tour-level final in May in Geneva and also made two deep runs at the ATP Masters 1000 level, reaching the Miami quarter-finals and the Shanghai semis

At all three events, he left superstars in his wake. He beat Andrey Rublev and Andy Murray in Miami, Novak Djokovic in Geneva, and Tommy Paul and Carlos Alcaraz in succession in Shanghai.

“I knew that the level of my tennis would be great because I am playing [my] best right now, for sure,” he said after stunning Alcaraz in two tight sets. That October victory made him the fourth lowest-ranked semi-finalist in Shanghai history.

“I am really enjoying it and am happy that I can play against the best,” added Machac, who entered the Top 25 immediately following that run.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
The Frenchman’s first title came in storybook fashion, two months before his 21st birthday. In his hometown of Lyon, he saved a match point against Tomas Martin Etcheverry and ultimately won a third-set tie-break for the trophy.

“It means a lot. A lot of dedication, a lot of hard training, a lot of questions about my game,” Mpetshi Perricard said after his victory. “But I’m very happy to win this one in Lyon especially, my hometown.”

He backed up that performance with a second title in Basel in October, which lifted him to a high of No. 30 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Proving he belongs at that elite level, the big-serving Frenchman earned five Top 30 wins across his two title runs, including straight-sets wins against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Holger Rune and Ben Shelton at the Basel ATP 500 in October. He also beat Frances Tiafoe at the Rolex Paris Masters, closing out his season back on home soil.

Alejandro Tabilo
Tabilo’s rise of 62 places in the PIF ATP Rankings this season is the most among players in the Top 30. The Chilean hit a career-high of World No. 19 in July and finished the year inside the Top 25 after starting it at No. 85.

After winning his first tour-level title in Auckland to start the season, he shared some of the key improvements that led to his milestone moment at the hard-court event.

“As a player I think lately I’ve learned more about how well I can play with counter-attacking, with how aggressive I can be,” he said. “I think my serve has been improving a lot more and it’s been a big help. I think as an overall player I have become a little bit more aggressive, which has helped me a lot.”

Those weapons would help Tabilo earn a second title on Mallorca’s grass courts and reach the final on the clay of Santiago. With success on all three surfaces, the 27-year-old showcased another improvement: his versatility.

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#NextGenATP Basavareddy turns pro: 'Living out my childhood dream'

#NextGenATP American Nishesh Basavareddy is turning pro, he announced on Instagram Thursday.

Basavareddy spent two years at Stanford University, where he was a two-time ITA All-American and qualified for the ATP Next Gen Accelerator both seasons. The World No. 138 in the PIF ATP Rankings will forgo his remaining college eligibility.

“Since I started playing tennis at three years old, it’s been my dream to be a pro tennis player. Thanks to the support from my friends, family, coaches, Stanford family, and the USTA, I can live out my childhood dream,” Basavareddy wrote on Instagram. “With that being said, I will be forgoing my NCAA eligibility to play pro tennis. Looking forward to what the future holds.”

The teenager will soon be in action at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which runs from 18-22 December in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Basavareddy is one of three Americans to qualify for this year’s edition of the 20-and-under event, alongside Alex Michelsen and Learner Tien.

Basavareddy began this season at World No. 457 before making a splash on the ATP Challenger Tour. The American won two Challenger titles and reached four additional finals at that level. He tallied a 41-13 match record, becoming just the third American in Challenger history (since 1978) to earn more than 40 wins in a single season. Tristan Boyer, another former Stanford player, also accomplished the feat this year.

Stanford’s men’s tennis head coach Paul Goldstein, a former Top 60 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, looks forward to watching Basavareddy continue his rise.

“Nishesh is a special young man whose successes on the tennis court are a tribute to his unique talent, highly disciplined work ethic and sheer passion for our sport,” Goldstein said. “More importantly, he and his family are thoughtful, gracious, and wonderful people.

“Nishesh is truly realising a lifelong dream by pursuing his professional tennis career and I could not imagine being happier for someone that I am for him. Nishesh will always have a home at Stanford and will have our entire community enthusiastically behind him.”

Born in Newport Beach, California, Basavareddy and his family moved to central Indiana when Nishesh was eight years old. Basavareddy instantly connected with former doubles No. 1 and Indiana-native Rajeev Ram at a tennis camp led by their mutual coach Bryan Smith. The #NextGenATP teen, who was a practise partner at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals, has since regarded Ram as a mentor.

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Kyrgios to make Grand Slam return in Australia

After a series of injuries, Nick Kyrgios uses his protected ranking to secure a place in the main draw of January’s Australian Open.

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Cilic’s emotional note to Del Potro: ‘Your legacy is secure’

Marin Cilic sent his heartfelt regards to former rival Juan Martin del Potro on social media Wednesday.

The former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings officially bid farewell to the sport last weekend during an exhibition match at Parque Roca in Buenos Aires, where he faced 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. He also played his final ATP Tour match in the Argentine capital at the 2022 IEB+ Argentina Open.

“So many farewells this year, and while they are bittersweet for us tennis enthusiasts, they are also a celebration of all that you guys have achieved,” Cilic shared on X.

“Congratulations on all your incredible accomplishments, for realizing your dreams, and for inspiring so many with your journey.”

Dear Juan Martin,
So many farewells this year, and while they are bittersweet for us tennis enthusiasts, they are also a celebration of all that you guys have achieved.
I’m truly happy that you had the farewell you deserve, at home, alongside @DjokerNole, who showed…
1/3

— Marin Cilic (@cilic_marin) December 4, 2024

The two players achieved their career milestones at the US Open, with Del Potro emerging victorious in 2009 and Cilic claiming the trophy in 2014. They played 13 times in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, with the Argentine winning 11 of those matches. The pair’s last meeting came at Roland Garros in 2018, which Del Potro won in four sets.

With that in mind, their mutual respect extends far beyond the court.

Del Potro, a 22-time tour-level titlist, sealed his career with a 439-174 record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

“While we can’t help but wonder what could have been if luck (and health) had been kinder to you, your legacy is secure as one of the greats,” Cilic said. “Wishing you all the best in everything that follows—you truly deserve it.”

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By The Numbers: 2024 ATP Challenger Tour

ATPTour.com reviews key facts and figures to remember from the 2024 ATP Challenger Tour season.

Ugo Carabelli Claims Most Match Wins
For the second consecutive year, an Argentine topped the Challenger match wins leaderboard. The 25-year-old Camilo Ugo Carabelli tallied a 49-16 season record, steering clear of second-placed Tristan Boyer, who went 44-23.

Ugo Carabelli claimed three titles, lifting the trophy in Piracicaba, Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Villa Maria. Last year’s match-wins leader was Ugo Carabelli’s countryman Francisco Comesana.

Dzumhur Dominates With Six Titles
The 32-year-old Damir Dzumhur enjoyed a resurgent year, collecting a season-leading six Challenger titles and returning to the Top 100 for the first time in four years. Dzumhur was unstoppable in Challenger finals, winning 12 of 13 sets contested across six title matches. The former World No. 23 in the PIF ATP Rankings triumphed in Barletta, Ostrava, Zagreb, Santo Domingo, Istanbul and Maia.

Dzumhur is one of seven players to win at least six crowns in a Challenger season, joining Tallon Griekspoor, Benjamin Bonzi, Sebastian Baez, Facundo Bagnis, Juan Ignacio Chela and Younes El Aynaoui.

<img alt=”Damir Dzumhur wins his second Challenger title of 2024 in Ostrava.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/04/29/21/15/dzumhur-ostravach-2024.jpg” />
^{Damir Dzumhur wins in Ostrava. Credit: Lukas Brezin}

Jacob Fearnley won four Challenger trophies, second most this season. The Briton went 27-3 this season on the Challenger circuit, including a 17-match winning streak from August to October.

Fearnley became just the third player to finish a season with a win percentage of 90 per cent or greater (min. 25 matches played). Guillermo Canas and Carlos Berlocq both registered 28-3 (90.3 per cent) records in 2006 and 2011, respectively.

Teen Titans
At 17 years, 11 months, Brazil’s Joao Fonseca became the youngest Challenger champion of 2024 with his triumph at the Lexington Challenger. Teenagers accounted for 17 titles this year, matching the most in a single season since 2017. Three #NextGenATP teens claimed more than one title: Learner Tien (3), Gabriel Debru (2) and Nishesh Basavareddy (2).

Biggest Movers To Top 100
The 23-year-old Fearnley, who graduated from Texas Christian University in May, made the biggest jump to the year-end Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings, soaring 539 spots to No. 99. This is the biggest jump to the year-end Top 100 since 2019, when Jannik Sinner rose 685 spots.

Title Leaders By Country
Players from 44 countries won a title this year. France again led the way with 24 trophies, just three shy of tying its record from last season. Frenchmen Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Benjamin Bonzi each claimed a hat-trick of trophies.

ATP Tour & Challenger Tour champions
Six players were crowned champion not only on the ATP Challenger Tour, but also the ATP Tour: Luciano Darderi, Alejandro Tabilo, Mpetshi Perricard, Arthur Fils, Nuno Borges and Benjamin Bonzi.

Tabilo, Mpetshi Perricard and Fils won two tour-level titles. Mpetshi Perricard, 21, is the first player in a decade to win multiple ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour titles in a season. David Goffin and Pablo Cuevas both achieved the feat in 2014.

ATP Challenger 175 Events
Five different champions were featured at Challenger 175 events, the highest category at that level. Nuno Borges successfully defended his Phoenix title by downing Matteo Berrettini in the final. Alejandro Tabilo won in Aix-en-Provence while Mariano Navone triumphed in Cagliari. Navone ousted Lorenzo Musetti in the championship match, which was the first Challenger final since 2009 to feature a pair of Top 50 players.

Arthur Fils, first in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, won on home soil in Bordeaux, France. Italian Francesco Passaro lifted the trophy in Turin, where he defeated five Top 100 players en route to the title, becoming the first player to achieve that feat since Robin Soderling in 2009 (Sunrise).

Fast Facts

• Joel Schwaerzler became just the fourth player in Challenger history to lift a trophy while holding the ITF Junior No. 1 ranking. He joins Wu Yibing, Taylor Fritz and Nick Kyrgios as the only players to achieve the feat.
• At 18 years, 5 months, Rei Sakamoto became the third-youngest winner this year, with his title at the season-ending stop in Yokkaichi. He sits behind only Kei Nishikori as the youngest Japanese-born champion in Challenger history. Nishikori was just two months younger when he won in Bermuda in 2008.
• Vilius Gaubas became the youngest winner from Lithuania in Challenger history with his maiden title in Cordenons.
• Adolfo Daniel Vallejo became the first teenage winner from Paraguay with his maiden title in Sao Leopoldo.
• Hady Habib became the first champion from Lebanon in Challenger history with his victory in Temuco. 
• In 2002, Richard Gasquet became the second-youngest champion in Challenger history, winning in Montauban, France at age 16. This year, Gasquet claimed a slice of history on the other end of the age spectrum. His title in Cassis, at 38 years, two months, made him the third-oldest winner, behind Ivo Karlovic and Fernando Verdasco.
• Hugo Dellien and Murkel Dellien both won titles this year, becoming the seventh set of brothers to lift singles trophies in the same season.
• Alejandro Tabilo and Luca Nardi both defeated then-World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, becoming the first players to upset a World No. 1 and claim a Challenger title in the same season since Thanasi Kokkinakis in 2018.
• Georgia, Rwanda and Congo made their Challenger debuts in 2024, with the cities of Kachreti, Kigali and Brazzaville hosting tournaments for the first time. In total, 94 different countries/territories have welcomed a Challenger tournament in the history of the circuit.
• A single-season record 27 different players with college tennis experience won titles this year.
• The record for shortest completed final was set in Fairfield, where Learner Tien dispatched Bernard Tomic in just 39 minutes

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Henman raising money for disadvantaged youth; Murray & co. pitch in

Former British No. 1 Tim Henman participated in a 24-hour tennis challenge to raise funds for his eponymous foundation to support disadvantaged young people. The 11-time tour-level titlist played tennis from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on 30 November and 1 December at the Indoor Tennis Centre at the All England Club, Wimbledon.

“I feel very fortunate to have been given opportunities in my life. That is not the case for everybody,” Henman said. “Through our work at the THF we would like to provide as many sport and education opportunities for as many disadvantaged young people as possible. With today’s challenges, physical and mental health are more important than ever.”

In the 24th hour of the challenge, the former No. 4 player in the PIF ATP Rankings was joined by the two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.

“Managed to get back out on the tennis court for the last hour of Tim Henman 24-hour Tennis Challenge @wimbledon. I was terrible,” Murray jokingly captioned an Instagram picture, posing with Henman.

Henman was also joined by celebrities from the sports and entertainment world and supporters in each slot, including former cricketer Andrew Strauss. ATP and WTA stars Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu and broadcaster Laura Robson also made an appearance.

“Please donate to the Tim Henman Foundation Christmas Appeal. Any donations over £10 will be doubled and would be put in a prize draw to get a signed bag and racquet from myself,” Draper shared through the Tim Henman Foundation Instagram account.

The Tim Henman Foundation was relaunched in June 2015. According to the foundation’s official website, it is a “youth charity with the mission of transforming the lives of disadvantaged young people by creating sporting and educational opportunities as well as improving mental and physical health together with our partners”.

To learn more and contribute, click here.
The appeal closes on Tuesday, December 10.

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Longest US Open match in history headlines best Slam comebacks of 2024

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 relive the five best Grand Slam comebacks this season.

5) Australian Open R2, Daniil Medvedev d. Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6, 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-6(1), 6-0
With daybreak approaching in Melbourne, Daniil Medvedev avoided an early upset by rallying from two sets to love down, a position he would again win from in the semi-finals against Alexander Zverev.
It could have been easy for Medvedev to deflate after losing a topsy-turvy, 83-minute second set against Emil Ruusuvuori. But the 20-time tour-level titlist did just the opposite, clawing his way back to eventually win at 3:40 a.m.

“This one is for sure going to stay in my memory,” Medvedev said after the four-hour, 23-minute triumph.

The 28-year-old showed some early signs of backhand rust in his first tournament of the season. “I was missing all over the place,” he later assessed. But Medvedev matched the clean hitting of the Finn and raised his level in important moments, such as when he was two points from defeat at 4-5 in the fourth set.

Moments later, he raced through the fourth-set tie-break to level at two sets all and asserted his dominance in the decider as Ruusuvuori began to struggle physically.

Medvedev elected to use the same racquet from the third set onwards, instead of using the ball change as a reference to grab a new stick from his bag, the method of many players.

“I finally found one where I felt like I was playing better. Sometimes it is just something you create in your mind,” Medvedev said. “I stayed with this racquet. I started with it at the beginning of the third set and stayed with it until the end of the match.”

4) US Open R2, Jiri Lehecka d. Mitchell Krueger 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5
At the US Open, Jiri Lehecka was competing in just his second tournament since suffering a back injury in April in Madrid. It looked as if the lack of matches was catching up to the 22-year-old against American qualifier Mitchell Krueger.

The Czech dropped 11 consecutive games from 6-5 in the first set and in an instant, he was three games from exiting the season’s final major.

But the 32nd seed raised his aggression and heavy hitting, striking 67 winners across the match, to earn his first win from two sets to love down in one minute shy of four hours on a hot New York afternoon. Lehecka improved to 4-1 in five setters.

<img alt=”On a hot day in New York, Jiri Lehecka survives Mitchell Krueger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/27/17/19/lehecka-us-open-2024-krueger.jpg” />
^{Jiri Lehecka in action at Flushing Meadows. Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images}

3) Wimbledon R1, Thanasi Kokkinakis d. Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 5-7, 7-6(9), 6-4, 6-4
When it comes to five-set epics, Thanasi Kokkinakis is well versed. This season alone, the Australian played five matches at the majors that went the distance, and he came out on top in all but one. Against 17th-seed Felix Auger-Aliassime at Wimbledon, Kokkinakis raced to a 5/0 lead in the third-set tie-break but lost six points in a row to face match point. The Canadian let slip four match points in the tie-break, fuelling Kokkinakis’ two-sets-to-love-comeback, his second this season.

“I just do whatever it takes,” Kokkinakis said. “Obviously I would have rather done it easier, but I had a couple of lapses of concentration in the first two sets. I knew I was not too far away, but I just lost my focus.”

The work was far from finished after the dramatic tie-break. The first-round match was suspended due to darkness at 1-1 in the fourth set. Then, the 28-year-old overcame a nervy night of sleep, still one set from defeat.

After four hours and 38 minutes of play, and a handful of rain delays, Kokkinakis scored his first of two Top 20 wins this season (d. Tsitsipas, US Open R1). The Adelaide native lifted his arms in the air before pounding his chest with his racquet and cracking a large smile towards his box, which included former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt.

<img alt=”Thanasi Kokkinakis celebrates his epic Wimbledon first-round victory.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/27/17/36/kokkinakis-wimbledon-felix-2024.jpg” />
^{Thanasi Kokkinakis celebrates his epic Wimbledon first-round victory. Credit: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images}

2) Wimbledon R1, Tomas Machac d. David Goffin 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(5)
On the same day Kokkinakis completed his comeback, the London magic spread throughout the SW19 grounds. Tomas Machac rallied from 0-5 in the fifth set against David Goffin, marking the first comeback of that kind since 1993. It was a drastic change of events for Machac, who was originally scheduled to face Andy Murray on Centre Court before the former World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings’ withdrawal.

“This match will forever stay in mind,” Machac said. “I was still trying to play my game and I was believing that at least I could break him once, and let’s see what was going to happen after. I had the chances to break him for the second time in a row and I took the chance and completely turned the match to my side.”

The 23-year-old had his back against the wall for much of the match, which was contested over two days. Goffin led 6-3, 4-2 before play was suspended for the evening. After falling behind two sets to love, Machac trailed by a break on three separate occasions in the third set. Both men earned nine service breaks in the three-hour, 17-minute match.

Goffin later avenged the difficult Wimbledon loss with a straight-sets win against Machac in the US Open third round.

1) US Open R1, Daniel Evans d. Karen Khachanov 6-7(6), 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4
It was a summer of comebacks for Daniel Evans, who partnered Andy Murray at the Paris Olympics, where they remarkably fought off seven match points (five in the first round, two in the second round) to reach the quarter-finals in the Scot’s final event.

The 34-year-old Evans again featured in an unforgettable match at Flushing Meadows. He won the longest match in US Open history, a five-hour, 35-minute thriller against 23rd seed Karen Khachanov.

History is made at the US Open 🤯

5 HOURS AND 35 MINUTES. Dan Evans and Karen Khachanov… 👏@usopen | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/cbl3xtACfS

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 27, 2024

“It was a long, long battle. It was sort of who could last the longest in the end,” Evans said. “I just tried to scrape little by little. Each point I was obviously really struggling with my legs. On serve I was fine on return, so that gave me a bit of hope.”

For a moment, it seemed the clash would not make history. Khachanov surged to a 4-0 lead in the fifth set and earned four break points on Evans’ serve, but was unable to convert. The Court 6 crowd, raucous throughout, urged Evans back into the match and roared with delight when he finished off the match, during which all five sets lasted more than an hour. The third set was the longest at 72 minutes.

Entering the tournament, Evans owned just four tour-level match wins this season and had not defeated a Top 100 opponent since March in Miami. Highly regarded as one of the sport’s fiercest competitors, Evans fought, and fought some more, to improve to 5-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Khachanov, securing the biggest Grand Slam comeback of 2024.

“I think when you’re a kid, you’re just told to fight until the end. I mean, that’s sort of rule one,” Evans said. “I’ve done that pretty consistently for my career.”

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Journey To Jeddah: Prizmic's push

Dino Prizmic was on the up Down Under to start the 2024 season. The 19-year-old Croatian began his year inside the Top 200 of the PIF ATP Rankings and qualified for the Australian Open, where he took a set off his idol, Novak Djokovic. His fearless performance earned the praise of the 24-time Grand Slam champ, who said it felt like he was playing himself in the mirror.

“I was very happy to share the court with the best player in the world,” Prizmic said in filming for the ATP Tour’s Journey to Jeddah series. “Now I need to work a lot and need to improve every day to constantly play against the best players.”

The Croatian’s ascent stalled due to injuries this year, which led to him missing chunks of the season and falling short of qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. While he may not take the stage in Jeddah this season, Prizmic hopes to be a leading contender for the 20-and-under title next year.

“I’m a warrior on the court,” said the Croatian, making his ambitions clear. “I try to play every shot like it’s my last one.”

Prizmic was a footballer first, until his sister’s tennis inspired him to take the court. He was a natural from day one: “The coach said on the first day that I’m a good player and to just keep going,” he recalled. “Today I play tennis and I enjoy every moment on the court.”

He still incorporates football into his training, often warming up with football tennis. While his first sport was played on grass, the biggest result of his young career came on clay, when he won the 2023 Roland Garros boys’ singles title

This year, his best weeks have come on the ATP Challenger Tour, where he reached two semi-finals and made two additional quarter-final runs. Three of those deep runs came late in the season, after a US Open qualifying defeat.

That strong finish could provide the perfect on ramp for the 2025 PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.

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Alcaraz, Shelton recognised on court at New York Knicks game

Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton, on court together in New York.

It was not the tennis courts of the US Open that the ATP Tour stars graced on Tuesday night in the Big Apple, however. Instead, Alcaraz and Shelton were recognised alongside Hologic WTA Tour stars Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks were taking on the Orlando Magic in an NBA regular season game.

Alcaraz, who won major titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in 2024 and finished the year as No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, holds a 2-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead against Shelton. The second of those took place this year, when Alcaraz overcame the American in straight sets at the Laver Cup in Berlin.

The 22-year-old Shelton lifted his second ATP Tour title in April in Houston, and won personal-best 42 tour-level matches in 2024. The American and Alcaraz are in New York to participate in an exhibition on Wednesday evening at Madison Square Garden.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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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.

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.

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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