5. Felix Auger-Aliassime
A few years ago, he was ripping the ball, to the right, and to the left. He was quite quick. However, he stared to slip, as he was occasionally hurt, but he lost himself. Yet during the summer, he became more consistent on hardcourts when he reached into the semis at the US Open, and he tried to chop down Jannik Sinner. While it was close, he didn’t have more depth. Yes, he can try to hit deep shots, but his return and at the new serve isn’t yet phenomenal. Next year the Canadian will try to win a Slam for the first time. A lot of people want to, but he knows that the opportunity is right there. He has to prove it.
4. Novak Djokovic
Fans really believe that he is the best player,ever. Maybe he is, given that the Serbian has won 24 Grand Slams, which is remarkable. His heavy serve, his much improved forehand, his amazing backhand, crosscourt, returning deep, and improved touch at the net. He has won 101 titles — way up there — and 1,161 wins. Is that enough? No, as next year, assuming he is healthy, he will continue to win more tournaments. Not so much when you get older, and he is 38-years-old, so he is a little bit slower, and there is nothing you can do about it. At the US Open, he looked good, but however, in the semis, Carlos Alcaraz was faster and more lethal. In January, he will go to the Australian Open, where he won it 11 times. Can he do it again? Maybe, 50-50. “In terms of playing ability there is nothing to choose between No. 1 and 100,” Djokovic said. “Instead, it’s a question of who believes and who wants it more? Which player is mentally stronger? Which player is going to fight the hardest in the big points? These are the things that determine who is the champion.”
3. Alexander Zverev
Will he win a Slam next year? The German has been close at hardcourts and the clay. He has played so many long matches. He tries variety and can crush the ball. However, there are times in the matches when he isn’t rational much, because he is thinking about his life. Yes, he is really into it, and others, he wants to go home. Regardless, when he can bash the ball, both sides, then he looks terrific. But this year, all the top players beat Zverev, like Sinner did in the final of the Aussie Open. It was somewhat close, but Zverev couldn’t win it. Next year, the 28-year-old has to boom up again.
2. Jannik Sinner
In 2023, the Italian was perpendicular up and down. Same. Thing. But by 2024, he became totally on fire, winning the Australian Open, Wimbledon and, in the fall, Beijing, Austria, the ATP Masters 1000 Paris, and the ATP Finals in Turin beating Carlos Alcaraz. He is very tall and he can bend down and tag it, down the line and crosscourt. He can hit it quite flat, and spin it, too. His first serve is huge and he has astronomical athleticism. However, he can overthink it, and he can also be predictable. He has won four Slams. The 24-year-old can win again in 2025, but if he has to solve Alcaraz, somehow. If so, he will be No. 1 again. But he may not, unless he can enhance his slice, his return and net game. Yet he will do anything you have to do in order to get something great.
1. Carlos Alcaraz
The Spaniard will go to practice even more to improve his volleys. Just like all the great players, month after month, they will think about it a lot. His forehand and his backhand are not only sizable, but he can be patient, mix it up, touch it and slam it. The reason why he is No. 1 is because he can practice for many hours, just like with former champion Rafa Nadal. Alcaraz can return deep from way back, and as he wants to rally for a while. Or, he can just hit it as hard as he can. He was hurt in 2024, so when he returned in the Aussie Open, he wasn’t quite there. But day after day, he became gradually better, winning Monte-Carlo, Rome, and at Roland Garros, in the final, as he edged Sinner 7-6 in the fifth set, a classic match. Right after that at Wimbledon, Sinner came up to beat Alcaraz 6-4 in the fourth set. Those two are dominating, going to the Slam finals. At the US Open, Alcaraz beat 6-4 in the fourth. Now, and intense rivalry, 10-6 for the Spaniard versus the Italian. It will go on for years, just like Nadal versus Djokovic. Sinner said: “I think that we have a good friendship also off the court [with Alcaraz.]. It’s something great to see. We see that this is possible, it’s not like you have to be enemies also off the court. Of course we are enemies when we step on the court, we try to play our best tennis. But it ends there. After the handshake, everything is fine again.”