Social media images of the world’s finest tennis gamers taking long-haul flights down beneath, hitting the recognisable blue courts and posing with Australian wildlife imply one factor: the 2024 season is about to start.
A brand new 12 months brings new hopes and the chance of some new names – or newer when you have already been following – capturing the eye of a wider viewers.
With the assistance of British former world quantity 4 Greg Rusedski, BBC Sport picks out the younger stars to regulate in 2024…
‘Little doubt he is the true deal’ – the boys chasing Djokovic
Jannik Sinner, 22, Italy
Sinner is way from a brand new identify, after all.
Nevertheless, a surprising finish to the 2023 season – a ceiling-breaking ATP 1000 title in Toronto, important wins over the easiest and provoking Italy to Davis Cup victory – has introduced him to the forefront of dialog when discussing Grand Slam champions in 2024.
Together with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner is now thought-about probably the most prone to stand an opportunity of ending Novak Djokovic’s near-stranglehold on the most important prizes.
“No query about it, Sinner is the true deal. He is a kind of who you assume may win a serious in 2024, he is that good,” says Rusedski.
“I do not assume there will likely be a lapse or a let down from his high-quality finish to the season – he is too good, too skilled and too many instruments within the locker.
“I feel he is at all times had the idea he could possibly be among the many highest, however I am undecided he at all times had the instruments.
“His serve was the large tweak, he modified it twice and his ball toss is in a greater place. He is getting extra free factors and in addition has the willingness to return ahead.
“Not solely are the modifications mentally and bodily, it is tactically and technically the place he has made variations and that can assist him push ahead subsequent season.”
Ben Shelton, 21, United States
At first of 2023, Shelton had by no means even performed exterior of the US. A couple of weeks later, in his first journey overseas, the huge-serving American was an Australian Open quarter-finalist.
Coping with the rigours of taking part in full-time on the worldwide ATP Tour supplied challenges over the next months, earlier than he wowed the crowds again on residence soil on his option to the US Open semi-finals.
“I feel the sky is the restrict for him to be fairly sincere,” Rusedski says.
“He performs a special model, serve and volley, comes ahead and is aggressive and attacking. He has bought the sport and the persona to make the highest 10 subsequent 12 months.
“Can he get to the very high of the sport is one other query. There’s a lengthy option to go, however I feel he’ll make the highest 10 with the expertise he has.”
Holger Rune, 20, Norway
Each younger tennis participant desires to emulate Djokovic and Roger Federer, so hiring two coaches who’ve helped hone greatness appears a wise transfer.
Rune first introduced in Boris Becker, the six-time main champion who impressed Djokovic in one of many biggest intervals of his profession, and this month determined so as to add Federer’s confidante Severin Luthi too.
“Boris was an ideal acquisition as a result of Rune nonetheless has a variety of enchancment to make – tactically, technically and coming ahead,” Rusedski says.
“It’s the ‘smarts’ on court docket which Boris will add to his recreation. Bodily Rune is a tremendous athlete, he has a variety of energy however does not at all times know learn how to use it correctly.
“Severin is a superb acquisition too – the query mark is how are these two personalities going to work. How will they stability out and who would be the predominant voice once they’re all collectively. It is so intriguing.
“I feel it will take Rune longer than Sinner to determine learn how to win a serious. This could possibly be a kind of years the place he has to solidify within the high 10 – then push ahead in 2025 for the large prizes.”
‘We want an actual rivalry’ – the WTA stars making an attempt to push Swiatek
Coco Gauff, 19, United States
One of many tales of 2023 – if not the story – was Gauff fulfilling the potential she had lengthy promised by profitable her first main in entrance of an exultant residence crowd on the US Open.
Gauff was one in all three new main champions within the girls’s singles final season – together with Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne and Marketa Vondrousova at Wimbledon – and has lengthy been tipped for a lot of extra titles.
“The query now’s can she problem Swiatek, who has been dominating the sport since Ash Barty retired, regularly,” Rusedski says.
“We want somebody like Coco within the girls’s recreation to proceed profitable majors and pushing the sport ahead.
“I additionally assume we’d like a large rivalry within the girls’s recreation and it’s dying for perhaps Coco, Swiatek and Sabalenka going face to face in any respect the majors.
“It could add an actual completely different dimension if Coco goes down beneath and wins the Australian Open.”
Mirra Andreeva, 16, Russia
When a participant of Andy Murray’s ilk is pinging over a congratulatory textual content message, you realize you are creating fairly the stir.
Andreeva had already earned notable wins on the Madrid Open as a 15-year-old earlier than crediting Murray’s help for uplifting her to a primary Grand Slam match win on the French Open shortly afterwards.
Though her run was ended by Gauff within the third spherical at Roland Garros, Andreeva additional demonstrated her prodigious expertise by reaching the final 16 at Wimbledon – having by no means even performed on grass till that British summer time.
“All people is speaking about her being the subsequent large factor within the recreation,” Rusedski says.
“She takes the ball actually early, has an ideal two-handed backhand and has an ideal mentality. It’s a kind of seasons the place she ought to break into the highest 20, near the highest 10, with the flexibility she has proper now.
“It is so attention-grabbing within the girls’s recreation as a result of though Swiatek has been a dominant drive and others like Gauff and Sabalenka received majors, there are at all times these openings for the subsequent technology.
“To have her doing so properly so younger as an adolescent is de facto spectacular.”
‘Probably the most thrilling prospects I’ve seen’ – the long run British quantity ones
Jack Draper, 22
The discuss inside British tennis circles – and now additional afield after glimpses of his potential on the ATP Tour – has lengthy been that Jack Draper could make it to the highest of the sport.
A sequence of accidents have stalled the heavy-hitting left-hander’s progress however Draper has the flexibility to make deep runs and beat high quality opponents when he’s persistently match.
The indicators in current months have been encouraging. A run to the final 16 of the US Open was rapidly adopted with a primary ATP Tour last in Sofia, earlier than he ended the 12 months with two victories over Rune on his option to profitable the Final Tennis Showdown exhibition occasion.
“For me, Jack is a top-10 participant no query about it,” Rusedski says.
“However well being is your wealth on this sport. The extra wholesome you possibly can keep, the higher probability you’ve of attaining your objectives.
“I would not be shocked if he completed as British primary subsequent 12 months and, though high 20 is his purpose, he may probably finish within the high 10.
“When it comes to Grand Slams, he is nonetheless just a few years away from having the ability to win one but when he stays match he could possibly be within the combine.”
Hannah Klugman, 14
Whereas Emma Raducanu will understandably entice a variety of consideration as she begins her comeback, it’s price keeping track of the progress of one other younger Briton.
Klugman, who turns 15 in February, received the distinguished Orange Bowl junior championships earlier this month – an occasion which the likes of Gauff, Chris Evert and Caroline Wozniacki have claimed prior to now.
Nevertheless, she is not going to be seen frequently on the WTA Tour but as a result of an age eligibility rule limits the variety of top-level tournaments for gamers beneath 18 to assist their long-term growth.
“Hannah wants time, after all, however she is one to be careful for. It may not be this 12 months she makes a breakthrough on the WTA Tour, however she is sweet sufficient and can get there,” Rusedski says.
“I hit together with her final 12 months – I do know her coach Ben Haran very properly – and you may see there was one thing particular there.
“She’s bought each shot within the ebook, which could be very uncommon to have. She will be able to slice the backhand and comes over superbly two-handed, her forehand has improved out of sight, she has a very good serve and good volley.
“She’s probably the most full and thrilling prospects I’ve seen on this planet at her age – she’s that good.”
