2024 marked a changing of the guard, as legends retired and the next generation's dominance began in earnest.
Sinner wins maiden Grand Slam, Sabalenka defends title
At the Australian Open, Alex Zverev defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the Quarter Finals, but lost a thrilling five setter to Daniil Medvedev in the Semi Finals. Jannik Sinner inflicted Novak Djokovic’s first defeat at the Australian Open since 2018 in the Semi Finals, and then came back from two sets down to beat Medvedev in the Final, and win his first Grand Slam title.
Iga Swiatek was upset in the Third Round by unseeded Linda Noskova, and Elena Rybakina was beaten by Anna Blinkova in dramatic fashion, 22-20 in the deciding set tiebreak. Qinwen Zheng went on to make her first Grand Slam Final, beating qualifier Dayana Yastremska in the Semi Finals. Aryna Sabalenka played Coco Gauff in the other Semi Final, with Sabalenka winning, and going on to beat Zheng in the Final.
Alcaraz gave Sinner his first loss of the year on his way to the Indian Wells title, with the Italian bouncing back to win Miami shortly after. Iga Swiatek and Danielle Collins won the women’s equivalent events, Miami being the first WTA 1000 title of Collins’ career. Swiatek won in Doha and Jasmine Paolini won her first WTA 1000 title in Dubai.
Alcaraz and Swiatek reign at Roland Garros
The European clay swing began with Stefanos Tsitsipas winning his third Monte Carlo title. Andrey Rublev won Madrid, and Alex Zverev won Rome. Swiatek won a thrilling Madrid Final in a deciding set tiebreak against Sabalenka, and beat her more convincingly in the Final of Rome.
In what would be Rafael Nadal’s final Roland Garros, he was beaten by Zverev in a blockbuster First Round. Djokovic was forced to withdraw from his Quarter Final, giving Casper Ruud a place in the Semi Finals. Zverev would beat him to make a first Roland Garros Final. Alcaraz and Sinner met in a highly-anticipated Semi Final in the other half, with the Spaniard getting the win in five sets. He then won another five-setter against Zverev to win his first Roland Garros title.
In a thrilling Second Round match, Naomi Osaka pushed Swiatek all the way, but the Pole recovered from match point down to advance. 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva produced a stunning upset against Sabalenka to make a first Grand Slam Semi Final. Jasmine Paolini beat her to make her first Grand Slam Final. The Osaka match would turn out to be Swiatek’s toughest test by far, as she beat Paolini to win a third consecutive Roland Garros title.
Alcaraz continues incredible summer, Krejcikova stuns women’s draw
At The Championships, Sinner was beaten in the Quarter Finals by Medvedev. Alcaraz had a few tough tests of his own, against Frances Tiafoe, Ugo Humbert and Queen’s champion Tommy Paul, but survived to join Medvedev. The Spaniard came from a set down to make the Final. For the second year in a row, he faced Djokovic, after the Serb beat Musetti in the Semi Finals. Whilst it was an epic in 2023, Alcaraz came out all guns blazing and dominated the Final, to defend his Wimbledon crown.
With Swiatek losing in the Third Round to Yulia Putintseva and Sabalenka withdrawing, the women’s draw was wide open. Qualifier Lulu Sun and unseeded Donna Vekic faced off in an unlikely Quarter Final, with Vekic coming out on top. Her Semi Final against Paolini was dramatic, with Paolini eventually winning in a third set tiebreak to make her second Grand Slam Final of the year. Two former Grand Slam winners met in the other Semi Final, with Barbora Krejcikova beating Elena Rybakina from a set down. Krejcikova would go on to win a tight three set Final and win her first Wimbledon title.
Djokovic and Zheng strike Gold, Murray retires
The Olympic Games had many fascinating storylines. At Roland Garros, Alcaraz and Nadal teamed up in the Doubles, but went out in the Quarter Finals. Andy Murray announced that this would be his last event, playing the Doubles alongside Dan Evans. It was fitting that the Brits saved multiple match points in their first two matches, but Murray’s glittering career came to an end in the Quarter Finals.
Djokovic and Nadal played for the 60th and last time, with Djokovic winning. He faced Alcaraz in the Gold Medal match and produced perhaps one of the finest performances of his career to win an enthralling contest, and a first Olympic Gold Medal. The Serb has now won every big title in tennis. Overwhelming favourite Swiatek was beaten in the Semi Finals by Qinwen Zheng, who would go on to beat Vekic in the Final.
Sinner and Sabalenka sweep hard court Slams
In the lead up to the US Open, there were Masters titles for Alexei Popyrin in Montreal and Sinner in Cincinnati. At Flushing Meadows, Botic van de Zandschulp produced the upset of the year beating Alcaraz in the Second Round. Popyrin beat Djokovic to open up the draw further. Taylor Fritz beat Ruud and Zverev to make the Semi Finals, and then compatriot Frances Tiafoe to make a first Grand Slam Final. Sinner beat Medvedev in four sets in the Quarter Final, and then Jack Draper to join Fritz. He won the Final in straight sets to win his second Grand Slam of the year.
Jessica Pegula won Toronto and Aryna Sabalenka won Cincinnati to provide the pair with ideal preparation for the US Open. Pegula beat Swiatek in the Quarter Finals, and then beat Karolina Muchova to make a first Grand Slam Final. She faced Sabalenka, but the Belarusian was too strong and won her second Grand Slam of the year.
Rafael Nadal waves goodbye to tennis
Former Grand Slam champion Dominic Thiem played his last match at home in Vienna. Sinner and Zverev won Masters titles in Shanghai and Paris, and Sinner went on to win the ATP Finals, beating Fritz in the Final. Coco Gauff won in Beijing, and Sabalenka won in Wuhan. Gauff would finish the year strongly by winning a thrilling Final over Zheng to win the WTA Finals.
Nadal announced that his career would end at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. The Kind of Clay would lose his last match to van de Zandschulp, and Spain would be eliminated by the Netherlands, to end an incredible career for Nadal. Italy lead by Sinner and Berrettini went on to win the Davis Cup, with Italy also winning the Billie Jean King Cup.
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