This season is entering its final phase, with the indoor hard court tournaments leading up to the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. 2024 marked the beginning of a new era in all respects, as evidenced by the fact that none of the Big 3 won Grand Slam titles this year. Roger Federer retired in 2022, while his eternal rival Rafael Nadal tried to get back competitive but the results were not satisfactory.
After winning three Majors in 2023, Novak Djokovic hoped to play another great season in the major tournaments. The former world number 1 has taken his 11th Australian Open title by storm, but the semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner made it clear that inertia had changed.
Novak Djokovic© Novak Djokovic/Instagram – Fair Use
For the first time since 2017, the Serbian champion will finish a season without winning a single Grand Slam title. The four Majors played this year were won by Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who split them equally. The Italian ace won the Australian Open and US Open, while the 21-year-old Spaniard lifted the trophy in Paris and London. According to many insiders, Jannik and Carlitos have shown that they are ready to dominate the men’s tour. The two young champions have already created a formidable rivalry, even if they have never faced each other in a Grand Slam final.
2025 will be very interesting
Fans and insiders are already curious to see what will happen next year. Djokovic may have his last chance at winning another Grand Slam title, while Sinner and Alcaraz will try to improve even more. Speaking with the press before the start of the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin, 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer spoke about this changing of the guard: “Novak, winning the Olympics and playing somewhat let’s say a full season – he didn’t bow out because of injuries, he chose to play less which is normal when you get a bit older. I feel like he has chances moving forward. I look forward to Australia which is the next Slam. I think he’s definitely going to be one of the favourites along with Sinner and Alcaraz. I think the Australian Open story will be a very cool one to follow.”
Alcaraz and Sinner© @YashShahX X account
Federer also discussed Rafael Nadal’s future: “With Rafa we don’t know – it remains to be seen. It’s hard for me to make a prediction on Rafa because of the little tennis he has played this year.” The 22-time Grand Slam champion should have been present at this edition of the Laver Cup, but he decided not to play a few days ago because he was still not in top form.
In 2024, Sinner was crowned the world new number 1, having won two Grand Slam titles and two Masters 1000. Alcaraz – instead – was unstoppable during the summer and has shown that it can touch very high peaks on all surfaces. The 21-year-old from Murcia has claimed defeat against Djokovic in the final of the Paris Olympics, but he is looking to close the season well.
Everyone is trying to improve
During a recent interview, Juan Carlos Ferrero explained that a player’s development should never stop: “Even the best players in the world have that need to continue working and improving. Otherwise, the monotony and boredom would become too much and you wouldn’t be able to practise with the motivation required to improve.
It’s true that you don’t have to be as on top of it as when you were 15, 16 or 17. Now he’s a player who’s achieving things and acquiring the necessary experience to realise when he’s failing at something and when he has to improve things… As you build that experience, you just know those things.”
Carlos Alcaraz© @maxielmybeloved X account
He continued: “Our relationship is still the same. It’s a very close relationship that can obviously change at different moments during the day. There are times when I’m purely his coach, but at other times I’m his friend. It’s true that kids today, as they get older, they find it harder to always say ‘Yes’. It’s a slow process of maturity that will come naturally as the years pass… And at 21, I don’t think anyone has been mature at that age. Obviously, playing tennis you mature a lot earlier, but I think he still has a ways to go because he’s very young.
We have a lot of experience, we know very well what we’re doing and in that regard we all see eye to eye and the relationship has been very good for a long time. I think that really helps the team to be united and makes things simpler between us when it comes to understanding each other in the way we work.”