A wildly successful season saw Alcaraz fall one vote short of the top spot, but can the Spaniard gain a more permanent upper hand on the field in 2025?
2024, by the Numbers
54-13: Overall win-loss record
19-2: Grand Slam win-loss record (AO QF, RG đ, W đ, USO 2R)
4: Titles (Indian Wells, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Beijing)
1: Runner-ups (Paris Summer Olympics đ„)
3: Year-end ranking
The Story of the Season
Itâs been an up-and-down season for Carlos Alcaraz, but after winning two Grand Slam trophies the 21-year-old has once again written his name into tennis history.
In a year defined by the rise of Jannik Sinner and absence of Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz left his mark by achieving a rare feat: winning Roland Garros and defending his Wimbledon title. The Spaniard is only the sixth man in the Open era to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same yearâjoining Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Djokovicâand heâs also the youngest man ever to win Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces.
It marked an emphatic return to form for Alcaraz, who started the season having gone nine months without winning a title. After snapping that streak by defending his Indian Wells title, he opened up about the emotional toll of that period: âI didn’t enjoy stepping on the court. I wasn’t myself on the court the last, let’s say, two or three months, so it was difficult for me.â
Alcaraz seemed to struggle mentally once again after coming up just short in the final of the Olympic Games in Paris, where he finished runner-up to Djokovic. But he was soon back to his winning ways in Beijing, defeating Sinner in the final, before eventually bowing out of the ATP Finals in the round robin stage.
âEvery player wants to be in the final, wants to go as far as you can during the tournaments. This year, I’ve played great tournaments and really bad tournaments,â Alcaraz reflected in Turin. âMy goal at the end is to be there all the time.ââStephanie Livaudais
Whatâs to Come in 2025?
All eyes will naturally be on Alcaraz at the Australian Open, where he looks to complete a Career Grand Slam at the incredible age of 21. Whether that happens or not wonât define Alcarazâs 2025 season. What will? Whether the Spaniard makes significant gains in an area he recently referenced as a needed growth area: his consistency.
âProbably in some matches I’ve played unbelievable points, unbelievable games. But in some matches when the chances (are) there, I miss a lot. I have to work on it,â Alcaraz said after getting knocked out at the Nitto ATP Finals.
Letâs not forget the remarkably high standard Alcaraz has set for himself by already surpassing 200 tour-level wins and finishing inside the year-end Top 3 for a third consecutive season. While he upgraded his past post-US Open results by triumphing in Beijingâwhere he improved to 3-0 against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner on the yearâCarlitos closed at a modest 6-4.
Alcaraz may not produce as many highlight reel moments by seeking fewer peaks and valleys on the court, but it should in theory amount to more straightforward wins, fewer decisive losses (eight of his 12 completed defeats this year were in straight sets) and improving on his 58 percent success rate in 2024 tiebreakers. Reducing the toll on his body at the majors would go a long way, too, for heâs been forced to survive in five at least once during all four of his Grand Slam title runs.âMatt Fitzgerald
2024 YEAR IN REVIEW
After year-end No. 1 finish, Aryna Sabalenka voted 2024 WTA Player of the Year
Also honored by a media vote were the doubles team of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini, Paula Badosa, Emma Navarro, and Lulu Sun.
ARYNA.SABALEMKA WTA Player of the Year
Aryna Sabalenka has been voted the WTA’s Player of the Year for the first time, following a season in which she won two Grand Slam titles and finishing 2024 at No. 1 in the rankings.
Sabalenka led a Player of the Year ballot that also included Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Zheng Qinwen, but the 26-year-old won a vote by tennis media to finish on top after posting a 56-14 record, reaching seven finals across 2024 and winning four titles, defending her Australian Open