As tennis legends such as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic enter the twilight years of their careers, the tennis world is going through a generational shift. Fans who once enjoyed watching the ‘Big Three’ are now being captivated by a series of new, energetic players that are ready to take the sport into the next era.
In both the ATP and the WTA tours, there is a new buzz around the next generation of players. A number of new players that are technically gifted and incredibly athletic have entered the professional leagues. In this blog post, we take a closer look at some of the rising stars entering the courts around the world:
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
First on the list in the Spanish tennis pro Carlos Alcaraz from Alicante, he has been ranked at number one in the men’s singles in the ATP and has won a long list of titles at the Grand Slam and ATP Masters 1000, making him the favourite in the tennis betting markets before most major events.
Alcaraz entered the sport in 2018 at the age of 15 and by May 2021 he had broken into the top 100 rankings and then the top 35 shortly after, having reached the quarter finals at the US Open.
The player is known for his incredible speed and power in his shot making. In 2022 he won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open and beat Djokovic to victory at Wimbledon the following year.
At just 21 years old, he has already shown a great level of composure and maturity that is rare at this age. He is a rising star and already a top favourite in every major that he enters into.
Coco Gauff (USA)
Over in women’s tennis, 21 year old Cori Dionne "Coco" Gauff is making waves. The American professional player made her debut in 2019 at the Miami Open, aged just 15, and in the same year became the youngest player in Wimbledon tournament history to qualify for the main draw.
In that competition she made headlines when she beat tennis legend Venus Williams and reached the fourth round of the competition. She has steadily continued to climb the rankings over the years and reached a career high in 2023 when winning the US Open.The next year she then claimed the WTA Finals title.
Gauff is known for her rock solid back hand and incredible confidence on the court. Her family is a big part of her tennis success as her parents gave up their careers to focus on training, a sacrifice that seems to be paying off.
Jannik Sinner (Italy)
Another young player hitting the headlines for their tennis talent is the Italian tennis professional Jannik Sinner from South Tyrol. The player is currently ranked number one in the men’s singles by the ATP.
Sinner has so far won 19 titles at the ATP Tour and led his country to success at the Davis Cup in both 2023 and 2024. One of his career highs so far has been beating world number one Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Australian Open.
The player is admired for his great precision and ability to handle being underpressure. He is an aggressive baseliner and has a very strong two handed back hand. He hits more top spins than any other player on the tour.
One little known fact about Jannik Sinner is that he almost gave up tennis as a child in order to pursue skiing at a professional level, it is lucky that his father convinced him to continue with his tennis at a competitive level.
Zheng Qinwen (China)
Currently residing in Barcelona, Spain, the Chinese tennis champion Zheng Qinwen is another rising star to take note of. Born in Shiyan, Hubei, Zheng began playing the sport at the age of seven and three years later moved to Beijing in order to train under Argentinien tennis coach Carlos Rodriguez.
One of her most impressive recent wins was at the 2024 Paris Olympics where she came first place in the women’s singles and defeated world number one player Iga Swiatek. She was the first Asian woman to win gold in the tennis singles in Olympic history.
She is known for her consistent style of play, and at the age 22, Zheng Qinwen has a long successful career ahead of her in professional women’s tennis.
The energy of these rising stars is helping to reshape the tennis landscape. They are becoming legends in their own right and winning over fans across the world. Their fresh and exciting gameplay is helping to bring in a new younger audience of tennis fans. With the like of Nadal, Djokovic and Williams as role models, these young players are set to take the next decade of tennis by storm.
