It was a dramatic calendar year that witnessed a tumultuous range of emotions. From jubilation over record-scripting campaigns as the next generation officially announced their arrival on the ATP tour, to heartbreaks and tears over the exit of two more members of the Big Four – Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, to controversies over doping scandals. As 2024 comes to an end, we take a look at the highlights of the seasons.
Indian tennis marred by AITA controversy amid Nagal, Bopanna’s dream year
Rohan Bopanna finally ended his long wait for a men’s doubles Grand Slam title as the Indian, partnering Australia’s Matthew Ebden, won the Australian Open trophy after defeating Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6, 7-5. It was his first doubles Major. It took him 61 attempts and 19 partners to accomplish the feat. With the title, the 43-year-old became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title in the Open Era. He also rose to the top of the ATP men’s doubles rankings for the first time in his career, thus becoming the oldest first-time world No. 1.
2024 has also been the year of Sumit Nagal. The 27-year-old, after battling through the qualifiers, upset 31st seed Alexander Bublik in straight sets and became the first Indian tennis player to defeat a seeded player in the singles main draw of a Major since Ramesh Krishnan at the 1989 Australian Open. Although he succumbed in the second round against a wildcard, it was a pathbreaking campaign for Nagal, who opened up on his financial difficulties only a few months back. Weeks later, Nagal lifted the Chennai Open title that saw him break into the top 100 for the first time before reaching a career-high ranking of 68 in July after having directly qualified for the main draw at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The milestone year continued in the latter half of 2024, when the right-hander secured a spot in the US Open main draw, thus becoming the first Indian since Prajnesh Gunneswaran in 2019 to compete in all four Slams in the same year.
However, Nagal’s dream year was marred by disputes with the All India Tennis Association (AITA). Earlier in the year, the Indian was denied a wildcard nomination for the Australian Open by the AITA for not participating in the Davis Cup tie against Pakistan. Later in September, the AITA criticised Nagal for not participating in the Davis Cup tie against Sweden due to a back injury, although the latter’s name was in the main draw for the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open. Although Nagal withdrefw from the tournament immediately owing to the injury, AITA further claimed that the world no. 84 demanded an annual fee of USD 50,000 to represent India in Davis Cup ties. Nagal defended himself, saying it was “standard practice” for players to receive compensation for services.
Nadal, Murray’s tearful exits
Two years after the tennis fraternity sobbed over the retirement of Roger Federer and Serena Williams, two more legends, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, bid adieu to the sport. The three-time Grand Slam winner, a symbol of perseverance, concluded his career spanning nearly two decades at the Paris Olympics, where he went down in the quarterfinals of men’s doubles. Murray was, however, quick to move on to his second innings as former rival Novak Djokovic appointed him as his new coach.
Nadal, the 22-time Slam winner, drew curtains on his career in the Davis Cup Finals in November, where he lost to Botic van de Zandschulp in the singles tie as Spain succumbed to a defeat against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. One of the greatest athletes to have ever lifted the tennis racquet, speaking to an emotional Malaga crowd on his farewell, he said: “I leave with the peace of mind that I have left a legacy, which I really feel is not just a sporting one but a personal one.”
Other significant goodbyes in 2024 included 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem’s, who put a heartbreaking end to his injury-laden career at the Vienna Open, two-time Major winner Garbine Muguruza’s, and another former WTA world No. 1 and a silver medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics Angelique Kerber’s.
Sinner, Alcaraz’s dominance amid Djokovic low; Sabalenka reigns in WTA circuit
For the first time in 22 years, neither of the Big Three – Federer, Nadal and Djokovic – failed to win a single Slam in a calendar year as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz shared the four Majors between themselves. The Italian, who won eight trophies in 2024, the most by a male player in a single season since Murray (9) in 2016, which included the Davis Cup trophy, took home the Australian Open and US Open, while the Spaniard won the French Open and defended his Wimbledon crown.
On the ATP circuit, 2024 became a trophyless year for Djokovic, who was searching for an unprecedented 25th Major. The closest he came was at the SW19, where he lost to Alcaraz once again in a rematch of the previous year’s final. While injury cut short his French Open campaign, he lost to Sinner in the semis in Melbourne and suffered a shocking third-round exit at the US Open. This was only the second time since 2011 and the first since 2017 that the Serb failed to win a major title in a calendar year.
On the WTA tour, although Iga Swiatek ended the season with the most titles (5), which included one Grand Slam (Roland Garros) and four WTA 1000 events, 2024 belonged to Aryna Sabalenka, who not only defended her Australian Open title, but also won the US Open title, her third career Slam.
Paris Olympics
Despite the setbacks on the ATP tour, Djokovic made 2024 a year to remember, as the 37-year-old clinched his first Olympic gold medal match. The victory against Alcaraz in straight sets in the final not only saw Djokovic becoming the oldest-ever Olympic champion in men’s singles, the Serb also completed a Career Golden Slam, a stellar feat achieved by only five players in history.
In women’s singles, Zheng Qinwen scripted history by winning the gold. She defeated Donna Vekic and became the first Chinese player to achieve this feat.
Doping controversies
A doping controversy marred Sinner’s successful 2024 season. The 23-year-old tested positive for clostebol in March. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) presented the case to an independent panel, which accepted that Sinner had “no fault or negligence” and that the world No. 1 provided a “credible” explanation and hence was able to continue playing. However, the decision was challenged by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The appeal was made to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with the hearing slated to occur in 2025. WADA is seeking a ban of between one and two years.
WTA no. 2 Swiatek also came under the scanner in November after she tested positive for heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August. ITIA accepted the violation was not intentional and handed the Pole a one-month sanction that saw her miss three tournaments in Asia and lose her top ranking.
