Looking Ahead: 2025 Storylines for the WTA & ATP

Looking ahead to the 2025 tennis season…

As we go into the new year, what are the biggest stories for both the ATP and WTA?

Australian Open 2025

Let’s start with the men’s AO. There is a lot of mystery and intrigue heading into the first slam of the year, with multiple contenders shaping up for deep runs. Now only a month away, who seems poised to make a statement?

On the men’s side, there are a couple big names who seem especially hungry for a title. Let’s start with the defending champion, Jannik Sinner. Though his season was marred by some controversy, Sinner’s 2024 campaign was truly a titanic conquest, with very few losses sprinkled in throughout and none of them coming in straight sets, putting him in extremely rarified company. Sinner’s game seems to be reaching new heights, making him the name to beat at this year’s AO. All eyes will be on the current world number one as he goes into the fortnight, and look out for a rematch with a certain Novak Djokovic…

Speaking of the all-time Grand Slam leader, Djokovic arrives in Australia with a new trick up his sleeve, this being of course the addition of Sir Andy Murray as his coach. It’s hard to find a comparable example of two rivals teaming up so soon after one of them retires, yet here we are. Murray likely will be working with Djokovic tactically speaking primarily, as his tennis IQ is regarded as one of the best in history. Additionally, their play styles are/were rather similar, and it seemed like Murray challenged Djokovic the most out of the other Big 4 members. Will Novak be able to secure a 25^th Slam and yet another all-time record? We will see…

Of course, the other biggest threat for the title is the one going for a career Grand Slam, and if he pulls it off, Carlos Alcaraz would be the youngest male player to ever achieve the feat. Alcaraz has never made it past the quarterfinal stage at the Australian Open, but his appetite will be fierce, considering an injury-marred and frustrating end to the season, after falling just short of the Olympic Gold. Despite winning two Slams in 2024, Alcaraz will arrive hungry for more.

Elsewhere, upsets lurk in the likes of Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev, though they each have proved to be somewhat mentally fallible in some of the bigger moments. Keep an eye out for rising stars like Jack Draper, Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils, and Jiri Lehecka, each and every one poised for a Grand Slam breakthrough run. Although this narrator’s eyes fall on a certain Frenchman who towers above most of his competition at 6’8”, Giovanni ‘the Giant” Mpetshi-Perricard. Watch out for this young buck’s absolutely lethal serve and blistering groundstroke game.

On the WTA side of things, there is a two-time defending champion and a world number one in the likes of Aryna Sabalenka. The three-time slam champion is bidding to become the first WTA player to three-peat down under since Martina Hingis in the late 1990’s. Sabalenka’s strike-first gameplay is proving exceedingly hard to deal with, requiring defensive skills that only a few top WTA players possess. Out of all her challengers, one seems most equipped to deal with her at this level.

That would be none other than five-time Slam champion Iga Swiatek, who is looking to capture her first Australian Open title if the stars align for her. Iga’s elite movement and defense, in addition to her high-RPM topspin, make her a constant threat at any tournament she enters, especially those at the Slam and WTA 1000 level. As long as she avoids Jelena Ostapenko in an early round matchup, Iga seems poised for a deep run.

The other big contenders are 2024-standout Jasmine Paolini and “Ice Queen” Elena Rybakina. Paolini’s 2024 season was her best to date, with it seeing her make two slam finals back-to-back, on different surfaces, the first WTA player since Serena Williams to do so. Paolini’s all-court game and relentless offense make her a lot to deal with for anyone. Rybakina’s last two seasons have been marred by injury and coaching issues, but her health and team both seem in a better place heading into 2025. As one of the most fluid ball-strikers on tour, Rybakina when locked-in poses a serious threat to any player, especially those at the top.

But don’t count out the Americans! A seeming omnipresent force in the WTA top 100, there are plenty of Americans who have already had a miracle Slam run but could of course have another fairytale occurrence. Leading the pack is none other than Coco Gauff, who is looking to add a second Slam to her trophy cabinet, and her first not on American soil. Gauff’s tour-best serving speed make her an imposing presence, and her athleticism more often than not forces her opponents to have to hit one more ball (at least). Danielle Collins is another dark horse candidate, fresh off her decision to reverse her retirement at the end of 2024, and she has the benefit of having made the final at the AO before. Elsewhere, Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Madison Keys, or even Taylor Townsend could cause some serious trouble to anyone unfortunate enough to come across their path.

Looking Ahead: 2025 Clay Season

After things wrap up on the hard courts, the surfaces will slow down as the game returns to the most physically demanding form of tennis. Clay season always brings out a lot of upsets and intrigue. Players not as comfortable on the surface look for ways to improve their game, and clay-court “specialists” take advantage of the season to garner more ranking points.

There are a few major clay ATP storylines to be aware of heading into 2025. With the absence of Rafael Nadal now a permanent reality, lots of eyes will be on the men’s clash for the “Coupe des Mousquetaires” at Roland Garros. Zverev of course will look to avenge his finals loss to Alcaraz in 2024, but there are plenty of other players to be aware of throughout the season and at the French Open itself.

One such player would be the up-and-coming Brazilian, Joao Fonseca. Though the teenager is yet to crack the top 100 of the ATP, his meteoric rise to the top 150 after starting the year outside the top 600 is nothing short of remarkable. One of the most highly touted prospects in the game, Fonseca currently resides as the youngest player in the ATP top 200. Being from South America, the Brazilian’s game seems most well-suited to clay. Additionally (if his ranking doesn’t rise enough to grant him direct entry), he will likely receive a main-draw wild card entry to the Rio Open ATP 500 event, where he went on a surprise run to the quarterfinals in 2024. After turning down the chance to play collegiate tennis in the USA, Fonseca seems well-positioned to become one of the only teenagers in the top 100.

On the WTA, the clay season doesn’t offer quite as many chances to gain points as it does for their ATP counterparts. Nevertheless, the largest target will once again be on the back of Iga Swiatek, who is establishing a Rafa-like dominance at Roland Garros. Her 39-2 record at the tournament is impressive enough but were she to win a fourth straight title on the hallowed “terre battue,” she would become the first female player to win four straight French Opens since Suzanne Lenglen, in the 1920’s! Look for Sabalenka, Paolini, Ostapenko and Karolina Muchova to try and steal the crown from her.

Younger players like Mirra Andreeva and Diana Schnaider will also look to make a name for themselves on the clay. Andreeva is currently the only teenager in the WTA top 100, and Schnaider, 20-years-old, is coming off of an incredible season. Schnaider finished the year inside the top 15 on the WTA tour, a remarkable achievement considering her competition across the board. Andreeva also finished inside the top 20 for the WTA, a stunning feat in of itself, not to mention her run to the semifinals of Roland Garros. The two rising stars also teamed up for doubles at the Olympics and capped off an impressive run with a silver medal at the 2024 Paris games.

The “Crème de la Crème” at Wimbledon 2025

As the most prestigious tournament on either tour, Wimbledon is famous for its upsets, narrative intrigue, and highly entertaining matches throughout. On the WTA, dating back to 2016, the Championships has seen a different champion every year. Should the pattern continue, we’d have another new name carved onto the wall next summer. Out of those looking for a first Wimbledon crown, Sabalenka seems poised for a title run, given her aggressive baseline bashing game.

But don’t count out fan favorite Ons Jabeur, who has made the final twice in the last three editions of the tournament. The Tunisian star has an exceptionally deceptive and effective game, emphasized by her drop shots, sneaky-good movement, and wonderful touch. Look for her to make a deep run once again in 2025.

Elsewhere, perhaps home favourites could make a splash at the All England Lawn Tennis Club for the first time since 1969, back when Ann Jones won her home Slam. As the highest ranked Brit currently (December 2024), Katie Boulter will be looking to make a statement after a heartbreaking 10-8 final set tiebreak loss in 2024. Or perhaps Emma Raducanu can silence her doubters with a second slam title, at the scene of her Grand Slam breakthrough. Regardless, look for the Brits to utilize the crowd support to garner a deep run.

On the ATP side of things, there are a couple very interesting storylines for 2025 at Wimbledon. Home hope Jack Draper is coming off a career-best season and will certainly look to distinguish himself from his competitors and compatriots simultaneously. Big servers like Mpetshi-Perricard, Ben Shelton, and Hubert Hurkacz, will all likely be gearing up to try and make the elusive “Last 8 Club” at Wimbledon, where once in, you’re a member for life. Keep an eye out for former quarterfinalist Taylor Fritz and former finalist Matteo Berrettini as well, both possessing torrential serves and forehands. Another former finalist in the likes of Nick Kyrgios seems set to return to the Championships in 2025, who seems more motivated than ever to win a Slam as he redefines his career even further in his late 20’s.

But the main story everyone will be anticipating will be whether or not we get a third consecutive installment of Alcaraz vs. Djokovic in the finals. In 2023, the two clashed for an absolutely mesmerizing contest, going the full distance in five thrilling sets, with Alcaraz triumphing in one of the best Grand Slam finals of the decade. In 2024, the pair met again, with Djokovic coming off a fresh knee surgery just weeks before. Perhaps not as mobile as we’re accustomed to seeing, Djokovic fell in straights to Alcaraz, who went back-to-back at Wimbledon to secure his fourth Grand Slam title. Of course, Djokovic would have his revenge a few weeks later at the Olympics, but most tennis fans can assume he is hungry to tie Roger Federer’s all-time men’s Wimbledon record of eight titles.

End of the line…

When 2025 wraps up, the biggest storyline will be of course who secures the year-end number 1 ranking for either tour. Will Sabalenka repeat as the year’s best player? Will Swiatek be able to reclaim the top spot? Or will Coco Gauff perhaps be the first American woman to have the honors since the likes of Serena Williams? The end of the year seems ripe for a thrilling three-way contest.

On the men’s side, Jannik Sinner has an enormous amount of points to defend. His biggest challenge will be fending off his greatest rivals in the likes of Alcaraz and Djokovic. Alcaraz has a good chunk of points to defend, but he also missed large portions of the season due to some persistent injuries, particularly in the clay swing. Additionally, a couple of early-round exits will bolster his chances to increase his ranking by going deep into tournaments, even if he doesn’t necessarily win them.

Djokovic on the other hand has the luxury of not having any titles to defend from 2024 with no Olympic Games again until 2028, meaning the largest number of points will be available for him to pick up in 2025 compared to Sinner and Alcaraz. He does have an AO semifinal, a French Open quarterfinal, and a Wimbledon final to defend though, but those all are chances nonetheless for him to increase his point tally.