A new generation of male players is energizing the Australian tennis scene ahead of the 2024 season, fueling hopes of first Grand Slam glory of the season at Melbourne Park.
There were eight Australians in the ATP top 100 at the end of last year, the highest number since 1998, when the likes of Pat Rafter, Mark Philippoussis and a young Lleyton Hewitt made Australian tennis a World leader.
Two other people can easily join them. Jason Kubler spent most of the year in the top 100 before slipping to 102 due to a knee injury. Nick Kyrgios, who was only 28 years old, reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, but his career renaissance stalled due to injuries. This figure is higher than traditional tennis powerhouses Germany and Spain and dates back to the 1970s, when Australia was synonymous with tennis success.
Wally Masur, who finished in the top 20 as a player in 1993 and later coached the Davis Cup team, said the depth of the stock now raises expectations for 2024. Grand Slam, semi-final or better,” he said.
The group is led by Alex de Minaur, who broke into the top 10 earlier this month, the first Australian to do so since Hewitt. The youngest is Hijikata Lynch, who won the 2023 Australian Open doubles championship with Kübler and entered the top 100 singles for the first time in September. Dirtball coach Mark Draper said the team’s dynamic is part of their collective success.
“They’re all pushing each other or encouraging each other,” Draper said. “They’re just hard-working guys, good competitors, and I just think they’re all relying on each other.”
Masur and Draper think it’s difficult to accurately explain the current wave of success, given the different paths players take in professional tennis. When Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley took charge of national player development more than 15 years ago, one of the recommendations for establishing a state academy was made.
“I’ve seen firsthand that a lot of players who are now in the top 100 really benefited from the time spent there, the amount of balls, the intensity and some coaching,” Masur said.
Helping players as teenagers experience playing overseas can also be helpful, Draper said. “I think it’s important when you’re young to try out the world standards and see if you can compete and what level you need to be at,” he said.
Hijikata and No. 62 Alex Vukic both attended college in the United States. But Masur and Draper agree that success largely depends on the individual and their ability to adapt to touring life, improve and climb into the top 100.
“Tennis is a bit protectionist,” Masur said. “Any time you can get yourself under 100 — not on the cutting edge, but you know, 60, 70, 80 — and you win a few races at bigger events, then someone has to win two or three challenges. race [lower tier tournaments] to gain points accumulated in larger events. “
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While the Australian’s fortunes continue to soar on the men’s tour, the women’s singles rankings tell a different story. Storm Hunter is the world’s number one doubles player, but there is currently no Australian in the top 100 singles.
Australia’s top-ranked women’s singles player Arina Rodionova is ranked 105th. Despite a successful 2023 campaign and a win over Sofia Kenin at the Brisbane International, Rodionova is off to a good start in 2024 with an Australian Open wildcard It was ignored because the last location was Dalia Saville.
Ash Barty retired as world number one two years ago, while Aguila Tomljanovic and Savile have both suffered injury problems in the past 12 months. But there are reasons to be optimistic. Olivia Gadecki, 21, won her first Grand Slam match at Melbourne Park in 2023, and Taylah Preston, 18, is Australia’s top player this year The youngest player to receive a wild card at the Tennis Open.
Masur said expectations for players in the increasingly competitive professional circuit should be lowered given the success we’ve seen other Australians achieve in their mid-20s.
“We have some good young players, but you have to put them through the physical training of two or three seasons ago to be able to compete day in and day out with the best players in the world.”
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The first round of the Australian Open will be played at Melbourne Park on Sunday, January 14
