Top five young performers on ATP tour in 2024

The ATP Next Gen Finals have marked the conclusion of this year's tennis tournaments. In January, tennis enthusiasts can look forward to an exciting event as the 2024 Australian Open is set to commence.

In this article, let’s take a look at the young players who emerged as the top performers on the ATP tour in 2024.

5. Alex Michelsen

American tennis star Alex Michelsen is ready to perform better in 2025.  Competing in 60 matches on the tour in 2024, the promising athlete achieved his highest career ranking of 41 in November. The 20-year-old advanced to the finals of two ATP 250 tournaments this year, namely Newport and Winston-Salem, although he faced defeats in both instances. Additionally, Michelsen reached the semifinals of the ATP Next Gen finals, where he ultimately fell to Learner Tien.

4. Joao Fonseca

Joao Fonseca, despite holding the lowest ranking in the tournament, triumphed in the ATP Next Gen finals by overcoming Learner Tien in the championship match. This victory positioned him as the second youngest player ever to secure the ATP Next Gen finals title, following Jannik Sinner, who achieved this record in 2019 as the youngest player.

3. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard captured the attention of the tennis world with his impressive showing at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. He advanced to the fourth round of the tournament, where he ultimately faced defeat against Lorenzo Musetti.

Until May, Perricard was primarily playing Challenger tournaments before he won the Lyon Open, with commendable victories over Alexander Bublik and Lorenzo Sonego. However, his peak performance was evident at the Basel Open, where he triumphed over Ben Shelton, Holger Rune, Denis Shapovalov, and Felix Auger-Aliassime. Additionally, he was honored as the Most Improved Player of the Year at the 2024 ATP Awards.

2. Arthur Fils

French tennis player Arthur Fils experienced a remarkable year. Accumulating a notable total of $2,174,206 in 2024, Fils currently holds the 20th position in the rankings, marking his highest career ranking to date. His inaugural title of the season was secured in Hamburg, where he triumphed over Germany's Alexander Zverev in the final to claim the ATP 500 title.

He later won the Tokyo Open, with wins over Ugo Humbert, Holger Rune, Ben Shelton, Matteo Berrettini, and Taylor Fritz. The Frenchman’s best Grand Slam performance came at the Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the fourth round, eventually losing to semifinalist Alex de Minaur.

1. Jack Draper

Jack Draper enjoyed a breakthrough year with huge wins over multiple top players. The British No. 1 won two ATP singles titles and advanced to the semifinals of the 2024 US Open. Furthermore, he is presently ranked 15th, marking the highest position of his career.

Draper secured his first career title in Stuttgart prior to the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. He defeated players like Matteo Berrettini and Frances Tiafoe to claim his maiden title. Subsequently, the British player achieved victory at the Vienna Open, impressively overcoming competitors including Lorenzo Musetti, Tomas Machac, and Karen Khachanov en route to the title.

Cover Credits - Tennis.com