4 things to expect in tennis 2024

• ATP Tour and WTA provide an exciting calendar every year
• It will be a very exciting year on the tennis courts
• Major surprises will be in play

ATP Tour and WTA provide an exciting calendar every year but none of them is seemingly close to things to expect in tennis 2024.

It will be a very exciting year on the tennis courts with major surprises in play by players in this sport. The 2023 season was one of a kind with beautiful stories of triumph to tell. Among them is the rise of the next crop of young male and female tennis players holding the top 10 ranking so far.

Not to forget the lessons to learn from world No.1 tennis star Novak Djokovic who won three Grand Slams in a heartbeat. Best of all was his 2023 US Open victory against Daniil Medvedev. Now, 2024 season is a bag full of surprise.

What Are The Things To Expect in Tennis 2024?

Below are the big things to expect in the 2024 tennis season.

Rafael Nadal Comeback

A fan favourite; Nadal will make his much-awaited tennis comeback at the ATP 250 event in Brisbane. Nadal has been out of action since the second round of the Australian Open. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been conspicuously absent from the tennis scene since the 2023 Australian Open due to a left hip injury.

Rafael Nadal training at Rafa Nadal Academy. Photo/The Guardian Nigeria

His journey took a downturn when he suffered a defeat against Mackenzie McDonald in the second round, ending his bid to defend the Australian Open title he secured in 2022. The setbacks started with an abdominal injury at the 2022 Wimbledon semi-final. Nadal exited giving Nick Kyrgios a chance to play in his first Grand Slam final against Djokovic.

Since August 2022, Nadal’s has only played 13 matches, of which he won only five. This slump caused the seasoned Spaniard to drop out of the top 600 rankings, marking a significant shift after more than two decades of consistent performance.

The Spaniard underwent arthroscopic surgery for a Grade 2 iliopsoas in June, and he has been recovering over the past few months. Despite it all, he says he is ready to return to the court although he has no expectations to win. Needless to say, Nadal’s return is mog the big things to expect in tennis 2024.

Naomi Osaka

The tennis sensation hasn’t played a single match in 2023. She announced days before the start of the Australian Open 2023 that she was pregnant. Osaka will play in Brisbane on a wildcard.

She has two Grand Slam victories in Melbourne in 2019 and 2021 under her belt. In 2024, though, just like Nadal, Osaka, doesn’t have much pressure to win; all she wants is to be on tour.

Naomi Osaka. Photo/NYI

Nick Kyrgios Retirement Thoughts

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is a tennis radical in the present day. He recently said that he doesn’t feel like playing tennis any more. He will miss the 2024 Australian Open which is the first Grand Slam in the ATP Tour calendar.

It will be the second time that he will miss action on home soil. He did not play in the 2023 tournament following a knee injury. He recently told Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast that he feels the desire to play tennis is no longer there.

Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open. Photo/Eurosport

“If it was up to me, I don’t really want to play any more, to be honest,” Kyrgios told the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast. I have to [keep playing]. I’ve got so much more to give but, for me, I don’t feel like playing anymore,” he said.

Kyrgios suffered a wrist injury in June, which was after his knee surgery. This made it difficult for him to make a comeback for the grass-court season. He will now miss the Australian Open in back-to-back years after missing the rest of the 2023 season.

Steve Simon Exiting WTA Tour Presidency

Steve Simon will step down as the WTA Tour’s top executive, but he will remain executive chairman until a replacement is named. Since 2015, Simon has held the dual positions of chairman and chief executive, but the separation of responsibilities will allow for “greater focus” on the WTA’s objectives.

Aryna Sabalenka, the current world No. 2 stated she felt “disrespected” by the way the event was organized at the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun.  Her pronouncement triggered an investigation into Simon’s role at the WTA.

It might be time for fresh leadership at the WTA Tour according to 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Navratilova. Thus, his exit is also a big move on things to expect in tennis 2024.