2024 Year End Tennis Awards Distributed

Taking off the band-aid…

On November 8, I made distressing statements during a rehearsal broadcast live on Tennis Channel. an apology Here. I talked about this a little bit Here. I contacted the player I mentioned and of course he did not deserve any of this disgrace. With kindness and grace as always, he has already put that behind him (in his words). It feels better to continue this column using this as a guide.

This does not stop taking responsibility. I appreciate hearing from many of you, including those who have expressed reasonable disappointment. Anyway, let’s save the usual Q&A and chat for next week. An end-of-year column this week when – as always planned – the 2024 awards will be handed out and this season will be in the books.

The votes were tabulated and certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Please send the envelopes without wasting any more time.

Men’s MVP: Jannik Sinner

Two players, Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, appeared in four majors. And Alcaraz won head to head in 2024. However, Sinner’s overall tennis performance from January to November was outstanding, as evidenced by the rankings (Sinner finished the year in 1st place and Alcaraz in 3rd place).

MVP, women: Aryna Sabalenka

It’s very easy. Sabalenka won a pair of majors, finished in the penthouse, had an emotional year and stood in for the proposition that careers are not linear and that even successful veterans can change their approach to the sport and go from very good to great. .

New men’s player of the year: Gio Mpetshi Perricard

Since there are no true “rookies” in tennis, it is always difficult to draw these boundaries. What about 21-year-old Perricard, who started the year outside the top 200 and continues to hold serve, will be seeded in Australia. Honorable mention goes to Alex Michelsen, who is younger than Coco Gauff and is nearing the top 30.

Newcomer of the Year, women: Diana Shnaider

Again, the “newcomer” label isn’t quite accurate. But with just one year left in college tennis, Shnaider is ranked 13th.

Coach of the Year, women: Anton Dubrov

Unless there are disqualifying circumstances, how can the best coach not be the one working with the best players? Except for the Sabalenka situation, let’s make this a team award: Anton Dubrov accepts this award on behalf of coach Jason Stacy and others.

Coach of the Year, men: Darren Cahill

Same rules. The best player employs the best coach. In this case it is Cahill. (Here the team is definitely, Negative to share in the prize.)

Honorable mention: Pere Riba

Gauff left her camp and days later landed alongside Qinwen Zheng, who had also recently been rejected by her coach. Zheng advanced to a major final for the first time, took home the Olympic gold medal and capped off a spectacular year by winning 31 of 36 matches. The player did the job but the coach deserves credit.

Most Improved Player in Men: Alexei Popyrin

Popyrin was not previously fully chopped liver. But the Australian has almost halved his ranking this year, dropping to 24th… and he did it by winning the Masters 1000 title in Canada and defeating Novak Djokovic at the US Open.

Most Improved Player, women: Jasmine Paolini

The Italian entered the year having never progressed further than the second round of a major. He made back-to-back appearances at the majors in 2024, reaching the fourth round twice and finishing the year ranked No. 4 and earning almost $6 million.

Comeback Player of the Year, men: Matteo Berrettini

Berrettini has been unlucky with injuries but when he plays he is really good. The former top-10 player won three titles in 2024, going 30-12 in 42 games (which must have pleased him).

Comeback Player of the Year, women: Carolina Muchova

The “comeback” is a different development, as one of the most stylish players in tennis is set to have a strong showing in 2023 and ’24. But in the meantime, he suffered the kind of ankle injury and surgery that ruined his career.

Comeback Former Player of the Year: Andre Agassi

Agassi, who escaped from the public eye for many years, returned roaring in 2024. in Australia. in Europe. in New York. Patience sermon. I preach pickleball. Filled with insight and wry humor, he reminded fans why he was such an influential figure during his time and why he remains unique today.

Strange, winning year in men: Novak Djokovic

Djokovic finished 2023 in first place and added three more majors to his career. In 2024… he won zero majors. But he captured the Olympic gold medal and won it heroically, making the year a thrilling success.

Strange, winning year, women: Coco Gauff

The winner of the last major in 2023 has won zero majors in 24. Gauff competed on the same US hard courts that served her so well last season. The coach made a change. Due to technical and service issues, he may still end up in a deathmatch. Despite all this, he finished the year in 3rd place, won three championships and finished the season in Riyadh, receiving both the cup and approximately 5 million dollars. HE No The year will be a career year for most players.

Top trend: Tennis is trendy

Movies. Documents. Shorts. Projects are being developed. Breaking Point was cancelled, but plenty of other content emerged, such as the hydra. A global product reflects health, covering women, men and all body types. There seems to be almost untapped marketing potential here.

Worst trend: Players abusing equipment and staff

Throwing balls into the stands. F-bombing chair umpires. They bloodied themselves by whipping themselves after missed misses. Everyone stay calm.

Failed rivalry: ATP vs. Premier Tour

Although Alcaraz-Sinner lived up to the hype, this did not happen. The ATP (Andrea Gaudenzi) and the Premier Tour (Craig Tiley) were in a classic battle for territory (in this case, the unmanageable tennis calendar); it was a showdown over whose superior, transformative business model would win. There are still many possibilities on the table. But for now the Premier Tour remains dormant, with the ATP and WTA likely to formalize a joint commercial entity and the 10th Masters 1000 in 2027 (almost certainly in Saudi Arabia).

Moral Courage Award: Daria Kasatkina

Just as we have created a category in the past to give props to Ukrainian heroine Elina Svitolina, this year too Kasatkina.

Men’s Shot of the Year: Alexander Bublik’s racquet throw

Not really, but wow, that’s a Ricky Jay thing.

Women’s Shot of the Year: Carolina Muchova’s back shot

Muchova shows us the most creative way to create overhead.

Doubles Team of the Year, men: Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic

Again, how do you leave the rankings unless something truly out of the ordinary happens? Arevalo and Pavic are your winners.

Doubles Team of the Year, women: Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend

She plays with multiple partners, but kudos to Siniakova. His most important partner is Townsend.

Farewell, farewell: Retirements

As a probability/demographic study, the same number of players should retire each year. But somehow, 2024 saw a sharp increase in the tennis pie. Rafa Nadal. Andy Murray. Dominic Thiem. Garbine Muguruza. Diego Schwartzman. Shelby Rogers…all of you, your (first and second) service will be missed.

Best innovation: Replay

In an era where driverless sedans take us to work, there’s no reason why we can’t rely on technology to determine when a player reaches the ball within a bounce or two; whether the ball bounced before passing through the net; even whether a foot fault is properly cited.

Worst innovation: Two-Week Masters Series

Despite the gushing newsletters, the new two-week Masters Series events are an escape from sanity. Players underestimate them. (Losers are left to struggle for two weeks or find shelter. Winners take two weeks and perform much smaller checks than two-week majors, sacrificing actual training.) Fans get watered-down sessions for a watered-down process. . No one can win except management.

Tennis Book of the Year: Racket By Conor Niland

Racket tennis answer fighter By Andy Lee. Who knew Irish athletes were so proficient with the pen/keyboard?

Match of the year: Art Donaldson vs. Patrick Zweig

It’s a tense, back-and-forth affair with significant nuance, backstory, and stakes. So who won this damn match, Guadagnino?