Tennis season is kicking off with the United Cup in Perth, Australia. The Athletic’s tennis writers Matt Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare will be focusing more on the tennis season of 2025 and will also delve deep into the storylines on ATP and WTA Tours by January. They have been analyzing the potential players to watch this year, along with the political dynamics within the top echelons of the sport. Will H has noticed a generational transition getting underway in men’s tennis, and predicts that players like Jack Draper, Arthur Fils and Ben Shelton, amongst others, could break into the top 10. Eccleshare somewhat agrees with this prediction.
Presently, among Eccleshare’s guesses for prospective players are world no. 50, Shang Juncheng from China, Brazilian player Joao Fonseca, Belgian player Alexander Block, 22-year old Flavio Cobolli, and Tomas Machac, currently world no. 25. Eccleshare further wonders about the slot Holger Rune will take, being 21 and younger than Draper and Shelton. Futterman cites John Isner as an example of a successful player, having reached no. 8 and claimed $22.5 million prize money. Futterman suggests that it’s best to observe 2025’s players for at least a year before making any definite calls.
When it comes to coaching changes, Futterman places his bets on Wim Fissette and Iga Swiatek. Eccleshare predicts the comeback of Belinda Bencic, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist in women’s singles, but also notes potential comebacks from Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu. Other notable names include Karolina Muchova, Matteo Berrettini, Denis Shapovalov, and Ons Jabeur.
The topic of ATP/WTA scheduling changes has been on a standstill, conflicting with the tennis industry’s status as a global sport. Eccleshare believes the proposed premium tour might be temporarily on hold, but the Professional Tennis Players Association has been actively preparing for anticipated litigation in 2025. Futterman and Eccleshare evaluate Britain’s emerging tennis players, with players like Draper and Boulter leading the pack, along with the bright potential of upcoming players like Mika Stojsavljevic.
Finally, the future of tennis in the United States is also taking shape. The popularity of tennis broadcasting in the country is changing due to the decline of cable TV and the advent of direct-to-consumer platforms. Eccleshare argues that if tennis does not adapt to these changing dynamics of discoverability, it could face a major decline in popularity and profitability. They promise to cover this topic more comprehensively throughout 2025.
