Who will stand out this year in tennis?

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, did not fail to disappoint with some thrilling matches played out in the searing Aussie heat. The women’s game saw a new champion, Madison Keys, defeat two-time winner and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. The men saw Jannik Sinner successfully defend his title and cement his place at the top of the men’s world rankings.

Last year, some big names have been taken a step away from the sport, with major winners Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Dominic Thiem all announcing their retirements. At the same time, former women’s Major winners Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza, and Simona Halep hung up their rackets. With serial winner Novak Djokovic turning 38 this year and edging ever closer to retirement, it’s time to look at who the stars of 2025 will be.

Grand Slam Schedule 2025

• French Open 25 May – June 8
• Wimbledon 30 June – July 13 
• US Open August 25 – 7 September

Carlos Alcaraz

The next slam on the agenda is the French Open, which means all eyes will inevitably turn to the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz. Still only 21 years of age, the Spaniard already has four majors to his name and only requires victory in the Australian Open to complete a Grand Slam. 

His thrilling five-set victory over Alexander Zverev in the 2024 French Open final saw him become the youngest man to win major titles on three different surfaces. A true baseliner in the mould of Nadal, Alcaraz has already proven himself on the biggest stages, and he has the potential to dominate the French Open for years to come, much like his compatriot Nadal, who lifted the trophy a record 14 times.

It’s easy to see why Alcaraz is a favorite on the latest sportsbook betting, but there’s no doubt he has room for improvement on what is already an imposing multi-surface game. If he wins in France again, expect him to go to Wimbledon and defend his title, too.

Jannik Sinner

Fresh from a four-set victory over Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open final in January, Sinner is the current World Number 1 on the ATP World Rankings. With three Majors to his name and still only 23 years of age, there is widespread belief that the Italian could potentially go on to dominate the game along with Alcaraz.

Sinner won eight ATP titles in 2024, including two Grand Slams, the ATP Finals, three Masters 1000s, and two ATP 500s. He also lifted the Davis Cup with Italy for the second year in a row. That is proof, if any were needed, that he has the consistency and willpower to perform at the top level and become a serial winner in the mould of Federer and Djokovic. 

Despite that, there is room for improvement in his game, with all his Majors coming on the hard surfaces of Australia and Flushing Meadow in the US. His best result at Wimbledon was a straight-sets semi-final defeat to Djokovic back in 2023, while a semi-final defeat on the clay of France last year remains his best performance at Roland-Garros.

Ben Shelton 

Shelton has two ATP singles titles and reached the 2023 US Open semi-finals. In August, an impressive 2024 saw him hit a career-high singles ranking of world No. 13. However, the start of this year is getting people excited about the young American. An impressive run at the 2025 Australian Open only ended at the semi-final stage with eventual champion Sinner, but Shelton will have gained confidence from that tournament.

Shelton favors the hard courts but has been looking to improve his game across all surfaces in recent, years. Known for his powerful groundstrokes and aggressive style, Shelton’s biggest weapon is undoubtedly his serve, which has reached speeds of up to 150 miles per hour, making him well-suited to a good run at Wimbledon.

Jasmine Paolini 

Paolini maybe 29 years of age, but there is no doubt that 2024 was her breakout year. She reached two Grand Slam singles finals, won the Billie Jean King Cup with Italy, won her first WTA 1000 title, and rose to a career-high of No. 4 in the world rankings. Those results will no doubt give her confidence to go one step further this year as she looks to claim her maiden Grand Slam title.

Emma Raducanu

It seems that every year could be Emma’s year. After her surprise victory at the 2021 US Open at 18, she has suffered from injuries and loss of form ever since. Multiple coaches, surgeries, and injuries have come and gone, but a run to the 4^th round at Wimbledon in 2024 is all she has to show for it.

This year started with some optimism, as the Brit came into the Australian Open injury-free, with matches under her belt. A round-three exit to the number 2 seed Iga Świątek was no disgrace, despite the 6-0, 6-1 scoreline. Injuries have struck again since, but Radacanu is still only 22 years of age and has too much talent not to succeed should she remain injury-free. Fingers crossed for her that 2025 is her year.