Upcoming tennis players to watch out for in 2025

As the 2025 tennis year gets underway, we all expect the men’s game to be dominated by the likes of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, and Holger Rune. In the women’s, it’s expected that Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff will be ruling the roost. But there are plenty of up-and-coming young players who, in the near future, will be hoping to disrupt the status quo.

If you fancy your chances and are looking for tips on outsiders with good odds who might be worth backing in 2025, here are some names to consider.

João Fonseca – Born August 2006 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

At the age of 18 at the time of writing, Fonseca stands on the cusp of worldwide recognition. Having taken the crown at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah in December 2024 and then winning the ATP Challenger Tour event in Canberra at the beginning of 2025, the young Brazilian is on a 13-match winning streak.

His excellent backhand, and versatile forehand, both of which he is working on diligently to improve even further, netted him a straight sets victory against the 23-year-old Argentinian Thiago Agustín Tirante and secured Fonseca a place in the main draw of the Australian Grand Slam.

Having climbed over 500 places in the rankings in 2024, the young Brazilian could well be set to leave his mark on a Grand Slam or, at the very least, a Masters 1000 in the near future. He’s certainly one to watch.

Nishesh Basavareddy – Born May 2005 in Newport Beah, California, USA

19-year-old American tennis player Ninesh Basavareddy is very likely to be a player to reckon with on the tennis circuit in 2025. His progress to date has taken him from the tennis courts at Stanford University to the professional arena, where in 2024, he secured his first Challenger title in Tiburon, followed by his second title win in Puerto Vallarta. It earned him a wild card in the Australian Open, his first-ever Grand Slam event.

Basavareddy has been likened to Djokovic, of whom his new coach, Andy Murray, said, “He has a legitimate claim to be the best athlete of all time.” 

Tennis experts liken the American to the Serbian. They name Basavareddy’s intelligence on the court, his ability to anticipate opponents’ moves, and his ability to take the ball early as features of his gameplay that have led to his being referred to as Djokovic 2.0.

Learner Tien – Born December 2005 in Irvine, California, USA

At age 19, this young American tennis player, true to his name, is a fast learner. A product of the University of Southern California, Tien is a former US Open junior champion. He is a baseline player who displays power, precision, and a great variety of shots.

To date, this American has accumulated 60 wins on the ITF World Tennis and ATP Challenger tours, earning him a total of 7 pro titles. He made it through to the final of the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals held in Jeddah, where he was beaten in 4 sets by the aforementioned João Fonseca.

The three male players mentioned above have already shown their potential and could develop into the new men’s elite. They could be challenging the likes of Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Carlos Alcaraz for major trophies and at much better odds than the top three rankings get.

So, if you’re a keen tennis fan who likes to indulge in a little sports betting now and again, why not check out the top tennis betting sportsbooks as suggested by MightyTips and see who’s offering the best odds when next they play?

So far, we’ve looked at the men’s game. But the ladies’ game has got some rising starlets, too.

Mika Stojsavljevic – Born December 2008 in Ealing, London, UK

Following in the path of Emme Raducanu’s amazing US Open victory in 2022, Mika Stojsavljevic has taken the junior world tennis scene by storm following her victory in the final of the US Open girl’s singles competition in September 2024. On her journey to the final, she stunned her opponent, Emerson Jones, the top seed, with an excellent performance that saw her deliver 13 aces. 

Katie O’Brien, the LTA Women’s National Coach and a former Top 100 player in the early 2010s, praised Stojsavljevic, saying, “It was exceptional how well she handled the occasion. Her tennis level has always been there, and every match that’s gone by, she’s just grown and grown.”

Tennis devotees may already be aware of her name as she has already reached the finals of the girls’ doubles competition at SW19. She’s definitely one to watch out for in 2025.

Mirra Andreeva – Born April 2007 in Krasnoyarsk, Russia

At 17, the young Russian Mirra Andreeva has already won on the WTA tour. She claimed the crown at the Iași Open in Romania on clay, beating Elina Avanesyan in three sets.

Her best Grand Slam performance to date was reaching the French Open 2024 semi-finals, where she was beaten by Jasmine Paolini.

Andreeva has already risen to 15 in the WTA rankings, which is quite an achievement at such a young age. She is also an accomplished doubles player. She won her first WTA Tour doubles title at the Brisbane International alongside Diana Shnaider, beating Priscilla Hon and Anna Kalinskaya). A little reminiscent of John McEnroe in the hot temper department, if she can control her outbursts, she’s a real contender for joining the women’s elite alongside Sabalenka and Swiatek.

Alex Eala, Born May 2005 in Quezon City, Philippines

Last but by no means least in our look at upcoming tennis players is 19 -19-year-old Alex Eala from the Philippines. Miss Eala got to the semifinals of a WTA 125 event for the first time, coming back from one set down to beat fellow teen Taylah Preston.

From being ranked 147 at the end of 2024, she has jumped nine places to No. 138, continuing her ascent to the world’s best women tennis players. Unfortunately, she suffered a disappointing early exit at the 2025 Australian Open, but we are sure we will hear more of her as the 2025 tennis year progresses.

Who would you bet on in 2025?

If you enjoy sports betting and you’re a tennis fan, you’ll appreciate that betting on the top rankings doesn’t offer great odds. It’s why many punters look to the outsiders and upcoming players to pull off surprise wins. This is where “being in the know” comes into play. 

For insight into who could be rising up the rankings to jostle for top places and trophies, we’re grateful to Kate Richardson, who spearheaded the analyses conducted by MightyTips. For tennis fans who like to have a little flutter on their favourite players and the outcome of matches and competitions, MightyTips is the place to go to find the best online tennis betting sites. 

Betting on the players discussed above, as selected by MightyTips’ Kate Richardson, that are likely to offer better odds when they’re up against higher ranked players, could pay handsomely.