Wimbledon 2024: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are among the men to watch
Italy's Jannik Sinner practices at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon ahead of the Wimbledon Championships, scheduled to begin on July, Wednesday June 26, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Here are some of the men to watch at Wimbledon, which starts at the All England Club on Monday:
Jannik Sinner
Ranking: 1
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Italy
Age: 22
2024 Record: 38-3
2024 Titles: 4
Career Titles: 14
Grand Slam Titles: 1 — Australian Open (2024)
Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-Lost in the Semifinals, 2022-QF, 2021-1st, 2019-Did Not Play, 2018-DNP
Aces: Is the 29th man — and first Italian — to reach No. 1 in the ATP rankings. ... Won his first major championship at the Australian Open in January. ... Lost to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon each of the past two years. ... Won first grass-court title at Halle, Germany, in June.
Britain Tennis Wimbledon
He Said It: "In the beginning of the year, we said, ‘We are going hunting, and then we’ll see what we can catch.’"
Read All About It: Sinner looks ahead to Wimbledon after reaching No. 1
Novak Djokovic
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz practises at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, ahead of the Wimbledon Championships, which begin on July 1st, in London, Thursday June 27, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
Ranking: 2
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Serbia
Age: 37
2024 Record: 18-6
2024 Titles: Zero
Career Titles: 98
Grand Slam Titles: 24 — Wimbledon (7: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), Australian Open (10: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), French Open (3: 2016, 2021, 2023), U.S. Open (4: 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)
Germany Tennis Halle
Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-Runner-Up, 2022-W, 2021-W, 2019-W, 2018-W
Australia's Alex de Minaur returns the ball to Italy's Lorenzo Musetti during their men's singles match on day four of The Queen's Club tennis tournament, in London, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)
Aces: Pulled out of the French Open before the quarterfinals after tearing the meniscus in his right knee during a match there, then had surgery. ... Has been testing his knee at the All England Club, including a practice session with Jannik Sinner at Centre Court on Thursday. Djokovic wore a gray sleeve on his right leg during that session. ... Has not won a title — or even reached a tournament final — in 2024.
Britain Tennis Queen's Club
He Said It: “I’m going to do my best to be healthy and fit to return to the court as soon as possible.”
Read All About It: Djokovic withdraws from the French Open with a knee injury
Carlos Alcaraz
Ranking: 3
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Spain
Age: 21
2024 Record: 26-6
2024 Titles: 2
Career Titles: 14
Grand Slam Titles: 3 — Wimbledon (2023), French Open (2024), U.S. Open (2022)
Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-W, 2022-4th, 2021-2nd, 2019-DNP, 2018-DNP
Aces: His French Open title made him, at 21, the youngest man to win a Grand Slam trophy on all three surfaces: hard, grass and clay courts. ... He first reached No. 1 at age 19. ... Defeated Novak Djokovic in five sets in last year's final at the All England Club.
He Said It: ““My game suits ... every surface, because I practice it.”
Read All About It: Alcaraz's 2023 Wimbledon title showed he's who everyone thought he was
Hubert Hurkacz
Ranking: 5
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Poland
Age: 27
2024 Record: 33-13
2024 Titles: 1
Career Titles: 8
Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Semifinals, Wimbledon (2021)
Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-4th, 2022-1st, 2021-SF, 2019-3rd, 2018-1st
Aces: Was the runner-up to Jannik Sinner at a grass-court tournament in Halle, Germany, in June. ... Was the last man to play Roger Federer, beating him in the Wimbledon quarterfinals three years ago. Federer announced his retirement more than a year later. ... Defeated Rafael Nadal on clay in Rome in May.
He Said It: “My serve has improved. ... I would (also) say my return, my knowledge about tennis, knowledge about myself. Also, physically, I think I’m a better player.”
Read All About It: Hurkacz was the last player to face — and beat — Federer
Alex de Minaur
Ranking: 9
Career-Best Ranking: 7
Country: Australia
Age: 25
2024 Record: 33-12
2024 Titles: 2
Career Titles: 9
Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Quarterfinals, French Open (2024), U.S. Open (2020)
Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-2nd, 2022-4th, 2021-1st, 2019-2nd, 2018-3rd
Aces: Won a grass-court title in June at Den Bosch, Netherlands. ... Broke into the ATP's top 10 for the first time in January, the first man from Australia to get that high since Lleyton Hewitt in 2006. ... Recently moved all the way up to No. 7. ... Coming off a quarterfinal run at Roland Garros, a result he was surprised by because his game is better suited to grass or hard courts than clay.
He Said It: “Looks like I’ve converted myself into a clay specialist.”
Read All About It: A first French Open quarterfinal for de Minaur
Tommy Paul
Ranking: 12
Career-Best Ranking: 12
Country: United States
Age: 27
2024 Record: 27-10
2024 Titles: 2
Career Titles: 3
Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Semifinals, Australian Open (2023)
Last 5 Wimbledons: 2023-3rd, 2022-4th, 2021-DNP, 2019-DNP, 2018-DNP
Aces: Rose to become the highest-ranked American man for the first time by winning the Queen's Club title on grass in June. He's the first man from the country to win that event since Sam Querrey in 2010. ... Reached first major semifinal at 2023 Australian Open before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. ... Born in New Jersey; grew up in North Carolina; now based in Florida.
He Said It: “My goal starting the year was to win more tournaments, take home more trophies and try and get into the top 10.”
Read All About It: Paul's first Grand Slam semifinal came against Djokovic
___
Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis