Surprise, Surprise – 3 ATP players who might win their first title in 2024

The 2024 ATP season is about 3 months old, and we already have one new Grand Slam champion in Jannik Sinner and are amid the sunshine double. With Rafael Nadal still out due to injuries and Novak Djokovic struggling with form and eventually focusing on the majors only, is the door wide open for the next-gen and some new faces?  Or has the era of Alcaraz and Sinner already begun, and we will see them dominate the foreseeable future?

Let us know your opinion in the comments below, but if I had to bet my money on some underdogs to win a title this year, my money would be on these three players, who made a major splash at the Sunshine Double.

1. Fabian Marozsán

This seems a very obvious choice, given that he has just reached his second Masters 1000 quarterfinal, but the Hungarian (image above) seems to always have another ace up his sleeve. After announcing himself to the big stage by beating then world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in Rome last year, he went on to shine in several big tournaments and Davis Cup matches. He might still be lacking consistency at times, but one thing is for sure, he is not afraid to face big players.

So far, he has already beaten two Top-10 players in his Miami Open QF run and his arguably strongest surface, the clay, is still upcoming. The new Hungarian No. 1 player is surely one to look out for, as he is in the hunt for his maiden ATP title. 

His creative game is built of a solid serve, big groundstrokes, but also features some dropshots and seems to be adaptive to the challenge ahead. Apparently, he is using a Babolat Pure Aero 100 of some kind with Yonex Poly Tour Pro strings. An interesting combination, that reminds me of Benoit Paire, who also has a similar gamestyle. He will be facing Zverev next in the quarterfinals, who also had a big tournament so far, for a spot in the last 4 at Miami.

2. Tomas Machac

Another player that is shining in the Florida sun is young Czech prodigy Tomas Machac. Not too long ago, at the Indian Wells event, he was unknown to the tennis journalists and dubbed the “guest” of his compatriot and girlfriend Katerina Siniakova. But with wins over world No. 6 Andrey Rublev and Andy Murray, he has announced himself as another player to watch out for. With big groundstrokes and some mental toughness on display, he has made his way into his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

While his choice of shorts might be interesting to say the least, his backhand down the line is already top notch and he generally likes to dictate from the baseline and move into the net for a solid finish. It remains to be seen whether the Czech, who is using a Yonex Vcore racket, can keep his good form on the clay courts, but with his skill set, he seems like a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming months.

3. Matteo Arnaldi

As if the Italian tennis wasn’t scary enough, there also seems to be another rising star coming from San Remo. He might not sport the flashy wins, that both Machac and Marozsán have scored lately, but he has been steadily climbing the ranks and sits at a live career high of 35 currently. And as most Italian players, he grew up on the clay, where the next part of the 2024 season will be taking place. 

He took three Challenger Tour titles in 2023 and might also be eyeing towards his first tour level trophy this year. With his all-around game and the confidence of some victories this year at the big tournaments, he is definitely one to look out for as well!

Arnaldi is using one of the newer Head Radical pro stocks, the TGT 351.1 and endorses the current Radical lineup. If you want to know more about his setup, check out Jonas’ article right here (Matteo Arnaldi’s racquet – Tennisnerd.net).

As you can see, the 2024 ATP season might be one of the most open ones for players in a long time. The big three era seems to be nearing its end, although you can never count out Novak and Rafa, and with the struggles of some former and current Top-10 players, there is a lot of room for surprises.

Let us know in the comments, who you think will have their breakthrough year or even maiden title in 2024!

Written by Simon Zeitler.