5 December 2024 | Jackson Mansell

Women’s singles

Olivia Gadecki became the new Australian No.1 woman in September, following her finals run in Guadalajara. This included her first win over a top-20 opponent, when she defeated AO 2022 finalist Danielle Collins in straight sets.

It also saw the 22-year-old debut in the top 100, and compared to her year-end ranking in 2023 Gadecki improved 36 spots by the end of the 2024 season.

The biggest riser in that same 12-month span, however, was Maya Joint.

The 18-year-old climbed a staggering 655 spots to end 2024 at world No.118, helped by progressing to the quarterfinal stage at 17 tournaments. Her best results were three ITF finals (she won two) and a WTA 125 final.

Ajla Tomljanovic re-entered the top 100 this season after missing most of 2023 due to injury. Her Hong Kong WTA 125 title in September helped the 31-year-old end the year as world No.108 – an annual improvement of 441 places.

Talia Gibson and Maddison Inglis both had significant climbs up the WTA rankings after strong results on the Australian Pro Tour.

Gibson neared a top-100 debut after winning 17 straight matches across September and October, a run taking in three trophies across Perth and Cairns.

Four Pro Tour finals plus victory at the ITF 100 event in Tokyo helped propel Inglis to the fringe of the top 150, her highest ranking in 15 months. She ended the season at world No.151, an increase of 126 spots in the past 12 months.

Men’s singles

The Australian men’s contingent starred in 2024, achieving a 42-year first. Not since 1982 had there been 10 Australians inside the ATP top 100.

Alex de Minaur was the leader of that pack, ending the season inside the top 10 for the first time. He cracked that bracket in the opening week of the 2024 season when at the United Cup he became the third Aussie to defeat Novak Djokovic.

After reaching his first Wimbledon quarterfinal, De Minaur achieved a career-high ranking of world No.6. Despite a hip injury that plagued the second half of his year, De Minaur did enough to reach his first ATP Finals.

Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson both reached new heights, debuting in the top 30. Popyrin made some noise when he won his first Masters 1000 event in Montreal in August. Seeded at his first Grand Slam event at Flushing Meadows, Popyrin made it to the fourth round after a stunning upset of Djokovic.

As for Thompson, he was a giant slayer in 2024. The 30-year-old had a winning record against top-15 opponents, which included defeating Casper Ruud twice, Alexander Zverev at Los Cabos, and Taylor Fritz at Queen’s.

Adam Walton was the biggest riser in the past 12 months among the Aussie top 10, after winning two Challenger titles.

Meanwhile, Omar Jasika rose 163 places in a season that included a 29-match winning streak between August and October.

Men’s doubles

Jordan Thompson will close the year as the highest-ranked Aussie in the ATP year-end doubles’ rankings since Todd Woodbridge in 2001.

Ranked world No.3, Thompson won five titles in 2024, including his maiden Grand Slam crown at the US Open.

That victory in New York came with Max Purcell, who has also enjoyed success this season. Thompson and Purcell qualified for their first ATP Finals as a duo, advancing to the final four.

Individually, Purcell also achieved success, entering the doubles top 10 for the first time. He rose 23 places from the end of 2023 to world No.12.

Matthew Romios and Thomas Fancutt were other prominent risers, both having career-best seasons. Romios debuted in the top 100 in July following his third Challenger title of the season, reaching as high as world No.90 in September.

As for Fancutt, he was the most prolific riser in the Australian top 10, rising 220 places to world No.107. The Queenslander won five Challenger titles in 2024 after having previously not won a Challenger event.

Women’s doubles

Ellen Perez had another stellar season in doubles, pairing with American Nicole Melichar-Martinez to reach their second consecutive WTA Finals. The duo made it out of the group stage once again, falling in the semifinals.

Perez improved four spots from her position last year, ending the season at world No.13 and becoming Australian No.1. Her year included titles in San Diego, Catalonia, and Bad Homburg, as well as a quarterfinals appearance at the US Open.

Jaimee Fourlis had an emphatic rise up the ranks in 2024, improving 220 places to world No.175. The Victorian won four tournaments for the season – her best year to date.

Other notable rises included Inglis and Alexandra Osborne, with increases of 92 and 71 respectively.

Kimberly Birrell edged closer to the top 200, improving on her previous year-end ranking by 31 spots.

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