Both men’s and women’s tennis are in a transitional period in which we are seeing the current generation of stars move on and leave the game. This opens the door for the next generation of upcoming players and many people are ready for it.
We have watched Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, the Williams sisters and other familiar stars play at the top level for over a decade, and while their tennis is glorious to behold, it’s also exciting to see new competition and different faces, and consider where tennis may head in the future.
If you are a fan of sports betting and getting the most out of betting offers then you need to know who to watch out for and which players are likely to move the sport forward in 2023 and beyond. Here, we’ll take a look at nine rising tennis stars who are already making an impact.
Jack Draper – England
It’s always difficult being a British tennis player as there is so much expectation and pressure. So far, Draper seems to be coping well and he has made a name for himself on the ATP tour. Although he is currently ranked 61st in the world, he has been as high as 38th.
Although he hasn’t won any ATP titles yet, Draper is certainly a name to watch out for and he has beaten players in the top 25 numerous times, so his future looks bright.
Holger Rune – Denmark
Holger Rune is one of the most interesting and exciting young prospects in men’s tennis and is currently ranked No. 7 in the world. At the age of 19, the Danish player has already won four ATP titles and although he has had inconsistent stretches, he has proved he can beat the best in the world.
In Grand Slam tournaments, his best finish so far has been reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open, and 2023 is certainly the year we expect him to push past this and start making more progress.
Zheng Qinwen – China
In 2022, Zheng Qinwen was voted WTA Newcomer of the Year and she had a brilliant season with a total ranking rise of over 100 places! By the end of 2022, she had made it into the top 25 and sits at 24th position as of April 2023.
Qinwen made decent progress in the 2022 Grand Slam tournaments too, with a second-round finish in the Australian Open, athird-round finish at Wimbledon and the US Open, and a fourth-round finish at the French Open.
Lorenzo Musetti – Italy
Musetti started to show glimpses of potential in 2021 but 2022 was the year he really started to shine. At the age of 21, he has already won two ATP titles, including in his hometown of Monte Carlo, and this has helped push him into the top 25 rankings.
2023 saw continued improvement and he has broken into the top 20 with a highest ranking of 18th. He couldn’t repeat his 2022 victory at the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters but had an amazing win against current world No. 1 Djokovic.
Alycia Parks – USA
2022 proved to be somewhat of a breakout year for the USA’s Alycia Parks and there are people who are hailing her as a Williams clone. She is powerful and agile, and at the age of 21has broken numerous serving speed records already.
She has been steadily moving up through the ranks throughout 2022 and 2023, and broke into the top 50 in February this year. Currently sitting at 56th, she should surely continue to develop and start making moves in the Grand Slam tournaments.
Elena Rybakina – Kazakhstan
Rybakina might seem like an odd choice here but despite winning Wimbledon last year, she has only recently broken into the top 10 WTA rankings, currently sitting at No. 7. She is something of a legend in her home country of Kazakhstan and she is certainly going to be a top player for many years to come.
So far, Elena has reached the Australian Open final and the French Open quarterfinals, and her 2022 Wimbledon triumph was magnificent.
Amanda Anisimova – USA
Anisimova has already proved that she can beat anyone on the women’s circuit. She is a powerful hitter with some amazing baseline strokes and movement. Her performance is consistent and she has already reached the semifinals at the French Open and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
Although she is currently ranked 47th in the word, the Russian-American player has been as high as 21 back in 2019 and has won two WTA titles so far. At the age of just 21, she definitely has room for growth and has a solid coaching team behind her.
Carlos Alcaraz – Spain
Carlos Alcaraz looks incredibly promising and many people are hailing him as the next Nadal – but he has already stated that he wants to make his own path. The Spaniard is just 19 years old and has already claimed the No. 1 ranking in 2022.
In his short career, he has won nine ATP singles tournaments, including the 2022 US Open, and has a brilliant all-round playing style with a potent forehand. We can’t wait to see how his career progresses and the titles he racks up.
The next generation of tennis stars is on the rise
Now is the right time for a new era of tennis stars to break through as we bid a fond farewell to the seemingly never-ending Federer, Nadal and Djokovic era of the game. These three players have dominated the male side of the sport for the last two decades but now it’s time for new faces and champions.
Although Nadal is still playing at the top level and Djokovic continues to dominate, there are certainly some incredible new stars pushing the game further and it’s an exciting time to see who will become the next faces of tennis in 2023 and beyond.
