Published: December 12, 2024
Throughout the past couple of years, new stars have risen to the fore to claim their maiden Slam victories. Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open as a teenager in 2022, and he has gone on to add two Wimbledon titles and a French Open to his trophy cabinet in the years since. Jannik Sinner also rose to the fore this year, becoming the first Italian man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam with his
victory at the Australian Open. So with 2025 just around the corner, who on the ATP tour could follow in the footsteps of those two? Let's take a look.
Few players have been as close to Grand Slam glory as Alexander Zverev without actually sealing the deal. The German has twice reached Slam finals before, losing out to Alcaraz at this year's French Open as well as losing a five-set thriller to fellow underdog Dominic Thiem in Flushing Meadows in 2020. He ended 2024 as the number two ranked player on the planet behind the aforementioned Sinner - a career-best achievement - and now he looks set to finally secure that maiden Slam triumph.
At the age of 27, the Hamburg-born star is now entering his peak and the time is nigh if he is to fulfill his immense potential. He came tantalizingly close to winning that recent showpiece at Roland Garros, leading
Alcaraz by two sets to one in the final, only for the relentless Spaniard to come charging back.
But despite his setbacks, Zverev's game is built for success at the highest level. His powerful serve and relentless baseline game make him a threat on all surfaces, and with Carlos Alcaraz facing inconsistency and Jannik Sinner's participation in limbo, 2025 seems tailor-made for Zverev to finally rise to Grand Slam glory.
Many thought that it would be Casper Ruud who would be the next man to win his maiden Slam, not the newly anointed prince Sinner. His past success at Roland Garros makes the French Open his most plausible venue for a breakthrough. He reached back-to-back finals in 2022 and 2023, only to run into two of the all-time greats. He was comprehensively downed by the King of Clay in his first foray into a Slam showpiece before Djokovic beat him in straight sets the following year.
The Norweigian's exceptional footwork, stamina, and ability to outlast opponents in grueling baseline rallies set him apart on clay. While he's yet to cross the final hurdle, the retirement of Nadal and the slowing down of the maverick Nole will surely stand Ruud in good stead in the city of love this year.
With that in mind, many betting websites have begun taking him seriously and offering great odds on him. For example, prominent
betting sites in Canada currently make the 25-year-old a +300 second favorite for this year's clay court showdown, narrowly behind reigning champion Alcaraz, who is priced at +150. And it isn't just outright betting that the website has on offer to its customer base. For tennis fans eager to join the excitement of the French Open, the bookie offers extensive betting options to make the season more engaging. Not only can you place wagers on stars like Ruud, but you can also enjoy plenty of entertaining online slot games like Red, White & Bleu.
As one of the most consistent players on the tour over the past few years, Ruud has just rounded out an impressive 2024 in which he hit plenty of new milestones. While he didn't reach another Slam final, he made his first Masters 1000 final at Monte Carlo and capped it off with a victory against Novak Djokovic—a career-defining win. Now, the pressure is on to carry that momentum into 2025.
Long heralded as the next great hope for American men's tennis, Taylor Fritz made some huge strides forward throughout the 2024 campaign. He finished the year as the world number four after embarking on a breakout year that led him to the brink of Grand Slam glory. Roared on by a raucous home crowd, the Californian defeated Matteo Berrettini, Alexander Zverev, and compatriot Frances Tiafoe to become the first American since Andy Roddick some 18 years ago to reach the US Open final.
Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, however, he was about to discover that 2024 was the year of the Sinner. The Italian simply would not be beaten, and he went on to claim his
second hard-court slam of the year with a straight-sets victory, much to the dismay of Fritz's adoring home faithful. Now, the San Diego native must regroup and hit the ground running in 2025.
The American combines a booming serve with a ferocious forehand, weapons that allow him to dominate opponents on faster courts. His mental and physical strength came to the forefront as he battled his way to the ATP Finals, where he also reached the championship match. Once again though, Sinner lay in wait, and this time he had home advantage in Turin, something that would propel him to victory once more.
However, with his nemesis potentially facing a suspension in 2025, Fritz's route to glory might be clearer. His confidence will surely be fueled by his success last season, and his game is particularly well-suited to hard courts. Don't be surprised if Fritz claims his first Slam at either the Australian Open or the US Open.
