A total of 11 British players appeared in the top 100 of the ATP and WTA singles rankings during the 2024 season, marking the highest number since 1978.
For some, it was their first time breaking into the world’s top 100, while for others, this year saw them cement their ranking amongst the very best tennis players in the world.
It’s certainly been a year to remember for Jack Draper, who has been hailed as one of the standout stars on the ATP tour this season.
A bright end to 2023 saw Draper begin this year ranked No.61 in the world. A first tour-level title at the Boss Open to rise to claim the British No.1 spot, followed by a semi-final run at the US Open and a maiden ATP 500 title in Vienna all led Draper to crack into the top 20 and conclude the year ranked world No.15.
Just when Katie Boulter thought she couldn’t top her 2023 season, this year rolled around. The British No.1 wrapped up last year ranked well inside the top 100 after earning her first WTA title at the Rothesay Open Nottingham, but the best was yet to come.
In March, the 28-year-old claimed her first WTA 500 title in San Diego, before going on to successfully defend her title on the grass in Nottingham and made the final of the Hong Kong Open where she finished runner-up. Her hard work this year saw her reach a career-high of No.23 and she’ll be gunning to break into the top 20 when the new seasons gets underway.
It’s been a turbulent year for Cam Norrie, who was forced to the sidelines from July to the beginning of October.
Despite his struggles, Norrie has continued to maintain a position inside the top 50 in the world, having concluded the year at No.49 thanks to an impressive run to the final of the ATP 250 event in Metz in November.
Emma Raducanu’s return to tennis was one of the most highly-anticipated storylines ahead of the 2024 season. Having cut last year’s season short in April, Raducanu was given a clean slate heading into the new season and she certainly made the most of it.
In January, the former US Open champion was ranked 285 in the world but a semi-final appearance in Nottingham, a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon and five WTA quarter-finals later and Raducanu wrapped up her year back inside the top 100 at No.54 in the world.
A little over a year ago, Jacob Fearnley was still studying at Texas Christian University, competing in the NCAA and was an unranked professional tennis player. Fast forward to the present day and Fearnley’s meteoric rise into the top 100 is one of the standout storylines of the British tennis season.
Having begun the year ranked No.646, a haul of four ATP Challenger titles has led Fearnley to skyrocket over 550 places in the ATP rankings and reach a career-high of 89. According to ATP statistics, Fearnley’s rise is the fifth biggest into the top 100 since 2000.
The 23-year-old finished the year ranked No.99 and sees him automatically qualify for the main draw at the Australian Open for the first time.
The top 100 is a milestone Harriet Dart first hit back in 2022, but this year saw her announce her return off the back of a consistent run of form on the WTA and ITF tours.
A feature in the semi-finals of the Transylvania Open (WTA 250), a quarter-finalist in Eastbourne and a third round appearance at Wimbledon are amongst Dart’s highlights of the season and contributed to her breaking back into the top flight and achieving a career-high of 71 in the singles.
Former world No.21 Dan Evans has been a regular addition in the ATP top 100 for the last six years and 2024 was no different.
Having kick-started the year ranked 38 in the world, Evans recorded some notable wins – including making the third round at the US Open and the quarter-finals of the Rothesay Open and Bordeaux Challenger.
However, one of Evans’ most memorable moments came at the Paris Olympics where he teamed up with Andy Murray to reach the quarter-finals of the doubles draw – marking the last tournament of Murray’s professional career.
Another Brit who enjoyed an outstanding year was 23-year-old Sonay Kartal. Prior to this year, Kartal had predominantly been competing on the ITF tour but found herself taking significant strides in some of the biggest competitions on the WTA tour to see her crack into the top 100 for the first time and seal a career-high of No.84 in the world.
This year, the Brighton-born star clinched five W35 titles, one W100 crown in Shrewsbury and lifted her maiden WTA title at the 250 event in Tunisia – marking the most decorated season of her career. Kartal also enjoyed a milestone moment at Wimbledon where she earned her first Grand Slam main draw win en route to the third round for the first time.
While his career as a professional tennis player might be over, Murray still featured as one of the 11 players to be ranking inside the top 100 this year.
The three-time Grand Slam champion began his season at No.42 in the rankings and went on to maintain his position inside the top 100 until 17 June before calling time on his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics in August.
Britain’s Jodie Burrage got off to a flying start this year. Sitting inside the top 100, the 23-year-old was spurred on to a quarter-final run at the Linz Open in March before suffering a string of injuries that kept her out of action from then until the start of September.
While her time away from tennis caused her ranking to drop, Burrage has placed herself in perfect stead to work her way back up to the top in the new year, having lifted the biggest trophy of her career at the W100 Dubai at the beginning of December.
Liam Broady made his top 100 debut in September 2023 after finishing runner-up at the ATP Challenger event in Saint-Tropez and recorded a career-best ranking of 93.
Broady managed to stay inside the world’s top 100 until February 2024 when, like some of his fellow Brits, he suffered an injury that meant he couldn’t compete between March and June this year.
