A year full of emotions, joys, disappointments, fulfilled expectations, and surprises. That’s how the Spanish tennis in 2024 can be summarized, an unforgettable season for many reasons, in which Carlos Alcaraz and Paula Badosa were the protagonists, but where there is much more to appreciate.

Prestigious academies, many of the world’s best coaches, pronounced institutional efforts, and historical references that inspire more and more young people to pick up a racket. All of this is experienced in Spain, a country strongly linked to tennis and that has become a fundamental driving force in the development of this sport. In 2024, the presence of Spanish players in the elite has been maintained, there is a strong representation in the top 100, and great joys were achieved, although there are also many areas for improvement and future aspirations. Let’s analyze it.

– Notable presence of Spanish tennis players in the top 100 of the ATP and WTA rankings

Gone are the times when Spain vied with France and the United States to have the most representatives among the top 100 players in the world on the men’s circuit, but maintaining a contingent of players in this prestigious list is being achieved. This is evidenced by having 6 national players among the top 65 in the world, and 4 female players in the top 100 of the WTA ranking, with Sorribes very close to re-entering.

The best news has been the meteoric progression of Jessica Bouzas and the consolidation of Cristina Bucsa, while among the men, seeing Roberto Bautista able to stay in the elite despite being 37 years old has been a cause for joy, also due to his title in Antwerp, being the only one, apart from Alcaraz, capable of being champion of an ATP event this year. The resurgence of Paula Badosa constitutes the best possible news for Spanish tennis, which can continue to aim for great successes with her dedication and talent.

– Retirement of legends and scarcity of titles, as the flip side of the coin

This season will be remembered as the one in which Rafael Nadal and Garbiñe Muguruza bid farewell to the world of tennis. One of the greatest in history leaves an irreplaceable void, but his departure will be much less dramatic than expected for Spanish tennis, thanks to Carlos Alcaraz taking the reins. Regarding Garbiñe, it was just a formality as we had been without her presence for years, and we only have to remember her as a memorable player who brought great glory to Spanish tennis with her accomplishments.

Regarding the titles won, only Alcaraz, Badosa, and Bautista were crowned champions of top-level events, but in the Challenger circuit, there were 11 tournaments won by Spanish players. It is a modest return for a country that hopes more high-level players will continue to emerge thanks to the efforts being made by the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation, with an increasing number of tournaments of all categories held in our territory, as well as a significant investment in player development and sports promotion.

– The most unexpected joy and disappointment of the year

Perhaps no one expected the emergence of such a brilliant duo as the one formed by Sara Sorribes and Cristina Bucsa, whose bronze medal at the Olympic Games is one of the most important and gratifying moments of the year for Spanish tennis. On the contrary, what no one could predict is the confidence collapse of an Alejandro Davidovich who has had a truly challenging season, unable to meet the high expectations surrounding a player of his immense talent.

– Exciting progression of Martín Landaluce and the rise of Rafael Jódar

It was expected to be a crucial year in the progression of the 18-year-old Madrid tennis player, and the outcome is more than positive. On the verge of the top 150, with significant consistency in Challenger tournaments in the second half of the year, winning his first title in this category and already knowing what it takes to win a Masters 1000 match, Martín can be very satisfied with his performance. He has progressed in all aspects of the game and laid the groundwork for a top-100 assault in 2025. On the other hand, Jódar has had a splendid year on the junior circuit, and his title at the US Open revives expectations that he may develop brilliantly in the coming years.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El tenis español y un 2024 con más luces que sombras