Men's Tennis Next Season Predictions (Part 2): The Young Rabbit Wins a Masters, Fokina Finally Claims a Title!

Preparations for the upcoming season are still underway. This season saw many players reaching career milestones by winning their first Masters titles, first tour championships, or entering the top ten rankings. Who will achieve similar breakthroughs next season?

Who will secure their first Masters title?

This year, four new Masters champions emerged: Draper, Shelton, Menchik, and Ruud. Musetti reached a Masters final for the first time, and Aliassime made it for the second time, making both strong contenders in this category next season.

Both have reached Grand Slam semifinals twice, so winning a Masters title is certainly within reach. Musetti’s best chance to win is on clay, where he was one of the most consistent players in Europe’s clay tournaments this year, second only to Alcaraz. He lost to Alcaraz in the Monte-Carlo Masters and French Open semifinals. Considering both of Musetti’s career titles came on clay, it’s reasonable to expect him to capture one of the three major clay events next year.

Aliassime is naturally more likely to win on hard courts, especially indoor hard courts. With Sinner already having won the Paris Masters and possibly less motivated to compete strongly for that title in the future, the Canadian dark horse should focus his efforts on this season-ending Masters event.

We must not forget about De Minaur, who has been consistently ranked in the top ten in recent years, excels at 500-level tournaments, and has reached all quarterfinals in Grand Slams. It’s time for him to prove he can claim a major title.

Of course, like Menchik this year or Coric in previous years, a surprise run to a title is still possible. Players like Bublik, Copil, and Fritz are surely eager to seize such opportunities.

Who will win their first tour-level title?

This year, several players such as Brooksby and Lenerchenn won their first tour titles. Looking ahead, Fokina, who finished runner-up three times this year, is the clear favorite. If he can overcome his mental hurdles, there’s no reason why he, now ranked inside the top 20, can’t win a title.

Additionally, a few players who performed well this year—like Lindgren, runner-up at the Shanghai Masters, the French maverick Moutet, and the rising American star Michelson—have the ability to win lower-level tournaments if they play well in any given event.

Who will break into the top ten for the first time?

This year, Musetti and Paul entered the top ten, though Paul slipped out with a slight lapse. Will new faces join the elite next year?

What about the distinctive players Fokina and Bublik, who hover just outside the top ten? Or even extending the scope to the three players who each won their first tour titles this season—Fonseca, Lenerchenn, and Menchik? After all, the ambitious generation born after 2000 is eager to challenge the established order!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Luo Cheng Qiye)