The Break's Top 10 Stories of 2024

By Ed McGrogan

Published Friday, Dec 20, 2024 04:20 PM

10. Indian Wells bee invasion: Tennis paradise this wasn't, at least for a little while.
9. Simona Halep returns to tennis: The two-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 still has a long way to go, and just received a wild card into Australian Open...qualifying.
8. Zendaya's tennis takeover: The sport's mainstream appeal continues to grow—watch out, pickleball!
7. Notable retirements: Murray, Muguruza, Thiem, Kerber...someone else, too.
6. Carlos Alcaraz's Channel Slam: Carlitos doubled his Grand Slam total by pulling off the exceedingly difficult Roland Garros-Wimbledon double.
5. WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia: After two widely panned stops in Fort Worth and Cancun, the women's tour appears to have some stability for its lucrative season-ending championship.
4. 2024 Paris Olympics: The first true Summer Games since Covid delivered on all fronts, including its tennis events.
3. Jannik Sinner's doping scandal: A where-were-you moment in August. This story may not be over, either.
2. Rafael Nadal retires. Shameless plug: go to TENNIS.com/Rafa now!
1. The year of Jannik Sinner: It was also the year of Aryna Sabalenka, but her fellow Australian Open and US Open champion set a new standard as the ATP tour enters a post-Big Three era.
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