The final weeks of the tennis season are set to provide a host of intriguing storylines, with the race to the ATP Finals in Turin taking some twists over the last few days.
Aryna Sabalenka is also involved in a thrilling battle with Iga Swiatek for the world No 1 ranking, while the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup Finals have the potential to serve up some memorable moments.
We are also waiting to see if Emma Raducanu and Alex de Minaur can end their seasons with a flourish after battles with injuries and here are our five stories to look out for.
DJOKOVIC ON COURSE
Novak Djokovic may have lost the Shanghai Masters final against world No 1 Jannik Sinner on Sunday, but he left China encouraged by his performances.
The 24-time Grand Slam king has stated on numerous occasions that he is no longer focused on ATP Tour events and is staying in the sport to add to his Grand Slam haul.
Yet he needed to make progress in Shanghai to ensure he secured a place in the end-of-season ATP Finals in Turin, where he is the defending champion.
With injury niggles still concerning him, Djokovic may be hoping he doesn’t need to play in the Paris Masters at the start of November to secure his place in Turin and after a run to the Shanghai Final, he will fancy his chances of peaking for a final big tournament of 2024.
RADUCANU’S NEXT MOVE
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu was hoping to play a full schedule in the Asian swing of the WTA Tour, but injury got in the way of that plan.
Once again, Raducanu has been a frustrated outsider looking in on a tennis world that is moving on without her, but she is hoping to return for a WTA Tour event in Hong Kong later this month.
Even though she has been picked to play in Great Britain’s team for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga next month, the 21-year-old appeared at an event in London last week with her foot in a boot and there must be a big chance that she will not play again in 2024.
If she doesn’t play in Hong Kong, it seems unlikely she will play for Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals without any match practice for over a month and that could inspire an early end to her season.
NADAL’S FAREWELL
The Davis Cup Finals were already set to be a celebration of the game with some of the biggest names taking part in Malaga next month and now it is set to provide one of the most iconic moments in recent tennis history.
Rafael Nadal has confirmed he intends to call time on his career in front of his home crowd in Spain, with the emotion certain to be flowing as he represents his country for one last time.
Carlos Alcaraz will be on the Spain team with him and Novak Djokovic has already confirmed he will be in attendance for the farewell celebrations.
We can expect Roger Federer and possibly Andy Murray to join him in Malaga for a moment that will revive memories of Federer’s own retirement at the 2022 Laver Cup.
WHAT OF IGA SWIATEK?
World No 1 Iga Swiatek faces the real prospect of losing that position in the next few weeks as Aryna Sabalenka is in unstoppable form.
The US Open champion won the W1000 event in Wuhan to confirm her power-packed game is firing on all cylinders, while Swiatek is taking some time away from the court as she looks to overcome fatigue.
Swiatek has secured her place in the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, but will she be ready to defend the title she won so impressively last year?
Right now, Sabalenka is the form player in women’s tennis and Swiatek needs to find a way to respond.
COCO’S BIG PROBLEM
Coco Gauff played some of the best tennis of her career in the Wuhan Open semi-final against Sabalenka, but an old problem returned to haunt her.
The 2023 US Open champion was flawless in her first set against the in-form Sabalenka before the serving woes that ended her hopes of defending her title at Flushing Meadows last month returned to haunt her.
The 20-year-old American was encouraged by some in her camp to take the rest of her year off to work on her game, but she has vowed to fight through her problem on the court and that reaped rewards as she won the China Open and could have triumphed in Wuhan without the serving woes.
What comes next for Gauff is a question only she can answer and it is clear her serving problems have become a battle of her mind as much as her technique.
