The 2025 tennis season sparked into life with the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, in January and it was normal service resumed in the men’s competition with world number one Jannik Sinner making it a successful title defence – read our 5 tennis players to watch article who might chase him down at the top of the tennis mountain.
Tennis Players to Watch: 5 Huge Breakout Stars of 2025
The women’s competition was less straightforward, however, as Madison Keys claimed a belated maiden Grand Slam crown and in the process denied top seed Aryna Sabalenka the opportunity to make it three victories in a row at Melbourne Park.
Plenty of youngsters emerged with real credit Down Under and there are a number of up-and-coming talents that will believe that they can one day follow in the footsteps of greatness. Here we pick out five of the leading candidates from both the ATP and WTA Tours that could have a breakout 2025 .
Tennis Players to Watch 2025: Learner Tien
Learner Tien competed in the main draw of a Grand Slam that wasn’t his home Major, the US Open, for the first time at this season’s Australian Open and it is already clear that he is destined for big things. Despite being a qualifier, the 19-year-old Californian reached the fourth round and did so by claiming the high-profile scalp of 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev.
Tien was unable to trouble Lorenzo Sonego in the last 16 but that came on the back of two five-set wins and his heroics in Melbourne has enabled him to climb up to world number 80. The American youngster impressed with his athleticism and shot variety and, having only finished runner-up at the Next Generation ATP Finals as recently as December 2024, it was an excellent start for him on the ATP Tour and suggests there should be plenty of big days ahead.
Tennis Players to Watch 2025: Joao Fonseca
Brazilian ace Joao Fonseca got the better of Tien in the final of last season’s Next Generation ATP Finals, a tournament which also featured Arthur Fils and Juncheng Shang, and he looks like a player of immense potential. Fonseca also successfully came through qualifying at the Australian Open and, like Tien, he was out causing a stir with his straight-sets victory over ninth seed Andrey Rublev in round one.
The Brazilian fell victim to Sonego in a five-set thriller on the back of that but it was his first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam and the big-serving 18-year-old could have the world at his feet.
Tennis Players to Watch 2025: Alex Michelsen
Alex Michelsen is edging ever closer to claiming some silverware on the ATP Tour and that was evident in this season’s Australian Open, where he reached the fourth round with victories over seeded stars Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov.
The three-time runner-up proved no match for home favourite Alex De Minaur in the last 16 but that was a tough task against the eighth seed and being the second youngest player currently in the world’s top 40 goes a long way to highlighting his potential.
Tennis Players to Watch 2025: Mirra Andreeva
Mirra Andreeva is already a winner on the WTA Tour, having lifted her maiden title at the Iasi Open in Romania in July, while she has already reached the semi-final of a Grand Slam, making the final four of last season’s French Open. That is despite the Russian not set to turn 18 until April and providing the world number 15 can keep her temper under wraps and iron out some of her flaws, then it may not be long before she is challenging for Grand Slam supremacy.
Tennis Players to Watch 2025: Diana Shnaider
Diana Shnaider lifted four titles in a breakthrough 2024 and there could be much greater things in the pipeline for the explosive 20-year-old. Although a third-round casualty to Donna Vekic at the Australian Open, there is no reason to think that the Russian world number 13 will now take a backwards step, while her aggressive all-court style could see her rival some of the world’s elite in upcoming Grand Slams.
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