Alcaraz, Swiatek, Medvedev: Who is the best tennis player at every age?

We’re often told that tennis is a young person’s game. But when 14 years separate Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic (WTA and ATP number ones), we find that hard to believe. Plus, Djokovic has shown what the relatively elderly can do in tennis over the last couple of years.

So instead of trying to rush anyone over the age of 30 out of the game, we thought now would be a good time to appreciate players of all ages and have a look at the best players in every age group.

The ages of some players might surprise you. Ones that have seemingly been around for a long time are not that old. Others that are new have fewer years left to play.

Swiatek is among the best players between the ages of 19 and 28

19 – COCO GAUFF

Winning her first Grand Slam title, nineteen has been a pretty good year for the young American. Heading into Australia, Coco Gauff will be hoping to end her teenage years with another big title.

20 – CARLOS ALCARAZ 

Alcaraz hasn’t stopped impressing fans since he burst onto the scene a few years ago. A second Grand Slam at Wimbledon this year proved that the Spaniard is going to be a real threat on all surfaces.

21 – QINWEN ZHENG

Zheng has always had a lot of potential and started to break through at the end of 2023. The Chinese star could well be on her way to the top.

22 – IGA SWIATEK

She may have fallen down to number two for a few months, but it didn’t take long for the Pole to retake her place at number one. With four Grand Slams at 22, Swiatek looks to be on her way to being an all-time great.

23 – SEBASTIAN KORDA

It has felt like Korda has been just a year away from truly establishing himself at the top for a while now, and 2024 could well be the year for the American to make a run at the top 10.

24 – CASPER RUUD

Despite reaching a second Grand Slam Final, 2023 was an off year for the Norwegian which saw him fall out of the top ten. You’d expect him to make a swift return, however, given the qualities he possesses.

25 – ARYNA SABALENKA

Reaching the top of women’s tennis and winning her first Grand Slam title, Sabalenka cemented herself as a true competitor to Swiatek this season and will be looking to reclaim the number-one ranking in the new year.

26 –  ANDREY RUBLEV

A maiden Masters 1000 title was a huge achievement for Rublev this year, but it remains to be seen if he can get over the hump and finally reach a Grand Slam Semi-Final.

27 – DANIIL MEDVEDEV

Winning a Master’s 1000 title on clay proved that Medvedev can do pretty much anything on a tennis court. There’s a lot of competition at 27, but the Russian has proven he’s the best of the bunch.

28 – MADISON KEYS

Rounding off the first group of ten is Keys. A Grand Slam Quarter Final and a Semi-Final at the US Open this year reminded everyone how dangerous the big-serving American can be.

Check back tomorrow to see the best players from ages 29-38!