One-handed backhanders Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas are holding on to hope

Looking back, looking forward. With the 2024 ATP season in the books, Joel Drucker has nine notable storylines to consider over the next few weeks—before the next year of men's tennis begins. (On mobile devices, scroll down to read more ATP takeways; on desktop, you'll see additional entires on the left side of your screen.)

Tip your hat to 33-year-old Grigor Dimitrov.

In March, upon reaching the finals of the Miami Open, Dimitrov returned to the top ten for the first time in more than five years. To achieve that for any player is a remarkable achievement. To achieve that with a one-handed backhand in today’s game is staggering.

Good things continued for Dimitrov throughout ’24, including quarterfinal runs at Roland Garros and the US Open and a year-end ranking of No. 10. Long saddled with the expectations that accompany ownership of an elegant game – curse that one-hander – Dimitrov this year played with late-stage freedom of mind and movement.

“So, you know, I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I show my emotions as they are,” Dimitrov said this fall in Shanghai (where he lost in the round of 16). “I wish I was a bit better hiding them sometimes, I really wish. But, you know, it has helped me a lot, but of course it has harmed me a lot. I'm learning.”

This past year was much more frustrating for 26-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas. Ranked sixth in the world as ’24 began, Tsitsipas fell out of the top ten to a current spot of No. 11, a decline marked by a second round loss at Wimbledon and an first round at the US Open.

Good news was the resumption of his romance with Paula Badosa, following a brief breakup. Bad news was Tsitsipas’ complicated relationship with father and coach, Apostolos, marked by a mid-match outburst in Montreal and a decision for the two to end their coach-player relationship.

“I need to grow up as well and take decisions based on my own gut feeling,” Tsitsipas told The Athletic soon after that.

Like Dimitrov, Tsitsipas is exciting to watch. One hopes he can effectively organize his coaching situation, refine his one-hander (a better slice would help greatly), and make his way back up the ranks.