Predicting Which Players Will Make the Biggest Jump in the ATP Rankings in 2015
Men's tennis saw the early stages of a changing of the guard in 2014.
For the previous nine years, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray held a monopoly over the ATP World Tour. Those four players had won every major title—save for Juan Martin del Potro's triumph at the 2009 U.S. Open—since the 2005 Australian Open.
Their grip finally loosened this past season.
Young guns like Marin Cilic, Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov all made quantum leaps forward on the court in 2014 and spent time in the top 10. They stood toe to toe with the Big Four, and Cilic's U.S. Open title served as further proof of a shifting landscape.
So which players are poised to surge in the rankings next year?
There are a few prime candidates, like Dimitrov, who sits at No. 11, and Del Potro, who's returning from injury. Other guys, like Nick Kyrgios and Dominic Thiem, have shown flashes of enormous potential.
The following slideshow will try to predict which players will make the biggest rankings push in 2015. As the Big Four age, these five players could be ready to capitalize and further alter the balance of power in men's tennis.
5. Nick Kyrgios
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Not much flusters Rafael Nadal on the court. But at Wimbledon this year, he had no answer for the heavy-hitting Nick Kyrgios.
Kyrgios, a 19-year-old Australian, upset the Spaniard in their fourth-round clash at the All England Club and sent shockwaves around tennis.
He obliterated Nadal with booming serves and forehands, sending notice of his massive potential. Though he lost in the quarterfinals to Milos Raonic, that result is the best of his young career.
At the U.S. Open, Kyrgios reached the third round before falling to veteran Tommy Robredo in a tight four-set match. For the second straight Grand Slam event, the teenager had won multiple matches, and he received recognition as Australia's top tennis player for the year.
"Congratulations on another milestone as the 2014 Newcombe Medalist @NickKyrgios! A fitting reward for a stunning year pic.twitter.com/4T2mzeriDJ
— Hopman Cup (@hopmancup) November 24, 2014"
A 2013 champion of both the junior Australian Open singles and junior Wimbledon doubles, Kyrgios exudes intensity and confidence on the court. Now he just needs the experience to back up that swagger.
There will be plenty of growing pains for the raw Kyrgios. He still hasn't played many matches at the ATP level and lacks seasoning. Despite that inexperience, he sits at No. 52 in the rankings.
Based on his play at Wimbledon last year, Kyrgios won't be outside the top 20 much longer.
4. Jack Sock
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United States men's tennis has been in a severe drought over the last 10 years. Jack Sock may be the player to finally help turn momentum around.
The 22-year-old Nebraskan currently sits at No. 42 in the ATP rankings after compiling a 27-20 record in 2014. His crowning moment from this past season actually came in doubles, when he partnered with Canada's Vasek Pospisil to win the Wimbledon title after a five-set upset over the Bryan brothers.
In singles, however, Sock is still trying to find his place.
Though Sock defeated Kei Nishikori in Shanghai (his first career win over a top-10 player), he needs to prove he can hang with the best. Milos Raonic in particular is an enigma Sock couldn't solve this year, losing all five of their matches.
But Sock pushed Raonic and fellow young gun Grigor Dimitrov when they played. He's not far away from being in the conversation with them as the top prospects in tennis.
Sock brings an improving game to the table, aided by a big serve and forehand. His backhand—surprise surprise—isn't a weapon, but he's developing other skills like his net game and movement, which will benefit him as he tries to take the next step.
That serve and forehand in particular should carry Sock as he tries to overtake John Isner as the top-ranked American male.
If he can channel that level of play from his upset of Nishikori, Sock may soon pass Isner and start challenging for a top 20 ranking.
3. Dominic Thiem
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Fans will see a lot more of the player nicknamed Dominator in 2015.
Dominic Thiem, a 21-year-old from Austria, stayed under the radar this year and posted a 22-23 record. The experience gained from his first full year on tour—even the losses—will help him in the future.
He's already shown flashes of greatness.
In Madrid, Thiem scored his first career win over a top-10 player after defeating Stan Wawrinka. But his best moment came at the U.S. Open, where he reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Thiem, a frequent hitting partner of Ernests Gulbis, is a versatile, athletic player. Though he lost to Rafael Nadal in straight sets at the French Open, he pushed the nine-time Roland Garros champion and displayed an impressive shotmaking arsenal.
The youngest player in the top 40, Thiem is currently serving a six-month service in the Austrian military, per Tennis.com's Kamakshi Tandon. That stint won't affect his training or participation in events but could further serve to help him mature on and off the court.
After he makes it through that journey, tennis will seem a whole lot easier.
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2. Grigor Dimitrov
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There's not a young player in men's tennis with more potential than Grigor Dimitrov.
Dimitrov, 23, has the talent to win titles on any surface. In 2014, he began to put the pieces together.
He won three tournaments this year—on clay, grass and hard court—and made his first major quarterfinal at the Australian Open, which he followed up at Wimbledon with his first Grand Slam semifinal berth.
After starting the year ranked No. 23 in the world, Dimitrov soared past other contenders and reached a career-best No. 8 rank during August. The Bulgarian finished the year in the No. 11 position.
Expect Dimitrov to continue his rise.
He has the game to compete with anyone on the ATP Tour. Possessing a potent serve, beautiful groundstrokes and a commitment to fitness under coach Roger Rasheed, Dimitrov is poised to start making deeper runs at every tournament he enters.
If he builds on the play that carried him into the Wimbledon semifinals, Dimitrov can crack the top 5 in 2015.
1. Juan Martin Del Potro
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No player will rise in the rankings in 2015 as fast as Juan Martin del Potro.
Del Potro is returning from left wrist surgery, which cost him nearly all of 2014. He suffered the injury early last year, and though he played through the pain in Australia, the Argentine pulled the plug on his season after retiring from a match in Dubai last February.
It's not the first time del Potro has undergone wrist surgery. In 2010, he went under the knife to repair his right wrist and missed most of that season.
Health is the only question mark for del Potro. When he's on the court and at the top of his game, he boasts overwhelming power, which can make even Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer look helpless.
Before that second wrist injury, del Potro had rediscovered the form that carried him to the 2009 U.S. Open title.
In 2013, he advanced to the semifinals at Wimbledon, losing an epic five-setter to Novak Djokovic, and he made the finals in two Masters Series events (Indian Wells and Shanghai). The capstone of his year was a victory over Federer in the Basel finals.
Del Potro will make his long-awaited return in January at Brisbane. Despite all that time away from competition, he's been practicing since July and remains on schedule in his training.
"Here's a video that sums up my first weeks of pre-season training in Argentina. Hope you enjoy it! http://t.co/90YKrtq2Q6
— Juan M. del Potro (@delpotrojuan) November 11, 2014"
Though del Potro currently sits at No. 138 in the rankings after his extended sabbatical, he'll play with a protected rank of No. 7, as the ATP World Tour website confirmed.
It will take time for del Potro to shake off the rust, but when he does, he still has the talent to strike fear in any opponent.
All statistics are courtesy of ATPWorldTour.com unless otherwise noted.
Joe Kennard is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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