The 2025 professional tennis season has concluded, leaving behind a trail of exceptional performances and memorable narratives. It was a year defined by the relentless dominance of superstars like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Aryna Sabalenka, coupled with the continued ascent of rising talents such as Amanda Anisimova and Ben Shelton, and the impressive return of veterans like Naomi Osaka.
While the ATP Tour was largely a two-man show dominated by Alcaraz and Sinner, who claimed all four major titles between them, the WTA Tour showcased significant parity. The Grand Slams were distributed among four different elite champions: Madison Keys, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Sabalenka. Across both tours, unexpected champions and compelling storylines converged to create an unforgettable season.
To honor the year`s best, renowned tennis experts Chris Evert, Sam Querrey, and Pam Shriver cast their votes for the ATP and WTA Players of the Year, alongside a selection of other distinct and remarkable awards.
- ATP Player of the Year: Carlos Alcaraz
- WTA Player of the Year: Aryna Sabalenka
- Long-Awaited Breakthrough Moment: Madison Keys, Australian Open
- Match of the Year: Alcaraz vs. Sinner, French Open Final
- Most Improbable Victory: Valentin Vacherot, Shanghai Masters
- Star Turn of the Year: Taylor Townsend, US Open
- Doubles Teams of the Year
- ATP: Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash
- WTA: Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend
- Comeback Player of the Year: Belinda Bencic
- Most Improved: Amanda Anisimova
- Most Age-Defying Players: Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams
ATP Player of the Year: Carlos Alcaraz
The 2025 ATP season was essentially the chronicle of the intense rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner. Their superiority was staggering; the points gap separating No. 2 Sinner from No. 3 Alexander Zverev was wider than the gap between Zverev and the 1,000th-ranked player worldwide. The margin between the “Big Two” themselves, however, was razor-thin.
Alcaraz secured titles at the French Open and the US Open, finishing the year as the world No. 1 for the second time in his career. Sinner countered with victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, capping his season with a win at the ATP Finals for the second straight year. The competition was so fierce that Chris Evert declared a tie.
Ultimately, Querrey, Shriver, and the wider consensus granted a slight advantage to Alcaraz. His season tally included six additional titles, three of which were Masters-1000 events. Furthermore, Alcaraz holds the career head-to-head advantage, defeating Sinner in four out of their six 2025 meetings. Pam Shriver noted that Sinner`s mid-season suspension prevented him from finishing as the year-end No. 1, which tipped the scales in Alcaraz`s favor. Regardless of the chosen recipient, Alcaraz and Sinner are firmly established as the sport`s current elite, ready to continue their brilliance into 2026.
WTA Player of the Year: Aryna Sabalenka
In contrast to the ATP, the WTA title race involved several strong contenders. Despite four different major winners, Elena Rybakina winning the WTA Finals, and various players claiming multiple 1000-level titles, one woman consistently outperformed the rest: world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. She remained at the top ranking throughout the entire season and was the unanimous selection for this award.
Sabalenka successfully defended her US Open title—a feat not accomplished since Serena Williams over a decade prior. Her year also featured appearances in the finals of the Australian and French Opens, and a semifinal run at Wimbledon. With three additional titles, including two at the 1000 level, and a total of nine finals appearances, Sabalenka was the favorite in every tournament she entered. As Pam Shriver concluded, she was “the clear player of the year.”
Long-Awaited Breakthrough Moment: Madison Keys, Australian Open
Madison Keys, a prodigious talent who turned professional at 14, always seemed destined for a major title. Despite reaching the US Open final in 2017 and maintaining a top-20 ranking, the ultimate victory eluded her—until 2025. Nearing her 30th birthday, Keys delivered a stunning, fearless run at the Australian Open.
She defeated five seeded players, culminating in wins over the No. 2-ranked Swiatek in the semifinal and the No. 1-ranked Sabalenka in a thrilling three-set final. Keys finally hoisted her first major trophy, nearly 16 years after turning pro.
Match of the Year: Alcaraz vs. Sinner, French Open Final
The first-ever major final between the two great rivals became an instant classic, clocking in at five hours and 29 minutes—the longest French Open final in history. Sinner, returning from a three-month suspension, appeared dominant early, winning the first two sets.
However, Alcaraz orchestrated an unbelievable comeback. Fueled by the crowd, he forced a fourth set and fought off three championship points before ultimately pushing the match to a decider. The final set was a shifting battle of high-quality tennis, culminating in Alcaraz seizing the victory in a dramatic final tiebreak (4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2)). This win not only secured Alcaraz’s second consecutive French Open trophy and fifth major title but firmly cemented the rivalry that promises to define tennis for the foreseeable future.
Most Improbable Victory: Valentin Vacherot, Shanghai Masters
Valentin Vacherot arrived at the Shanghai Masters ranked No. 204 in the world, initially listed as the ninth alternate just to enter the qualifying draw. Against all odds, he secured a spot and then executed the unthinkable. The 26-year-old, who had only won one ATP Tour match in his career prior to this event, eliminated a string of seeded players, including Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
The final pitted Vacherot against his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech. Vacherot won the emotional “family affair,” becoming both the first Monegasque player to win an ATP title and the lowest-ranked Masters champion in history. Vacherot`s fairy-tale victory caused his ranking to soar, and he ended the season as a top-tier contender at No. 31.
The 18-year-old Canadian, ranked No. 85 and entering on a wild card, stunned the field by defeating four Slam champions en route to her first WTA title. Her ranking surged, finishing the year at a career-high of No. 18.
Star Turn of the Year: Taylor Townsend, US Open
Taylor Townsend, already known for her doubles prowess (she reached the No. 1 doubles ranking this year) and vibrant personality, truly stepped into the global spotlight at the US Open. After defeating No. 29 seed Jelena Ostapenko, she handled a distressing confrontation with exceptional poise and grace.
Ostapenko aggressively criticized Townsend post-match, but Townsend responded with dignity, stating she wanted her young son to be proud of her reaction. This interaction went viral, setting the stage for her next match against No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva, whom Townsend decisively defeated in front of an electrified crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Though her singles run ended in a fourth-round thriller, Townsend cemented her status as a beloved fan favorite and a powerful representative for her culture.
Doubles Teams of the Year
ATP: Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash
The world`s top two ranked doubles players achieved an astounding 11 finals appearances in 2025, winning seven titles. Their biggest achievement was Wimbledon, where they became the first British duo to claim the title since 1936. Neither had won a major prior to their championship run.
WTA: Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend
The women`s top-ranked doubles partnership continued their success by capturing their second Slam title together at the Australian Open. They also reached the final at the US Open, the semifinals at Wimbledon, and secured the trophy at the Dubai 1000-level event.
Neither Harrison (31) nor King (33) had won an ATP title before teaming up in 2025. They claimed three ATP titles, reached the French Open semifinals, and became the first all-American duo to qualify for the year-end ATP Finals.
Comeback Player of the Year: Belinda Bencic
This award was perhaps the most straightforward choice. Belinda Bencic returned to competitive tennis in October 2024, just six months after the birth of her daughter, Bella. Her official return to the tour in early 2025 was immediate and impressive. Within weeks, she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, quickly followed by winning the 500-level Abu Dhabi Open in February.
By the end of the season, she had reached her first-ever Wimbledon semifinal and won another title at the Pan Pacific Open. Bencic began the year ranked No. 489 and finished spectacularly at No. 11.
Most Improved: Amanda Anisimova
Amanda Anisimova’s 2025 campaign transcended a simple career year; it was a total transformation. The 24-year-old American, who had taken an eight-month mental health break from the sport in 2023, returned to realize the potential long expected of her. She won the 1000-level Qatar Open in February and cracked the top 20 for the first time.
Anisimova truly found her rhythm on grass, reaching the final at Queen`s Club and upsetting Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semifinals to reach her first major final. She followed this by reaching yet another final at the US Open. Her profile and ranking soared; she won another 1000-level title (China Open), qualified for the WTA Finals (reaching the semifinals), and concluded the season with a career-high ranking of No. 4.
The 19-year-old American, ranked No. 121, debuted in the Australian Open main draw via qualifying and upset former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the second round. He became the youngest male player to reach the fourth round in Melbourne since Rafael Nadal in 2005, finishing the season with his first ATP title and a career-high ranking of No. 28.
Most Age-Defying Players: Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams
At 38, Novak Djokovic, while perhaps not at his untouchable peak, remains unquestionably the third-best male player in the world. Focusing on achieving an elusive and record-breaking 25th Slam title, Djokovic reached the semifinals at all four majors in 2025. Though he struggled to overcome the young dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner, he still claimed two titles, bringing his career total to an astonishing 101. Despite admitting the difficulty of competing against the Big Two, he has committed to playing on in 2026.
Equally remarkable is Venus Williams. At 45, the seven-time major singles champion returned to tennis competitively after a 16-month hiatus. Her win at the Citi Open made her the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova in 2004. Williams went on to compete at the US Open—the oldest singles player in the main draw since 1981—and had a magical quarterfinal run in doubles. Williams shows no signs of slowing down, having accepted a wild card to play in Auckland in January, marking her 33rd year as a professional tennis player.
If that isn`t a good sign for the 2026 tennis season, nothing is.
