The unfortunately named ‘Sinneraz’ rivalry has utterly dominated this year’s ATP narrative. It has been great for the game, heralding the dawn of an elite post-Big Three era. But let’s be honest: it’s starting to get a touch bland and predictable.
I personally feel that we need a Rune or Draper to crash the party next year. In that spirit, I have decided to rank my top five victories of the season sans Alcaraz and Sinner (not an easy task when you consider they shared all four slams and the ATP Finals). But there have been some other shining lights and now feels like a great time to embrace them.
5. Joao Fonesca breaks through in Buenos Aires
Brazilian wunderkind Joao Fonesca has the raw power to potentially go toe-to-toe with Alcaraz and Sinner in the future. And he showcased his burgeoning quality in Buenos Aires, claiming his maiden ATP Tour title and becoming the youngest South American champ in the ATP Tour era (since 1990). Armed with arguably the most vicious forehand I have ever seen on a teenager, Fonesca ploughed through the Buenos Aires field, even earning grudging admiration from the local Argentines. He would end the season in even more ebullient mood, claiming a maiden ATP 500 title at the Swiss Indoors. But his victory in Buenos Aires was the one that really captured the imagination.
4. Novak Djokovic wins 100th title at the Geneva Open
24-time Grand Slam champ Novak Djokovic didn’t have an awful amount to cheer this year. His once ironclad hold on the men’s game was eviscerated by the rivalry of Alcaraz and Sinner, who have pushed the game boldly into the future. Still, the Serbian legend had time to forge a bit of his own personal history, incredibly winning his 100th career title at the Geneva Open. Djokovic- who had recently split with coach Andy Murray- went into Geneva with a poor 12-7 record. But he showed his undeniable class on the Geneva clay, coming from a set down to beat Hurkacz in the final. Djokovic would add one more to the tally towards the end of the campaign, winning the inaugural Hellenic Championship to make it 101 titles. Only Jimmy Conners (109) and Roger Federer (103) possess more tour titles than the Serb.
3. Jack Draper announces himself to the world at Indian Wells
Hard-hitting lefty Jack Draper joined the big leagues last year, reaching a US Open semifinal to underline his future Gerand Slam prospects. And while injuries severely affected his 2025 campaign, he still managed to produce some moments of magic. He produced the biggest win of his career during the famed ‘Sunshine Double’, defeating Holger Rune in the Indian Wells final. He then showcased his versatility a few months later, reaching another Masters final in Madrid. It’s a pity that fitness issues plagued him. Still, Draper probably represents one of the most plausible threats to Sinneraz dominance. Interesting sidebar: who wins a slam next, Draper or Radacanu?
2. Gael Monfils creates some history in Auckland
I know there are some out there who think that Gael Monfils has underachieved throughout his career. People point to the fact that a man of his talent should have more than two Grand Slam semifinal appearances to his name. I push back hard against any criticism of Monfils. He had the misfortune- like many others- to be around slap-bang in the middle of the reign of the ‘Big-Three’ (big-four if you want to include Murray; big-five if you want to be generous and include Wawrinka). Let’s rather look at what he has achieved. The Frenchman has competed in 35 ATP finals, claiming 13 titles in the process. He defied expectations at the start of the season, becoming the oldest winner in the ATP Tour era with his title-winning run in Auckland. In fact, that win made him the oldest men’s singles winner since 43-year-old Ken Rosewall won Hong Kong back in 1977! We will miss his infectious personality when he retires at the end of the 2026 campaign.
1. Valentin Vacherot proves that miracles are possible in Shanghai
Who said there’s no romance in tennis? Valentin Vacherot’s triumph in Shanghai may go down as one of the most incredible in the history of ATP Tour tennis. Ranked 204th going into the tournament, Vacherot became the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history (he needed to come through qualifying). He also became the first man from the Principality of Monaco to win a Masters title. He did it in rather melodramatic circumstances, taking down cousin Arthur Rinderknech in a nail-biting three-set finale.
