Novak Djokovic among ATP stars facing huge rankings slip ahead of crucial clay season

It has been a stellar start to the ATP Tour season, with Jannik Sinner cementing his status as one of his generation’s greatest talents with a maiden major in Australia.

That is one of three titles the Italian has won in a dominant start to 2024, though the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev have also impressed so far this year

However as the eyes of the tennis world switch to the clay court swing, some will be eager to get back on track after failing to hit the mark so far.

Here are our picks for five ATP players who will be looking to kickstart their seasons this spring.

Novak Djokovic

It has been a far from ideal start to the 2024 season for the Serbian, who still sits as world No 1 but has lost in all three tournaments he’s played so far this year.

It was his loss to lucky loser Luca Nardi at Indian Wells that raised the most eyebrows, the 36-year-old looking out of sorts in a three-set defeat to the Italian, ranked 123rd at the time.

Sitting down in 12th in the Race to Turin and having split with long-term coach Goran Ivanisevic, Djokovic will be hoping for a turnaround in form on a surface he has thrived on in recent times.

But with 2000 points to defend at Roland Garros come the end of May, there is certainly a little bit of pressure on him with the chasing pack closing in.

Holger Rune

Rune has already established himself inside the top ten aged only 20, with a Masters 1000 and four ATP Titles in total under his belt; that is no mean feat.

There can be no denying though that he has not had a strong start to 2024, with a topsy-turvy season on and off court compounded by winning only two games to Fabio Maroszan in Miami.

He also suffered a disappointing second round defeat at the Australian Open and, currently 16th in the Race to Turin, he has struggled to find consistency since reaching the Brisbane final in January

With finalist points at the Masters 1000 events in Monte Carlo and Rome to defend for Rune, as well as quarter-final points at Roland Garros, a sharp uptick in form is needed. 

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Stefanos Tsitsipas

After reaching the Australian Open final in 2023, he failed to reach another Grand Slam quarter-final and won just one title, and a fourth round loss at Melbourne this year saw him exit the top ten.

Tsitsipas currently languishes 24th in the Race to Turin, with early losses to Jiri Lehecka and Denis Shapovalov across the Sunshine Double only adding to his recent struggles.

Clay can undoubtedly be a strong surface for the Greek, who has been twice a champion in Monte Carlo previously, as well as being a former finalist at Roland Garros, Rome, and Madrid.

And he needs to find that kind of form now more than ever, or risk being unable to rescue his position as a top five player – which he is more than capable of being.

Frances Tiafoe

While fellow Americans Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Ben Shelton have all had solid starts to the new season, Tiafoe has yet to get going in a poor 2024.

‘Big Foe’ failed to make the second week in either Indian Wells or Miami and also lost in the second round of the Australian Open, falling in straight sets to the rising Tomas Machac.

Everyone who has watched Tiafoe knows he is capable of producing explosive tennis; his run to the US Open last four back in 2022 is testament to just how good he can be on his day.

But he has looked incredibly flat so far this season and he will now need to try and find some form on a surface that hasn’t always been too kind to him.

The American starts his clay court season in Houston this week and will be desperate for a good run.

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Two years ago it looked like Auger-Aliassime was destined to become one of the leading figures of the next generation of tennis superstars with a stunning 2022 season.

The Canadian finished that year ranked sixth with four ATP titles to his name, but despite defending his Basel title last October, his form has dipped significantly over the past 15 months.

Many assumed 2023 would be a sophomore slump that Auger-Aliassime would snap out of in 2024, but he sits down in 43rd for the year, yet unable to recapture the magic that took him to the top ten.

A former junior Roland Garros finalist, who reached his first two ATP finals on clay, it will be interesting to see if he can right the ship over the coming months.