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Many talented tennis players made it to the headlines during the 2021 season. While some left a long-lasting impression on fans, others are still trying hard to get a chance to display their exceptional skills on the court.
Even though the likes of Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty are expected to continue their domination in 2022, some players can earn themselves a huge name in the upcoming season.
Here is a list of seven tennis players to watch out for in 2022:
#7 Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud bagged five titles on the ATP tour this year. The Norwegian player played some attacking tennis that helped him secure a place in the ATP Finals for the first time in his professional career.
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Ruud lifted three back-to-back ATP 250 trophies at the Swedish Open, the Swiss Open and the Austrian Open. His consistency and success this season shows that he can do well at a Masters tournament or even at a Grand Slam in 2022.
#6 Marta Kostyuk
Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk stunned everyone when she recently defeated US Open 2021 champion Emma Raducanu in the quarterfinals of the Transylvania Open. She also defeated two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza in the first round of the 2021 Roland Garros.
Currently ranked 50 in the world, one of Kostyuk's key skills is the ability to switch between her forehand and backhand positions quickly.
Having played two semifinals in two WTA events this year, the 19-year-old has a bright future ahead of her and is certainly one of the players to watch out for next season.
#5 Sebastian Korda
Sebastian Korda is yet another player who came into the limelight in 2021. The Rafael Nadal fanboy reached the fourth round of the Wimbledon Championships and finished as the runner-up of the 2021 ATP Next Gen Finals, losing to Carlos Alcaraz.
The 21-year-old has a rock-solid defense and knows how to initiate a successful counter-attack against his opponents as well. Thus, it won't be astonishing if the American tennis player manages to win a couple of titles in 2022.
#4 Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff has had some amazing performances on clay this season. The American won the women's singles and doubles trophies at the Emilia-Romagna Open, reached the semi-finals of the Italian Open, and was one of the quarter-finalists of Roland Garros as well.
Although she didn't perform well towards the end of the season, finishing the year as World No. 22 for a 17-year-old is a remarkable achievement. Having already defeated the likes of Naomi Osaka at a Grand Slam, she will be a strong contender at the Majors in the upcoming season.
#3 Lorenzo Musetti
Lorenzo Musetti earned a name for himself after his superlative performance at the French Open in 2021. He reached the fourth round of the Grand Slam and even won two sets against World No.1 Novak Djokovic in that particular round. Although the Italian couldn't win, he received a lot of praise from the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
Following his showing at the French Open, however, Muetti largely suffered first or second-round exits in about ten tennis tournaments in which he subsequently participated. Even in the recently concluded ATP Next Gen Finals, the 19-year-old player failed to go beyond the round-robin stage of the tournament.
Keeping all this aside, Musetti has certainly got the talent and needs just two or three good matches to regain his form and momentum. Fans expect him to achieve a lot of success in the upcoming year.
#2 Emma Raducanu
All eyes will be on Emma Raducanu who made history at the 2021 US Open by becoming the first qualifier ever to lift a Grand Slam trophy. However, since then, she has failed to consistently perform well on tour, leading to failures in Indian Wells, Transylvania, and Linz.
Irrespective of her recent bad patch, it is highly possible that the 19-year-old will strike back and succeed in Melbourne in 2022. It would not be surprising if she manages to win more than a couple of titles including both Majors and Masters glory in the upcoming season.
#1 Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz has had quite an astounding tennis season. The 18-year-old emerged as the winner of the Croatia Open and later won the ATP Next Gen Finals as well. However, the highlight of his career has been his famous win against Stefanos Tsitsipas at the US Open in 2021.
Since he is often considered as the next Rafael Nadal, expectations on him will be huge as Nadal had won his first Grand Slam title at the age of 19. Alcaraz will also turn 19 in 2022 and will be the key tennis player to watch out for in the next year.
These are seven tennis players that every fan needs to keep tabs on. It is quite possible that all of them will end the 2022 season with a number of titles against their names.
