The world of tennis has enjoyed some new names rising to the top of both the men’s and women’s games recently.
An era of dominance by the ‘big three’ on the ATP Tour is nearing an end, as two new stars look to have taken their place.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic won a combined 66 Major titles during their careers, numbers that may well never be topped.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will give it their all, however, and have already picked up seven Grand Slams between them at 23 and 21 years of age.
On the WTA Tour, two stars have risen above the rest as the women’s game searches for a fitting replacement for one of the greatest players of all time.
When Serena Williams retired from tennis in 2022, she did so as a 23-time Major champion, the most of any female player in the Open Era.

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka have won eight Major titles since then as they look to match her legacy.
While Sinner, Alcaraz, Swiatek, and Sabalenka all have the potential to live up to the greatness of their predecessors, it could well be two even younger players, that truly break out as tennis’ next ‘superstars.’
Mirra Andreeva and Joao Fonseca could break through as the next tennis ‘superstars’
Tennis fans around the world have grown excited as two youngsters continue to impress in 2025.
At just 17, Mirra Andreeva already has a wealth of experience on the WTA Tour, securing victories over both Sabalenka and Swiatek.
The Russian star reached the semi-finals of last year’s French Open, beating Sabalenka in the last eight before coming up short against Jasmine Paolini.

This week, Andreeva has impressed at the Dubai Tennis Championships, securing two wins over former Major champions.
The 17-year-old beat Swiatek in the quarters before knocking out Elena Rybakina to become the youngest-ever WTA 1000 finalist.
Battling through in three tight sets, Andreeva won her sixth match against a top-ten opponent, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
The result has seen her shoot up to 11th in the ‘Live’ WTA rankings, as she remains the only teenager ranked inside the world’s top 100.
| Rank | Name | Age | Points |
| 7 | Elena Rybakina | 25 | 4,328 |
| 8 | Qinwen Zheng | 22 | 3,780 |
| 9 | Emma Navarro | 23 | 3,704 |
| 10 | Paula Badosa | 27 | 3,698 |
| 11 | Mirra Andreeva | 17 | 3,370 |
| 12 | Daria Kasatkina | 27 | 3,116 |
| 13 | Danielle Collins | 31 | 2,877 |
| 14 | Diana Shnaider | 20 | 2,853 |
| 15 | Karolina Muchova | 28 | 2,734 |
18-year-old Joao Fonseca has enjoyed a stellar start to his 2025 campaign, producing several stunning results.
Fonseca beat Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open, shocking the top-ten star in straight sets down under.

Soon after, the Brazilian returned to his native South America, where he embarked on a sensational run to the Argentina Open title.
Coming through in three deciding sets, the world number 68 proved his mental and physical toughness in Buenos Aires.
- F – Beat Francisco Cerundolo, 6-4, 7-6
- SF – Beat Laslo Djere, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1
- QF – Beat Mariano Navone, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
- 2R – Beat Federico Coria, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
- 1R – Beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 6-3, 6-3
Facing off against home favorite Francisco Cerundolo in the final, Fonseca lifted his first ATP Tour title with a hard-fought straight-sets victory.
How do Mirra Andreeva and Joao Fonseca compare to tennis legends at 17 and 18 years old?
At 17-years-old Andreeva looks well on course to achieve great things in her career, but how does she compare to one of the greatest to ever pick up a racket in the women’s game at the same age?
Days before turning 18, Williams picked up her first Major title at the 1999 US Open, beating Martina Hingis, 6-3, 7-6 in the final.

The Russian won’t be able to match Williams in that area as the French Open kicks off after her 18th birthday, but she can still win several titles as she looks to close the gap.
| Player | Best Grand Slam performance | Career-high ranking | Best WTA 1000 performance | WTA titles |
| Serena Williams (17) | W – 1999 US Open | 4 | W – 1999 Indian Wells | 4 |
| Mirra Andreeva | SF – 2024 French Open | 11* | F – 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships* | 1 |
Fonseca has also made a strong start as he competes with the ‘big three’ who achieved varying levels of success during their younger years.

| Player | Best Grand Slam performance | Career-high ranking | Best Masters 1000 performance | ATP titles |
| Rafael Nadal (18) | 4R – 2005 Australian Open | 5 | W – Monte Carlo Masters, Italian Open | 6 |
| Roger Federer (18) | 4R – French Open | 39 | 2R – 2000 Miami Open | 0 |
| Novak Djokovic (18) | 3R – 2005 Wimbledon, 2005 US Open | 63 | 3R – 2005 Paris Masters | 0 |
| Joao Fonseca | 2R – 2025 Australian Open | 68 | 2R – 2024 Madrid Open | 1 |
Neither Federer nor Djokovic had won an ATP title when they turned 19, as Fonseca already looks to have the edge over two of the sport’s greatest stars.
The Brazilian doesn’t turn 19 until August, as Fonseca could well storm further clear of the Swiss and Serbian stars as he chases down Nadal.
Many fans are already inserting Fonseca into conversations of a ‘new big three’ alongside Alcaraz and Sinner, as the trio are predicted to dominate tennis for years to come.
Both Andreeva and Fonseca will shoot for Grand Slam glory at the French Open, which begins on Sunday, May 25.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
