• Sinner’s historic season. It was a historic season for Jannik Sinner, who rose to world No. 1 in the ATP Rankings and won eight trophies, including his first two major titles - the Australian and US Open. Across 79 matches this year, the 23-year-old Italian also achieved a feat previously accomplished only by Swiss legend Roger Federer back in 2005, i.e., he never lost in straight sets. Sinner, who finished 2024 with a 73-6 win-loss record, and Federer are the only players in the Open Era to achieve this feat (minimum 20 matches played).

• Whatever we can catch, we take, and the rest we learn. After winning the season-ending ATP Finals, his eighth title of the year, Sinner said, “This year, there was no specific goal of winning a Grand Slam or being No. 1 or whatever. It’s going to be the same next year. Whatever we can catch, we take, and the rest we learn.” In 2005, Federer had a 81-4 record. He also won two major titles that year.

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• The last challenge. Juan Martin del Potro will play Novak Djokovic in a ‘goodbye’ match titled ‘The Last Challenge’ in front of his home crowd in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 1. “I want to arrive at that match in the best possible shape. It’s a match to say goodbye. Djokovic was generous in accepting my invitation. If at least for one, two or three hours I can be in peace and happy on court, it will be beautiful,” said Del Potro.

• A future with some quality of life. In a post on social media, the former world No. 3 and US Open champion, who retired in 2022, also talked about how he’s coped with injuries in recent years. Del Potro spoke about the difficulties of day-to-day life, the limitations imposed by a battle-weary body and a desire as simple as it is valuable: to be able to look forward to a future with some quality of life.

• Tennis pros take home the smallest slice of the pie among all major sports. Tennis players take home a mere 17.5% of the sport’s $2.2 billion annual revenue — the lowest share across all major sports. On the other hand, NFL players earn 47%, NBA players take home 50%, and Premier League stars receive a whopping 61% of the total revenue earned by the sport.

• It’s a broken system. Unlike the NFL or the NBA, tennis lacks a unified governing body. The Grand Slams govern themselves, the ITF governs the Olympics and the Davis Cup, and the ATP manages other tournaments. Tournaments are left to fend for themselves, without the financial support of a centralized support.

• No employee benefits, just costs. Professional players in sports like basketball, football, and baseball are considered employees; this guarantees them certain rights like healthcare insurance, pension, among others. Tennis players, however, are considered independent contractors, not employees. This means no healthcare, no pension, and no labor protections. While players can decide their own schedules, they must also bear the financial burden of travel, housing, healthcare, and training.

• There’s no Collective Bargaining Agreement in tennis. Leagues like the NBA and the NFL also negotiate Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) through powerful player unions. These agreements help ensure fair compensation for the players. Tennis? No labor protection, no CBAs, and therefore, poor financial outcomes for the players. All of this results in an economic model that can only support tennis’s top stars, while the majority of players struggle.

• One final chapter in the Djokovic-Murray story. The recently retired Andy Murray is going to coach longtime rival Novak Djokovic. Taking to social media to announce the news, Djokovic said, “We played each other since we were boys - 25 years of being rivals, pushing each other beyond our limits. We had some of the most epic battles. They called us game-changers, risk-takers, history-makers. I thought our story may be over. Turns out, it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome on board, Coach - Andy Murray.”

• Murray is excited to spend time on the same side of the net as Djokovic. “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open. I’m excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals,” Murray said in a statement released by his management team.