Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson, Matt Ebden, John Friends, Max Purcell and Olivia Gadecki have been nominated for the 2024 Newcombe Medal, in recognition of their excellent achievements this yr.
Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 14 November 2024 | Tennis Australia
Alex de Minaur (NSW), Alexei Popyrin (NSW), Jordan Thompson (NSW), Matt Ebden (WA), John Friends (WA), Max Purcell (NSW), and Olivia Gadecki (Qld) have been nominated for the 2024 Newcombe Medal, in recognition of their excellent achievements this yr.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion John Newcombe will current the Newcombe Medal to Australia’s most excellent elite participant for 2024 through the 14th annual staging of the gala occasion on the Palladium Crown in Melbourne on Monday 9 December.
“This yr has been a showcase for unimaginable achievements throughout Australian tennis,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley stated as he praised the nominees.
✨ Class of 2024 ✨
Congrats to our Newcombe Medal Nominees!#Newks24 pic.twitter.com/4PGCnMNpa9
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) November 14, 2024
“Every nominee has delivered excellent outcomes, from breaking into the world’s prime 10 to securing main milestones, Grand Slam titles, and even Olympic Gold medals. These are career-defining accomplishments, and we’re proud to have such excellent ambassadors for Australian tennis on the worldwide stage.
“Tennis Australia is delighted to have fun these exceptional achievements. Our gamers proceed to encourage, and the Newcombe Medal gives a particular alternative to recognise not solely their particular person success but in addition their invaluable contributions to the game.”
The 2024 Newcombe Medal Nominees:
Alex de Minaur
The No.1-ranked Australian loved a breakthrough season in 2024, with a career-high singles rating of world No.6. He claimed ATP trophies in Acapulco and ‘s-Hertogenbosch – he now owns 9 profession singles titles – and made consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. De Minaur’s distinctive type additionally included a starring function in guiding Australia to the United Cup semifinals in January, earlier than he reached the second week of Australian Open 2024. De Minaur is the primary Australian to achieve the ATP Finals in singles since Lleyton Hewitt 20 years in the past.
He was awarded the Newcombe Medal in 2018 and 2023, and that is his fifth nomination.
“It’s such an honour to be nominated for the Newcombe Medal. That is my fifth time (being nominated) and it’s an unimaginable honour, it means a lot. A lot arduous work all year long and that is a type of rewards,” De Minaur stated.
“It’s been a fantastic yr for me, a yr of many firsts, cracking a whole lot of milestones and a whole lot of targets that I’ve set out with the entire crew. I’m extraordinarily pleased with every part that has been completed.
“It’s unimaginable to be a part of Australian tennis and the immense success that’s been had all through the sector by so lots of my teammates. So many accolades all year long, whether or not it’s Olympic medals, Grand Slams, profession excessive rankings in each singles and doubles, there’s been a lot nice Australian tennis being performed. It’s only a pleasure to be part of it and I’m very comfortable to have been nominated amongst so many worthy nominees.”
Alexei Popyrin
Popyrin has had a stellar yr, breaking into the highest 25 not lengthy after securing his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal. That week in Canada noticed him beat 5 consecutive top-20 gamers – three of whom have been within the prime 10 – and preceded his gorgeous run on the US Open, the place he upset defending champion Novak Djokovic to achieve the fourth spherical at a significant for the primary time.
Popyrin’s consistency and progress have earned him his second nomination for the Newcombe Medal.
Jordan Thompson
Thompson has remained one in all Australia’s most dependable and versatile gamers, with standout performances in each singles and doubles all through 2024. In singles Thompson loved his finest season but, cracking the highest 30 and profitable his first ATP singles title in Los Cabos. The 30-year-old additionally reached a career-high doubles rating of world No.5 and earned vital ends in the tandem recreation, together with the US Open title and Wimbledon last with fellow Aussie Max Purcell, and the Madrid Masters title with Sebastian Korda.
“Being nominated for the Newcombe Medal is a big honour for me. It has been one of the best yr of my profession on each the singles and doubles courtroom and for that to be recognised means lots to me,” Thompson stated.
Matt Ebden
Ebden continues to shine in doubles, beginning 2024 with a Grand Slam title on the Australian Open alongside Rohan Bopanna and turning into world No.1 in February. He and compatriot John Friends went on a surprising run in Paris to say Australia’s first Olympic tennis gold medal in 28 years. Ebden additionally triumphed on the prestigious Masters 1000 occasion in Miami and performed a pivotal function in Australia’s Davis Cup crew, which returned to the Remaining 8 for the third straight yr.
That is Ebden’s fourth Newcombe Medal nomination.
“I’m very comfortable to be nominated for the Newcombe Medal after a dream yr. To have gained an Olympic gold medal, reached the world No.1 rating, win a Grand Slam and a Masters has actually been a dream yr,” Ebden stated.
“As a crew we now have yet another huge objective subsequent week, and that’s to win the Davis Cup, that will be an incredible solution to end off the yr. It’s been an incredible yr to date, and we’re trying to end sturdy subsequent week to win the Davis Cup for Australia.”
John Friends
One of many world’s prime doubles gamers for greater than a decade, Friends cemented his spectacular credentials by clinching Olympic males’s doubles gold at Paris 2024 alongside Matt Ebden, including to his Tokyo Olympic bronze medal with Ash Barty in blended doubles. This yr Friends gained one other two ATP titles – in Basel and Belgrade – after reuniting with former companion Jamie Murray and has been a stalwart of Australia’s Davis Cup crew.
That is Friends’ fifth Newcombe Medal nomination.
“It’s such an honour to be nominated for the Newcombe Medal once more. Successful the Olympic gold medal with Matt was actually a spotlight of my profession, and to have the ability to do it with a fellow Aussie made it much more particular,” Friends stated.
Max Purcell
Purcell loved huge success on the doubles courtroom in 2024, profitable his first Grand Slam title on the US Open with Jordan Thompson after the duo additionally reached the ultimate at Wimbledon. The triumph in New York was one off our doubles titles Purcell clinched with Thompson this yr, and Max additionally cracked the doubles prime 10 for the primary time in September, peaking at world No.8. Recognized for his unimaginable work ethic and aggressive spirit, that is his third Newcombe Medal nomination.
Olivia Gadecki
One of many brightest rising stars in Australian girls’s tennis, Gadecki loved an unimaginable breakthrough season in 2024, advancing to her first WTA singles last in Guadalajara in September – a consequence that catapulted her contained in the world’s prime 100. She gained 40 singles matches in 2024 throughout all ranges and likewise excelled in doubles, profitable her first WTA title in Austin alongside Brit Olivia Nicholls to peak at world No.64.
That is the primary time the 22-year-old has been nominated for the Newcombe Medal.
“It’s such an honour to be nominated amongst a number of the finest Australian tennis gamers proper now, equivalent to Alex, Alexei, Jordan, Matt, John and Max. To be a part of this nomination is superb and I’m actually wanting ahead to celebrating everybody’s achievements on the Newcombe Medal,” Gadecki stated.
