Player of the Month: January 2024 winners announced
It’s time to reveal your players of the month for January. From ATP finalist to career-best wins and Grand Slam champions – here’s who you voted for this month.
Women’s singles – Katie Boulter
Boulter made arguably the best start to the year of any British star competing for her country at the United Cup. The 27-year-old opened the season with a career-best victory over world No.5 Jessica Pegula coming from a set down to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Boulter followed this up by defeating home favourite Ajla Tomlijanovic in straight sets, before GB bowed out in the group stages.
She came through two rounds of qualifying to make the main draw at the WTA 500 in Adelaide, before moving on to the Australian Open where she reached the second round – losing out to eventual runner-up and 12th seed Qinwen Zheng.
Boulter finished the month ranked at world No.53 and has since pushed inside the top 50.
Men’s singles – Jack Draper
It was a lightning start to 2024 for 22-year-old Draper who made his second career ATP final at the Adelaide International. This was his second tour-level final since November.
The young Brit defeated four opponents ranked inside the world’s top 60 en route to the final – including 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist Tommy Paul, Alexander Bublik and Sebastian Baez. Despite leading in the final, Draper was denied his maiden title by Jiri Lehecka 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
Roll on to the Australian Open as Draper clinched his first five-set victory in the opening round against world No.66 Marcos Giron 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2, before bowing out to Paul.
Doubles – Luke Johnson
Those who have been keeping an eye on British doubles recently will know that Johnson has been reaping success on the ATP Challenger Tour – and January especially was a real standout.
Teaming up with Tunisia’s Skander Mansouri, Johnson lifted two doubles titles in January at Challenger events in Nonthaburi and Ottignies (the biggest of his career so far).
Not only that, but the duo also made two Challenger semi-finals to kick off the year as well.
His efforts have seen him reach a new career-high ranking of world No.83.
Wheelchair – Alfie Hewett
Hewett picked up right where he left off in 2023 with three titles in the month of January.
Starting off at the ITF Super Series Melbourne Wheelchair Open, where the British star won both the singles and doubles titles, setting himself up perfectly for the first Grand Slam of the year.
At the Australian Open, he and fellow Brit Gordon Reid bagged a fifth consecutive doubles title and 19th major together with a 6-3, 6-2 win against Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda.
Hewett also made the final of the singles, but was unable to defend his title, finishing runner-up to 17-year-old starlet Oda.