Youth and experience to be recognised at Australian Tennis Awards

Ava Beck (Vic): The 16-year-old had an emphatic rise in 2024. Ranked No.717 in the ITF girls' rankings last September, Beck has since skyrocketed inside the top 100 in the space of 15 months. The Victorian won three ITF junior titles this season, in Mornington, Canberra and Miki. She capped her year by representing Australia at the Junior Billie Jean King Cup.

Emerson Jones (Qld): The Queenslander went from strength to strength in 2024. Twice a Grand Slam girls' singles finalist, Jones became the first Australian since Jelena Dokic in 1998 to become ITF junior girls' world No.1. Also on the junior circuit, the 16-year-old reigned supreme in the World Junior Tennis Finals. At professional level, Jones won her maiden ITF title in Sydney last month.

Maya Joint (Qld): Joint had a season to remember, beginning it world No.684 before soaring as high as world No.110 in October. The world's second-highest ranked teenagers after Mirra Andreeva, the 18-year-old is excelling at a rate beyond her years. A highlight of Joint's season was winning her first Grand Slam main-draw match at the US Open.

Renee Alame (NSW): The 15-year-old continued her upward trajectory this season, and now boasts career-high rankings in both the ITF junior singles and doubles. Inside the top 100 in both categories, the Sydneysider won four titles across both disciplines in 2024. She also made her junior Grand Slam debut at Melbourne Park, reaching the second round of the singles and the third round of the doubles.

Archie Graham (Qld): Graham is aiming to win the award for a fourth time. The PWII-1 singles world No.1 started his season in scintillating form, winning the Australian Open, before claiming gold at the World Tennis Championships in France. It marks the second time in a row that Graham is year-end No.1.

Grace Hobbs (NSW): Hobbs dominated blind and low vision tennis competition in 2024. The IBTA B4 singles world No.1 won gold in the respective event at the Blind and Low Vision Tennis World Championships, as well as the women's open doubles. She was also an integral part in Team NSW winning the Maurice Gleeson Cup at the Blind and Low Vision National Championships in July, winning the B4 singles and B2-4 doubles.

Michael Leigh (NSW): Leigh was one of Australia's most decorated players at the IBTA Blind and Low Vision Tennis World Championships in October, where he won two gold medals. The New South Welshman won gold in the B3 singles, before teaming up with Ross Patterson to win the men's open doubles competition. He also holds the Australian No.1 ranking in both the B3 singles and doubles.

Ross Patterson (TAS): Patterson once again had a perfect season in 2024. The Tasmanian went undefeated in B4 Blind and Low Vision singles competition, a campaign which included an Australian Championship title in July. The B4 singles world No.1 also had an impressive year in the doubles, where he excelled at national and international level. He won the B3-4 doubles at Australian Championships, as well as the men's open doubles at the IBTA World Championships, alongside Michael Leigh.