In the promotional campaign released by the ATP this month to welcome in the new season, the governing body of men’s tennis underlined that it is determined to look towards the future. As numerous talented young players featured in the campaign, the poet James Massiah narrated the dawn of a new era in a sport that has moved on.
Yet the tour’s ranking belies its narrative. There may be newer, fresher challengers, but the figure at the head of the sport and the man to beat remains the same as it has been for well over a decade.
