A sinking to the knees, the subtle brandish of a racquet, a scream at the player’s box and a lofting of the arms overhead.
The celebrations of Grigor Dimitrov, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Andrey Rublev may have looked vastly different on Sunday as they claimed respective titles to kick off their 2024 seasons, but each sent a similar message to the tennis world: These are four viable threats at Australian Open 2024.
“It means a lot to me,” an emotional Dimitrov, now 32, said after winning the Brisbane International, his first title in more than six years. “Yeah... it’s been a while.”
The quartet provided a buzzy Sunday afternoon just one week out from the start of the AO, where Rybakina was a runner-up a year ago – a loss she avenged in Brisbane over world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka.
While world No.1s Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek are sure to loom large over Melbourne Park, titles for Dimitrov, Rybakina, Gauff and Rublev boost their hopes at the year’s first major.
It begs the question – how deep can they go at the AO?
Brisbane International
Grigor Dimitrov d Holger Rune 7-6(5) 6-4
It had been since the ATP Finals in 2017 since the Bulgarian had won a singles title. Since then, he’d sunk as low as world No.37 in 2022.
But the belief remained for the former No.3, and it paid off at the back end of last season, when Dimitrov made inspired runs at the Shanghai (semifinal) and Paris Masters (final).
He carried that momentum into Pat Rafter Arena, opening the week with a steady three-set triumph over Andy Murray and closing it by beating Rune in the final – his eighth win in 19 meetings with a top 10 foe in the past 12 months.
"Of course a win is a win, a title is a title, but I think seeing where I'm at is way more important," Dimitrov said of his current form.
"Who knows, if (what) I can get better at (goes) right... what else might be coming my way?"
Elena Rybakina d Aryna Sabalenka 6-0 6-3
This was billed as the blockbuster rematch of Australian Open 2023 women’s final. In theory, it was, but in just 25 minutes Rybakina stormed to the opening set and then never looked back, claiming a sixth career title and further confirming the Kazakh’s status as one to watch in Melbourne.
Rybakina was in devastating form throughout her week in Brisbane, dropping just 15 games across five matches.
“(I) didn’t expect that it’s going to be like this,” she admitted after.
Next up? Adelaide this week, where she is the top seed.
Auckland
Coco Gauff d Elina Svitolina 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3
Can Gauff become the first woman to go from a US Open win to capturing the AO four months later since Naomi Osaka did as much in 2020-21?
The 19-year-old American has plenty of reason to believe she can, claiming the ASB Classic in New Zealand for a second consecutive year, losing her lone set of the week to Svitolina in the final.
Like Dimitrov, she’s building on her strong finish to 2023, but even more so; dating back to Cincinnati, Gauff has won 23 of 26 matches, losing only to Swiatek (twice) and doubles partner Jess Pegula.
“I love silverware,” a beaming Gauff wrote on her social media.
It is her seventh career title in eight final appearances.
Hong Kong
Andrey Rublev d Emil Ruusuvuori 6-4 6-4
Is this the year Rublev breaks his streak of nine major quarterfinals lost?
The AO will mark as good a chance as any, having made the final eight both last year and in 2021.
He came into the reborn Hong Kong men’s event – back for the first time since 2002 – as the top seed and delivered, withstanding Ruusuvuori in the final as well as a three-setter versus Arthur Fils in the quarters.
"It is a great feeling to start the season with the title," Rublev said.
What these four stars will do with said feeling over the coming fortnight in Melbourne is up to them.