Top Ten Highest Ranked African Male Tennis Players and Their Progress in 2024
By Maureen Shileche
By the end of 2024, ten African male tennis players were ranked among the top 611 in the world. Here’s a summary of their key performances throughout the year.
1. Lloyd Harris (South Africa) – World Number 132
Harris ended the year ranked 132nd, with notable titles including the Shenzhen 1 Challenger 75 where he beat James Duckworth 6-3 6-2, the Gwangju Challenger, and Surbiton Challenger titles.
He also reached the quarterfinals at the Busan Challenger Cup where he fell to Soon-Woo Kwon from the Republic of Korea 7-65, 7-5.
2. Aziz Dougaz (Tunisia) – World Number 227
Aziz Dougaz’s standout achievements came at ATP Challenger events, where he claimed victory at the ITF M25 Hammamet clay tournament in Tunisia, triumphing over Austria’s Sandro Kopp with a 7-6(6), 6-2 scoreline.
He also claimed titles at the ITF M25 tournaments in Kursumlijska Banja (Serbia), Guiyang (China), and Fuzhou (China)
In addition, Dougaz reached the final at the M25 Angers tournament in France, where he was defeated 6-4, 6-2 by Belgian Raphael Collignon.
3. Benjamin Lock (Zimbabwe) – World Number 331
Benjamin Lock’s standout performance came with a victory at the ITF M15 Huamantla tournament in Mexico, where he defeated Arda Azkara 6-4, 6-4. Lock also claimed titles at the ITF M25 Arequipa tournament in Peru and the ITF M15 Addis Ababa event in Ethiopia.
Additionally, he reached the semifinals at several ITF M25 tournaments, including those in Kigali (Rwanda), Arequipa (Peru), Roda de Bara (Spain), Ajaccio (France), Klosters (Switzerland), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Anapoima (Colombia), and Mosquera (Colombia).
4. Hazem Naw (Syria) – World Number 328
Hazem Naw’s top achievements in 2024 included winning the M15 Kish Island tournament in Iran, where he defeated Oleg Prihodko 6-0, 6-4.
He also reached the final of the M15 Metzingen tournament in Germany, but was defeated by Florian Broska 7-5, 6-2.
Additionally, he reached the semifinals at the M25 Nussloch, Germany, Koblenz Open, M15 Pontevedra in Spain, and the Kozerki Open in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland.
5. Eliakim Coulibaly (Ivory Coast) – World Number 338
Eliakim Coulibaly achieved notable success in 2024, including winning the ITF M25 Maputo tournament in Mozambique, where he came from behind to defeat Czech Dominik Palan 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
The player also claimed three trophies and reached two finals at the M15 Monastir tournaments in Tunisia.
Additionally, Eliakim reached the semifinals of the Brazzaville Challenger in the Republic of Congo.
6. Philip Henning (South Africa) – World Number 357
Philip’s standout performances in 2024 included winning two ITF M15 tournaments in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where he defeated Kris Van Wyk 6-4, 6-4, and Nino Ehrenschneider 6-4, 6-1.
He also triumphed at the ITF M15 Yanagawa City tournament in Japan, the M15 Hillcrest tournament in South Africa, the M25 Addis Ababa tournament in Ethiopia, and two M15 tournaments in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
7. Kris Van Wyk (South Africa) – World Number 369
Kris Van Wyk’s best results in 2024 included winning the M15 Monastir tournament in Tunisia, where he claimed a 6-1 7-5 victory over his opponent Egor Agafonov.
The player also reached the finals at two M15 tournaments in Sharm El Sheikh, as well as the finals at the M15 Hillcrest tournament in South Africa, the M25 Guiyang tournament in China, and the M15 Stellenbosch tournament in South Africa.
8. Mohamed Safwat (Egypt) – World Number 467
Mohamed Safwat’s notable achievements included winning the ITF M15 Sharm El Sheikh tournament in Egypt, where he defeated Nikola Milojevic 6-3, 6-2.
He also claimed victory at the M25 Sharm El Sheikh, coming from behind to beat Robin Bertrand 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
In addition, Mohamed reached the semifinals at both the M15 and M25 tournaments in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
9. Alec Beckley (South Africa) – World Number 572
Alec’s best result was winning the M15 Bielsko Biala, Poland ITF clay tournament, where he triumphed over Pawel Juszczak in three sets, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
He also reached the final at the M15 Haren, Netherlands, but was defeated by Tom Gentzsch 3-6, 4-6.
Other notable achievements for the tennis player were reaching the semifinals at several other tournaments, including the M15 Hillcrest, South Africa, where he lost to Philip Henning 6-4, 2-6, 4-6. He also reached the semifinals at the M15 Stellenbosch, South Africa, M25 Maputo, Mozambique, and M25 Poznan, Poland, but was unable to advance further in any of those events.
10. Elliot Benchetrit (Morocco) – World Number 611
Elliot’s standout achievement was winning the ITF M25 Qian Daohu tournament in China, where he defeated Fajing Sun 6-3, 6-2.
He also reached the final of the ATP M15 Bucharest, Romania, clay tournament, but was defeated by Petr Nesterov 1-6, 2-6.
(Rankings as of December 22, 2024)