The more things change the more they stay the same.

There’s been plenty of false dawns in men’s tennis, and the demise of the ‘big four’ has been tipped for years.

From 2010-2013, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray won every grand slam title that was on offer.

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But in 2014, gaps began appearing in those mighty clouds.

Stanislas Wawrinka began the year by winning the Australian Open, and in September Croatia’s Marin Cilic beat Kei Nishikori in the US Open final.

That match was the first time a grand slam final was without Djokovic, Federer or Nadal since Marat Safin beat Lleyton Hewitt to win the 2005 Australian Open.

Aside from Wawrinka and Cilic, a number of men are knocking on the door of grand slam glory. Here we take a look at the men most likely to enter the pantheon of grand slam champions.

Is Grigor Dimitrov a future world No.1? Photo: Getty

Grigor Dimitrov

Coached by Australian Roger Rasheed, 23-year-old Dimitrov is widely tipped to be a future grand slam champion. He enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2014, beating Milos Raonic en route to an Australian Open quarter-final, where he gave Rafael Nadal fits before going down in four sets. He followed that effort with a semi-final showing at Wimbledon, being beaten by eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Key quote: “You know, tennis is action.  With the talk you’re never going to go any further than what it is. I need to prove that, and I think the most important thing is I need to prove to myself. Only then I can say, yeah, I won a grand slam. Until then, we can just have our presumptions.”

Milos Raonic

Raonic, 24, is a hulking Canadian of Montenegrin origin. He broke through for his first grand slam quarter-final at Roland Garros last year, then went further when he beat Nick Kyrgios to make the semis at Wimbledon. He was beaten in straight sets by Roger Federer, and his 1-8 head-to-head record against the Swiss great makes for some uncomfortable reading. That said, he pushed Federer hard on Sunday night in the final of the Brisbane International, and he could be ready for the final leap in his development.

Key quote: “The progress I’ve been making, especially over the last six weeks from physically as a tennis player, technically, and just the way I go about things even mentally, I’m happy with that. I feel like I’m just going to get better over the next eight or nine days. I feel like I have the confidence, and I believe I have that ability within myself.”

Kei Nishikori has made a grand slam final. Can he go one better? Photo: Getty

Kei Nishikori

Nishikori reached the top five in the world for the first time in 2014, after a terrific year that saw him make his first grand slam final at the US Open, going down to Marin Cilic. All up he won four titles in 2014, emerging victorious in Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Barcelona and Memphis. Despite that form, the 25-year-old still thinks it could take a while before he breaks through in a major.

Key quote: “Winning might take some time, you know? You need some luck too when you play … hopefully (it) comes one day I win a grand slam.That’s my dream, so hopefully I can do it in a few years.”

Nick Kyrgios

At 19, the Canberran is a longer-term prospect, but showed in 2014 that at his electric best he can trouble anyone. Highlight was undoubtedly a fourth-round defeat of Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon, which sent shockwaves around the tennis world and heralded the arrival of a major new talent. Pulled out of the Hopman Cup because of a back injury, and should manage his workload carefully to make sure he doesn’t burn out.

Key quote: “Just obviously the last two grand slams have been really, really good for me. I’m going to remember every moment. Gives me so much confidence, so many things that I can work on. It’s more excitement for me, you know, knowing I’m only going to get better, especially if I just keep working hard.”

Stay tuned for the next generation of women’s tennis stars, this week on The New Daily.