With the 2015 season in the rearview mirror and the next version just weeks away, a group of young players have their sights set on a rise in the coming months.

At just 23 years old, Jack Sock began 2015 ranked 42nd in the world and, despite some time away from the court due to injury, finished at 26th.  Armed with a powerful serve and a massive forehand, Sock is equipped with the tools to continue ascending towards the top of the world rankings. During a year of adversity that included the near-death of brother Eric and a collapse due to exhaustion at the U. S. Open, Sock improved his consistency on the court and could be primed to take the title of No. 1 American from John Isner in the coming season.

In a year that saw the American earn his first career singles title in Houston, Sock finished strong after his struggle in Flushing Meadows, performing with confidence down the stretch. In a run to the finals in Stockholm, Sock would eliminate two top-20 mainstays in Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet before falling to Tomas Berdych. Meanwhile, in Basel he would defeat John Isner on his way to the semifinals.

With a continued progression and a healthy 2016, a top-10 finish is not out of the question for the Nebraska native. Maintaining a high level of fitness could be the key to deeper success in the coming year.

Meanwhile, Austrian Dominic Thiem has somewhat quietly worked his way into the top 20 and has his eyes set on edging closer to the top of the rankings in the coming season. With titles at Gstaad, Umag, and Nice in 2015, the 22-year-old has served notice that he is a force to be reckoned with, particularly on clay.

However, his ceiling may depend on how well he performs on surfaces aside from the red dirt in 2016. Despite an impressive record on clay in 2015, Thiem had losing records on hard courts as well as grass. However, with his big, aggressive groundstrokes, mobility throughout the court, and ability to attack from the baseline, success on all surfaces appears inevitable.

During his title runs, Thiem defeated opponents such as David Goffin, Feliciano Lopez, Gael Monfils, and John Isner.

Another young player who clearly has all of the weapons to win Grand Slams if he can avoid self-created drama is Nick Kyrgios. The Australian is an interesting case of a player who is extremely gifted but has made more headlines for his actions outside of tennis. He appears to be a young star who has placed more emphasis on lifestyle than fully engaging his talents. The 20-year-old has checked out of matches and clearly given up in some competitive battles.

On the flipside, when dialed into a match, Kyrgios has shown absolute brilliance on the court at times. And, despite his inconsistency, he improved 20 ranking spots in 2015 to finish at world No. 30 despite his lack of a maiden title. Perhaps Kyrgios will use 2016 to grow and place more of a premium on tennis itself, shedding his immaturity. If so, there is no question that he could conceivably rise towards the top of the rankings. There is no limit for this youngster whose biggest opponent is often himself.

Still just 19, Borna Coric has future champion written all over his game. The Croat raced up the rankings to finish at world No. 44 after beginning 2015 at No. 102.

Not lacking in confidence, Coric anointed himself as the “best player of [his] generation” early in 2015. While he would later attempt to clarify those comments, he compared his game to Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, which drew some mockery from Kyrgios and others. But, although some criticized Coric’s lack of modesty, he would not be the first to tout his own talent. His comments were somewhat reminiscent of comments Djokovic would make towards Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in 2006, when the current world No. 1 opined, ''He's the best on this surface, but he's not unbeatable.''

Confidence aside, Coric has found success with a solid baseline game beyond his years and has actually shown some echoes of Djokovic in his ability to find difficult angled strikes from there. Like many young players, he had his share of uneven results and lack of consistency this year. Yet glimpses of remarkable skill that surfaced at times during the year have many anticipating a breakout season ahead. Coric appeared to burn out late in 2015, but his victory against Murray in Dubai early in the season highlighted the potential for the young Croat.

For these young competitors, prosperity in 2016 could set up even greater success in the coming years. With six players within the top 12 who are 30 or older, and three others turning 30 in 2016, a changing of the guard in the not-so-distant future is inevitable. These fast risers, with long careers ahead, are positioning themselves as prime players to move into the upper echelon when the revolving door begins.