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Turning the clock back
Roger Federer continued to hold back the clock as only he can by winning the Australian Open.
His triumph came at the age of 36 and a few weeks later became the ATP's oldest world number one.
Clay king
Rafael Nadal, 32, had an injury-hit year but that did not stop the Spaniard winning an 11th French Open title to reassert his supremacy on the clay.
By the time the long season wrapped up, Djokovic, Nadal and Federer were one, two and three in the ATP rankings with seven of the top 10 aged 30 or over.
Serena's return
The eagerly-awaited return of Serena Williams to the women's game after giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia last September failed to deliver the American a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, although she was tantalisingly close.
It is not the majestic tennis she played en route to the Wimbledon and US Open finals that will be remembered, however, but her controversial Flushing Meadows showdown against Japan's Naomi Osaka and the ensuing fall-out and allegations of sexism.
New champion
Osaka, who has since turned 21, somehow stayed calm in the bedlam to beat her childhood idol,.
But she was reduced to tears as the crowd booed during the post-match presentations - angry at the perceived unfair treatment of the queen of women's tennis.
Ultimate battlers
Patience paid off for two of the WTA's ultimate battlers.
Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki beat Simona Halep on an oven-like Rod Laver Arena to win the Australian Open and claim her first Grand Slam title, at the 43rd attempt.
Popular victory
A few months later Halep became the first Romanian to win a Grand Slam title for 40 years as she beat American Sloane Stephens at Roland Garros.
She had lost her previous three finals, including the year before in Paris from a winning position, but after losing the first set against Stephens roared back to claim the most popular victory of the year.
Unstoppable Kerber
Germany's Angelique Kerber ripped up the script at Wimbledon. Serena had looked unstoppable during a blazing fortnight on the All England Club lawns and was odds-on to claim an eighth singles title, equal Margaret Court's 24 slams and become the first mum to win Wimbledon for 38 years.
With support in the Royal Box from friend Meghan Markle, wife of Britain's Prince Harry, the stage was set for Serena but an inspired Kerber dropped just six games to become the first German woman to win the title since Steffi Graf in 1996.
Young guns
Young guns like Zverev, Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov are expected to chip away at the old order in 2019 but the changing of the guard is happening at a glacial pace.
Wimbledon lit the blue touch-paper for Djokovic who had entered the Championships seeded 12 after slipping to his lowest ranking since 2006. After ending a two-year Grand Slam drought he went 28-3 for the rest of the year, including winning 16 consecutive sets to march to the US Open title where he beat Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in the final.
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