Means-too-early tennis Grand Slam predictions for 2023

NEW YORK — The tennis main season formally ended this weekend, with Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek every profitable their first US Open titles.

It was the primary of probably many Grand Slam trophies for Alcaraz, 19, and the third for the 21-year-old Swiatek. Each at the moment are the top-ranked gamers on the planet and extensively thought of the game’s brightest rising superstars.

This yr, three males — Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic — and three ladies — Swiatek, Ashleigh Barty and Elena Rybakina — took residence the yr’s most coveted titles.

With 4 months earlier than the following Grand Slam — and a slew of different tournaments, the ATP and WTA Finals, and an all-too-short offseason for the gamers first — it isn’t too early to begin guessing who will emerge victorious in 2023. Whereas there are some gamers — cough, cough, Alcaraz and Swiatek — who very properly might win a number of main titles subsequent yr, we’re limiting every participant to only one for the sake of retaining it fascinating.

Australian Open

When: Jan. 16-29, 2023

The place: Melbourne, Australia

2022 champions: Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty (now retired)

Males’s winner in 2023: Carlos Alcaraz

After Alcaraz’s monumental run in New York and speedy ascension to the world No. 1 rating, he must be the favourite for the yr’s first Grand Slam, particularly after proving simply how good he may be on exhausting court docket.

All through the previous two weeks, Alcaraz displayed his mind-blowing athleticism and psychological toughness and proved no result in be too insurmountable — and no rally too difficult. Whereas many gamers have struggled after profitable their first main, Alcaraz has by no means appeared to have hassle with stress or consideration. Count on extra titles for Alcaraz in 2023, beginning Down Beneath in January.

Ladies’s winner in 2023: Coco Gauff

Since she burst onto the scene at 15 in 2019, it has appeared all however inevitable that Gauff would at some point grow to be a significant champion. She got here shut in 2022, reaching the ultimate at Roland Garros and the quarterfinals on the US Open, and she or he appears poised for her final breakthrough in 2023. Now within the high 10 for the primary time in her profession, and together with her recreation persevering with to enhance, Melbourne seems like the right place for her maiden main title.

French Open

When: Could 28-June 11, 2023

The place: Paris

Defending champions: Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek

Males’s winner in 2023: Rafael Nadal

Nadal’s unbelievable reign on clay and at Roland Garros will finally finish in some unspecified time in the future, however we’re not fairly able to declare that period over simply but. Having gained the match 14 instances, together with 5 of the previous six years, the French Open will stay Nadal’s greatest likelihood for his twenty third Grand Slam title. It’ll undoubtedly be powerful, particularly with younger gamers like Alcaraz and 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud, and with Nadal’s dangerous luck with accidents, however Nadal stays the favourite till proved in any other case.

Ladies’s winner in 2023: Iga Swiatek

As she proved on the US Open and through her 37-match profitable streak earlier this season, Swiatek has grow to be a multi-surface contender. However clay stays her most well-liked and most dominant floor. In the course of the 2022 clay season, she gained three titles, together with on the French Open, and dropped simply two units all through that run. It is nearly not possible to see anybody beating her in Paris within the close to future.

Wimbledon

When: July 3-16, 2023

The place: London

Defending champions: Novak Djokovic and Elena Rybakina

Males’s winner in 2023: Novak Djokovic

Very like in 2022, so much stays unsure for Djokovic within the coming season resulting from his unvaccinated standing and after that entire deportation factor from Australia final yr. Will he be capable of enter Australia in January? Will he not? We nonetheless do not know for certain (though it is looking increasingly likely). However, all that stated, Djokovic has gained the previous 4 titles on the All England Membership, even with all the chaos of his 2022, and 7 general. The person loves the grass on Centre Court docket, and it clearly loves him again. If there’s one main title he’s going to win in 2023, it must be Wimbledon.

Ladies’s winner in 2023: Ons Jabeur

Not like on the boys’s aspect, Wimbledon feels large open for the ladies at this stage. However Jabeur, who reached the ultimate on the All England Membership in 2022 in addition to on the US Open, might be most definitely trying to avenge her two disappointing Grand Slam runs within the new season. Her variety-filled recreation is well-suited for the grass, and two of her three profession titles have come on the floor. Jabeur has stated she believes she’s going to win a Grand Slam sooner or later, and Wimbledon seems like her greatest alternative subsequent season.

US Open

When: Aug. 28-Sept. 10, 2023

The place: New York

Defending champions: Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek

Males’s winner in 2023: Frances Tiafoe

Is that this recency bias? Completely. However Tiafoe had one of the outstanding runs on the US Open in latest reminiscence. There was an unbelievable fourth-round win over Nadal and a straight-sets victory over Andrey Rublev within the quarters, after which he fought with every part he had within the semifinals towards Alcaraz, forcing a deciding set even when it had earlier regarded all however over. Earlier than he left the court docket following the loss he instructed the gang, “I’ll come again and I’ll win this factor” and it is exhausting to doubt him. Let’s tentatively mark him down because the one to cease the then-20-year drought amongst American males for a Grand Slam title.

Ladies’s winner in 2023: Simona Halep

Previous to the 2022 match, 5 of the earlier seven US Open ladies’s champions had been first-time main winners, however Swiatek and others atop the sport have continued to indicate consistency, and it appears as if we’ll be seeing a dominant group win nearly all of titles within the coming years.

Precisely who’s in that group alongside Swiatek stays to be seen, however Halep, a two-time Grand Slam winner and the victor on the 1000-level Canadian Open in August, definitely might be. She has had a resurgent stretch of late, notching a semifinal look at Wimbledon this summer time along with the title in Toronto, and was a favourite coming into the 2022 US Open earlier than being handed a surprising first-round exit. Now working with Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams‘ former coach, it would not be stunning to see her hoist one other main trophy in 2023. Why not in New York?