10 things to take away from the 2022 Australian Open

 

                                                 (Credit: express.co.uk) 

With the 2022 Australian Open now done, it is time for me to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were in Melbourne. Enjoy! 

#1. Rafael Nadal reignited the GOAT conversation: I'm of the opinion that the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) conversation will rage on for years after Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic are done playing. Each guy has a compelling case right now and will have a compelling case when their career is over. By winning the 2022 Australian Open, Nadal reignited the conversation by becoming the first man to reach 21 grand slam titles. Both Federer and Djokovic are at 20 grand slam titles each. 

By having more grand slam titles than anyone at the moment, that alone puts forth a strong case for Nadal. On top of that, Nadal has now won each grand slam at least twice. That's a feat Djokovic has accomplished by winning two French Open titles, but not Federer, who has just the one French Open title. While it is true that 13 of Nadal's grand slam titles have come at the French Open, I don't think that hurts his case for greatest of all time. I think it enhances it. He has done better on Djokovic and Federer's favorite surfaces than they have on his. He's defended his turf better and shouldn't be penalized for that.

So, that's where I think things stack up on that front. Nadal has the most grand slams, he's now won each grand slam at least twice, and he's not done yet. He wins the French this year and boom, he's up by two. 

#2. Ashleigh Barty is officially an all-time great: I guess you could say winning one grand slam makes you an all-time great. But once you've won three, as Ashleigh Barty now has done by winning the 2022 Australian Open, I think it's safe to say that makes you an all-time great. Barty just needs a US Open title to complete the career grand slam. Barty also became the first Aussie woman to win the Australian Open since Chris O'Neil in 1978 and in case you are wondering, the last Aussie man to win the Australian Open is Mark Edmondson in 1976. If anyone was wondering whether or not Barty is an all-time great, this year's Australian Open should have put those doubts to rest. 

#3. Daniil Medvedev's time is coming: While he came up a bit short, losing in the final to Nadal, Daniil Medvedev reminded us that the future of tennis is in good hands. He controls his own destiny to become world number one this week and no doubt has many grand slam titles in his future. His 2021 US Open title certainly won't be his only grand slam title. He's still learning and growing and not at the level that Nadal and Djokovic are, but if he keeps it up, he just might get there in the not too distant future. 

#4. Danielle Collins is a contender: Danielle Collins was unable to knock off Ashleigh Barty in the women's singles final, but by getting to the final, she showed that she's a legit contender. She entered the top ten as a result and should have a strong 2022 season. It'll be fun to see how the rest of the year goes for her. Especially the US Open, where she'll have home court advantage. 

#5. Novak Djokovic is his own worst enemy: Novak Djokovic did not compete because of his refusal to get vaccinated. He ultimately needs to do what he thinks is best for him and his body, but by not getting vaccinated, he cost himself a chance to be number one all-time in grand slam titles on the men's side. Is that a price worth paying? I dunno.  That seems pretty steep to me. If he ends up breaking the record anyways, this will all be forgotten. But if he ends up being number two behind Nadal, his refusal to not get vaccinated with always follow him for the rest of his career. 

#6. Serena Williams' days of winning grand slams could be over: Serena Williams did not compete in the 2022 Australian Open and with her last grand slam title coming at the 2017 Australian Open, one does have to wonder now if she'll ever win one again. She's 40 years old and now ranked #241 in the world. If she ends up winning one more grand slam title, it'll be her most incredible title ever. 

#7. Nick Kyrgios has redeemed himself: Long thought of as an entertaining prima donna, Nick Kyrgios can be taken more seriously now after winning the men's doubles title along with fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis. This is undoubtedly the greatest achievement of Kyrgios' career and regardless of what happens going forward, he'll always be a grand slam doubles champion. Kudos to him! 

#8. Naomi Osaka needs to find her groove again: Naomi Osaka is a two-time Australian Open champion and a four-time grand slam champion overall with her other two grand slam titles coming at the US Open. She got bounced in the 3rd round this year by Amanda Anisimova. That's disappointing. One thing she can take comfort in is her grand slam pattern is still intact. She won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021 and the US Open in 2018 and 2020. This means she's on track to win the 2022 US Open and the 2023 Australian Open. She just likes to alternate years! So, this is all to say that she still likely has more grand slam titles in front of her, but she obviously has some work to do to get back on schedule. 

#9. Roger Federer's days of winning grand slams could be over: Just like Serena Williams, it's been a while since Roger Federer won a grand slam. His most recent grand slam title coming in 2018 at the Australian Open. Actually, more recent than Serena.  And also like Serena, he did not compete in this year's Australian Open. While he hasn't retired yet, he's also 40 years old and ranked #29 in the world. If he wins one more grand slam, that too will be his most incredible title ever. 

#10. Madison Keys keeps knocking on the door: Madison Keys reached the semifinals, where she fell to Ashleigh Barty in straight sets. This was her fifth trip to a grand slam semifinal, making her 1-4 in those matches (2017 US Open). Ideally, you'd like to think she'll eventually get over the hump and win a grand slam title. She's 27 years old, which is actually still considered kinda young in today's modern era. So, there's time for her to do it, but until she does, doubts will rightfully remain. 

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10 things to look for at the 2022 Australian Open

 

The 2022 Australian Open begins on Monday (Sunday here in the United States), which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Obviously the biggest news surrounding this year's Aussie Open has been the visa status of Novak Djokovic, who ultimately lost his appeal and will not be playing. With that now confirmed, I can more easily analyze the men's field and give a more certain prediction. If you have not checked out the draws, click here to check those out. 

#1. Who will immediately benefit the most from Novak Djokovic's absence? With Novak Djokovic out of the tournament, Salvatore Caruso is replacing him as an LL (Lucky Loser). The tournament chose to initially include Djokovic in the draw as the number one seed and then when he was unable to play, they had to go to what's called a "Lucky Loser", someone who lost in the qualifiers but luckily still gets into the field thanks to someone pulling out. Djokovic's absence creates a wide open top portion of the draw with Matteo Berrettini the #7 seed now the odds on favorite in that section of the draw to reach the semifinals. We could easily see someone come out of nowhere to reach the semifinals and who knows, maybe even reach the final. With Djokovic now out, this creates a golden opportunity for someone. The question is who will make the most of it? 

#2. Can Ashleigh Barty handle the home pressure this time? If you are a loyal reader of this blog, you'll know that this question gets asked in every Australian Open preview. Barty frequently comes in ranked really high and the question is can she handle the pressure of being the crowd favorite in Australia. This year is no exception as she's the #1 player in the world and thus one of the favorites, if not the favorite to win it all. The furthest she's gone at the Australian Open is the semifinals back in 2020. In 2019 and 2021 she reached the quarterfinals, so she's been knocking on the door. Now it's a matter of her finishing the job. Can she do it under the spotlight of being the Aussie favorite? History says she won't, but maybe this year will be different. 

#3. Can Casper Ruud make a run? Casper Ruud is ranked #8 in the world out of Norway and yet for whatever reason he hasn't been able to make deep runs in grand slams. He's never reached the quarterfinals of a grand slam and the lone 4th round appearance he made was at the 2021 Australian Open. I would like to see him at least reach the quarterfinals this time and back up his ranking a bit. He's a guy who nobody talks about despite his high ranking because he never goes far in the slams. Let's see if he can change that this year. 

#4. Can Naomi Osaka defend her title as a double-digit seed? Naomi Osaka comes into the tournament as the #13 player in the world, which means she's a double-digit seed. She won the tournament last year, but this year poses a new challenge for her as she's not ranked in the top three coming in. That's going to give her a tougher draw out of the chute and not give her the same advantages she'd have if she were #1 or #2. Women's tennis is pretty fluid so in that sense it's not a huge deal what her seed is. Still, that being said, it'll be interesting to see if Osaka is able to outperform her ranking and make a serious run at the title. 

#5. Can Rafael Nadal get over the hump? Rafael Nadal has a golden opportunity in front of him with Djokovic unable to go and Roger Federer not playing. If Nadal wins the Australian Open he'll stand alone with the most grand slam titles ever on the men's side, breaking a three way tie he has with Federer and Djokovic who are also at 20. However, Nadal's lone Australian Open title came back in 2009, so it's been a while since he won this. If he were to win this event, it would probably be the most incredible grand slam title of his entire career. 

#6. Can Aryna Sabalenka back up her ranking? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the #2 ranked player in the world and yet has never reached a grand slam final. She did reach back-to-back semis at Wimbledon and the US Open, but she still has to prove that she's as good as her ranking says she is. The furthest she's gone at the Australian Open is the 4th round, so this will be a good chance for her to show that she's made progress from last year. 

#7. Can Daniil Medvedev finish the job? Daniil Medvedev is #2 in the world and is coming off a 2021 US Open championship. He reached the final of the Australian Open last year and with Djokovic out of the picture, smart money picks him to go all the way. It'll be interesting to see if Medvedev can win a second consecutive slam and kick off 2022 in style. His game is well suited for hard court and he should be feeling confident. 

#8. How will Emma Raducanu perform? Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open and is ranked #18 in the world as a result. The 19 year old Brit has a bright future in front of her and there's no reason to doubt her abilities to win more slams in the future. That said, it's always interesting to see how first time slam winners do in their next slam appearance. A lot of them don't do so well. If Raducanu can make a run to the quarterfinals or better, that'll be really impressive. 

#9. What will Nick Kyrgios do? Nick Kyrgios always seems to find a way to make headlines Down Under given that he is in fact an Aussie. It would be fun if he made a bit of a run in this tournament and surprised people. For all his antics, he is fun to watch and brings more flair and personality to the sport. Hopefully he shocks the world a bit and reaches the 4th round or further. 

#10. Can Sofia Kenin win it again? Sofia Kenin comes in as the #13 ranked player in the world and the #11 overall seed. She won the Australian Open back in 2020 but lost in the 2nd round in 2021. She's got the pieces to go all the way, but after last year's tournament, I might be a bit reluctant to buy too much of her stock. This year will tell us a lot about her and her resiliency after having a disappointing outing in 2021. 

Prediction: I'm doing something new here by not weaving my prediction into the 10 things to look for. That way I can cover a bit more ground here. On the men's side, I'm going to pick Daniil Medvedev to go all the way. He should be favored and after winning the US Open, he has to feel confident in his abilities to win it all. However, like Raducanu, he too could succumb to the pressures that come with being a new grand slam champion. I guess I like his chances better than Raducanu because his ranking is more solid and he's got more of a body of work up to this point. 

On the women's side, I'm going to pick Garbiñe Muguruza. I did not mention her in my 10 things to look for, but that doesn't mean I don't like her chances. I think she'll win it all. She's #3 in the world, reached the Australian Open final in 2020, and of the top five seeds on the women's side, she's the one who I have the most faith in at the end of the day. Especially with Serena Williams not being in the field. 

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10 things to look for at the 2021 US Open

 

           

With the 2021 US Open starting on Monday, it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to look for at the final grand slam event of the year. If you want to take a look at the draws, click here. If you want to check out my 10 things to take away from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, click here. 

#1. Can Novak Djokovic bounce back from his disappointing Olympics? In my takeaways from the Olympics, I mentioned that Djokovic had a disappointing outing. Not just because he didn't get the gold, but because of the way he exited in a less than graceful manner. While he won't get the golden slam, a calendar slam is still on the table for him to get. It'll be interesting to see how Djokovic does and whether or not the pressure of a calendar slam will get to him. Personally, I do expect Djokovic to win it all. He's my pick. But it's not going to be easy. 

#2. Can Naomi Osaka get back on track? Naomi Osaka has had a weird summer. She pulled out of the French Open and skipped Wimbledon all together due to emotional reasons and then came back for the Olympics where she had an early exit. If there's an event where Osaka would get back on track, it's the US Open. She's won the event twice and her other two grand slam titles have come on the hardcourt at Australia. Osaka is trying to distance herself from what happened this summer, saying she didn't handle things well. The best way for her to fully put this all behind her is to win the US Open or at least make a deep run. We'll see if she can. 

#3. Can Daniil Medvedev go the distance? Daniil Medvedev showed promise by reaching the 2019 US Open final and he reached the 2021 Australian Open final earlier this year. He's definitely knocking on the door and hard court is his best surface. If there's a guy who you'd pick to upset Djokovic, Medvedev on paper would be the guy. He's #2 in the world and has the pieces to get it done. It's just a matter of him mentally having the belief that he can do it. 

#4. Can Ashleigh Barty contend? On paper, this seems like a dumb question. Ashleigh Barty is #1 in the world right now and she's coming off a Wimbledon title. Of course she can contend, right? What makes this a not so stupid question is the fact that she's never reached the quarterfinals at the US Open. It's always been a 4th round or earlier exit for her in New York. If Barty could breakthrough to win the US Open, she really would be cooking with gas and on her way to being the next dominant player in women's tennis. 

#5. Is Alexander Zverev ready to win a grand slam? After winning the gold medal in Tokyo, Alexander Zverev is gaining more momentum towards winning his first grand slam title. He's got the physical tools to do it and much like Medvedev, it's really all about the mental side and having that belief. If he can win the US Open, Zverev will be on the verge of being the next breakout star in men's tennis. 

#6. Can the American women make any noise with Serena Williams and Sofia Kenin out? Earlier this week, Serena Williams pulled out of the US Open due a torn hamstring while Sofia Kenin pulled out due to a positive COVID-19 test despite being fully vaccinated. Had they been healthy, they would have been among the favorites to win on the women's side. 

With Serena and Sofia out, it's going to be up to other American women to carry the torch and bring home the title. The most likely women to do it are (23) Jessica Pegula, (21) Coco Gauff, (26) Danielle Collins, (13) Jennifer Brady, Madison Keys, and Sloane Stephens. It'll be interesting to see if any of them can deliver the goods. One interesting thing to note is that Keys and Stephens face off in the first round. Not sure if that's good or bad for fans of American tennis. 

#7. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas make a deep run? Stefanos Tsitsipas is another rising star in tennis looking to move up. He's reached the semis of the Australian Open twice and reached the French Open final this year. However, he lost in the first round at Wimbledon and the third round at the Olympics, so it appears as though that run to the French Open final wore him out. It should also be noted that Tsitsipas' deepest run in the US Open has been to the third round in 2020. So a run to the quarterfinals or deeper would be a big deal for him. 

#8. Look for Jennifer Brady to win the women's title: With Serena Williams out and Naomi Osaka still finding her footing again, it's hard to pick a champion on the women's side, but I'm going to go out on a bit of a limb and pick Jennifer Brady to bring it home for the USA. She's the #13 seed and reached the semifinals of the 2020 US Open, where she lost to Naomi Osaka in three sets. I think she's got a great chance to go the distance and being the top ranked American should give her a little extra motivation. 

#9. Can Denis Shapovalov make Canada proud? Seeded #7, Denis Shapovalov is the highest rated Canadian player and more broadly speaking the highest rated North American on the men's side. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2020 US Open and the semifinals at Wimbledon, so he too is trending up. He doesn't get as much recognition as some of the other "next gen" guys, but he deserves to be in the same conversation as the rest of them. Maybe the 2021 US Open will be his big breakthrough. 

#10. Does Victoria Azarenka have another magical run in her? When Victoria Azarenka reached the US Open final last year, it was her first trip to a grand slam final since the 2013 US Open. She showed that she still has game and can still compete for grand slam titles. She's won the Australian Open twice (2012 and 2013) and has reached the US Open final three times (2012, 2013, and 2020). Maybe she has another run in her? It'll be fun to see! 

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10 things to take away from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics tennis tournament

 

                                              (Credit: ausopen.com) 

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are over one year after they had to hit the pause button due to COVID-19. In tennis, Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev took home the gold medal in singles. It was a breakthrough for both players as neither has won a grand slam before. Both players are hoping their gold medals will propel them to future success and grand slam titles. Below is my list of 10 things to take away from the tournament in Tokyo. 

#1. Alexander Zverev is on the rise: Currently ranked #4 in the world, Alexander Zverev is inching closer and closer to his first grand slam title. Winning an Olympic gold medal has to give him a lot of confidence with the U.S. Open coming up. What makes this gold medal even more sweet is the fact that he defeated Novak Djokovic 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals. Honestly, it feels more like a question of when rather than if Zverev gets a grand slam title. This Olympic gold medal is just another data point that indicates he's not that far off. 

#2. Belinda Bencic could be on the verge of a grand slam breakthrough as well: Belinda Bencic is currently ranked #11 in the world, but she's been ranked as high as #4 (February, 2020). She's never reached a grand slam final before and has only advanced past the 4th round at the US Open in which she reached the semifinals in 2019. It'll be interesting to see how this gold affects Bencic's confidence as she heads into the US Open. Perhaps she too will get a grand slam title in the near future. 

#3. Novak Djokovic is human: Novak Djokovic's quest for a golden slam came to a halt in the semifinals against Zverev and he didn't leave gracefully either, throwing his racket and pulling out of his mixed doubles match after that. As great as he is, Djokovic showed us that he is human and that he can't always be on. One thing that should be noted is that the Olympics are three set matches and Djokovic really thrives in five set settings. So this shouldn't be interpreted as any sort of indication that he's not going to win the US Open. Still, given how great he is, it was surprising to see him fall short and not get the elusive golden slam. The calendar slam is still possible for him, though. So, he should still have plenty of motivation heading into the US Open. Perhaps even more. 

#4. Naomi Osaka is back on the court: While she didn't get a medal as the hometown favorite, Naomi Osaka did compete in the Olympics, losing in the 3rd round to Marketa Vondrousova. Given that she withdrew from the French Open and skipped Wimbledon due to emotional health reasons, it's big for her to just get back on the court and compete on a big stage. Hopefully this will boost her confidence heading into the US Open. 

#5. Karen Khachanov could be on the verge of something special, too: Karen Khachanov came in as the #12 seed and walked out with the silver medal, losing 3-6, 1-6 in the gold medal match to Zverev. Khachanov has never reached a grand slam semifinal before, but maybe this run to the Olympic final will give him more confidence. The US Open historically has been the most wide open event in men's tennis in recent years. Maybe Khachanov will make a deep run of his own. 

#6. Ashleigh Barty couldn't keep the good vibes rolling: After winning Wimbledon, there was hope that world #1 Ashleigh Barty would roll into Tokyo and take gold. Instead, she fell in the first round. Fortunately, this had zero effect on her ranking, but even so, she was hoping for a better outcome in these Olympic games. Fortunately, she has the US Open to look forward to. 

#7. Daniil Medvedev's consistency needs to improve: Daniil Medvedev came in as the #2 seed and he exited in the quarterfinals to Pablo Carreño Busta by a final score of 2-6, 6-7. Medvedev is still in search of his first career grand slam title, showing flashes of what could be in store for him. The big thing he needs to work on is consistency and getting to finals with even more regularity. This tournament was another reminder of that. 

#8. Iga Świątek needs to figure out the hard courts: Iga Świątek is only 20 years old, she's got one French Open title under her belt and no doubt has the potential to win more grand slams. That all said, she does need to figure out how to win on hard courts. Her 2nd round exit was disappointing for someone of her potential. 

#9. Stefanos Tsitsipas blew an opportunity: Stefanos Tsitsipas came in as the #3 overall seed and he fell in the 3rd round. He had a great chance to get a medal and he failed to do so. Given the draw, this is a tournament he'd wish to have back. One does have to wonder if that trip to the French Open final this year wore on him more than we thought. The US Open is going to be big for him. 

#10. Can Marketa Vondrousova build on her silver medal run? After taking out Naomi Osaka, Marketa Vondrousova made it all the way to the final before losing to Belinda Bencic in the gold medal match. Vondrousova hasn't had much grand slam success with the 2019 French Open final being her lone trip to a grand slam final. In the other grand slams, she hasn't gotten past the 4th round. It'll be interesting to see if this is the beginning of something new for her and whether or not we'll see her compete in the second week of grand slams with more regularity than she has in the past. 

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10 things to look for at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics tennis tournament

 

                                           (Credit: Charly Triballeau/Agence France-Presse-Getty Images) 

The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo get underway this weekend with tennis starting on Saturday. This blog always does a preview and recap of every grand slam with the Olympics being treated as the 5th grand slam. As a result, here is my list of 10 things to look for at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics tennis tournament. 

Note: The Tokyo Olympics are still being referred to as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics even though we are now in the year 2021. Also, no ranking points will be awarded to the players. Click here to access the draws and scores. 

#1. Can Novak Djokovic get the golden slam? Novak Djokovic is gunning for a lot this summer: A record 21st grand slam singles title at the US Open and a golden calendar grand slam, which would mean winning all four grand slams in a calendar year plus an Olympic gold medal. The only tennis player to do this is Steffi Graf back in 1988. If Djokovic can win the gold in Tokyo all he'll have left in front of him is the US Open and the golden slam will be his. 

Personally, I like Djokovic's odds to get the gold medal. He's in Tokyo because he wants the gold and I think he's treating this as seriously as a grand slam. With Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both missing from the field, Djokovic's job is a little bit easier. This one really is all teed for him to win. While I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, I think the bigger question is whether or not Djokovic can complete the golden slam in New York at the US Open later this summer. 

#2. Can Naomi Osaka get back on track? It's been a strange season for Naomi Osaka as she pulled out of the French Open due to anxiety and subsequently skipped Wimbledon as a result. That's raised a lot of questions about her future, but one thing that helps put everyone at ease, at least a little bit, is the fact that she's participating in the Olympics in front of her home fans in Japan. 

If Osaka can win gold in Tokyo, that would be really cool for her and hopefully help her put what happened at the French Open in the rear view mirror. She's a very talented player that still has a lot of untapped potential. Hopefully the Tokyo games will get her out of her weird mental funk. 

#3. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas bounce back from Wimbledon? After reaching the final at Roland Garros, everyone expected Stefanos Tsitsipas to make a deep run at Wimbledon. As I mentioned in my recap of Wimbledon, Tsitsipas has never done well at Wimbledon and that is something that he needs to figure out. Fortunately, he has the Olympics to look forward to. If he could upset Djokovic to get the gold medal or even get a silver or bronze, that could be just what the doctor ordered to get him back on track after a very disappointing outing in London. 

#4. Can Ashleigh Barty build on her Wimbledon title with a gold medal? After winning Wimbledon, Ashleigh Barty comes in as the #1 ranked player on the women's side, eying a possible "Barty Golden Slam" if she wins gold and the next three grand slams. Barty can breathe a sigh of relief after winning Wimbledon, but she would like to keep the good vibes rolling as she heads into the US Open. Winning a gold medal would certainly help her do that and be another feather in her cap as she goes about establishing herself as the #1 player in the world on the women's side. 

#5. Can Kei Nishikori make a run? It's been a while since Kei Nishikori was relevant in a grand slam, but the Tokyo Olympics present a unique opportunity for Nishikori to play well in front of the home fans. If there's a dark horse on the men's side, it's gotta be Nishikori given that until Naomi Osaka came along, he was the most popular tennis player in the land of the rising sun. If he makes a deep run and finds a way to get a medal, that would be really cool. 

#6. Can Aryna Sabalenka build on her run to the semis at Wimbledon? Another player looking to build on two good weeks in London is Aryna Sabalenka, who comes in as the #3 seed on the women's side. She reached the semifinals at Wimbledon and has to like her chances to get a medal in Tokyo. If she can get a medal that would do wonders for her confidence and help her build even more momentum heading into the US Open. 

#7. Can Daniil Medvedev spoil the party? Daniil Medvedev comes in as the #2 seed on the men's side and the biggest threat to end Novak Djokovic's quest for a golden slam. Medvedev plays well on the hard courts, reaching the Australian Open final earlier this year and the US Open semifinals last year. Medvedev has had fun playing the bad guy and would certainly enjoy being the one to get in the way of history. 

#8. Can Jennifer Brady bring home a medal for the United States? If you are an American looking for one player to possibly bring home a medal in tennis, Jennifer Brady is the player you have to put your faith in. She's the highest ranked American on either side, coming in as the #11 seed.  On top of that, she has had some recent success on the hard courts, reaching the semifinals at the US Open last year and the final at the Australian Open earlier this year. While she is a bit of a dark horse, she has to like the opportunity that's in front of her to be the top ranked American in the field. If she can bring home a medal, that could be a huge boost for her heading into the US Open later this summer. 

#9. Can Alexander Zverev make a run for a medal? Alexander Zverev comes in as the #4 seed on the men's side, making him a contender. However, he's still figuring out how to consistently contend at slams as his run to the 2020 US Open final is his only trip to a grand slam final to date. If there's one player on the men's side that could most benefit from getting a medal, just from a mental standpoint, it would be Zverev without a doubt. 

#10. Can Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova get over the hump? Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is still seeking her first career grand slam title after falling just a bit short in the French Open final earlier this year. While an Olympic gold medal isn't the same as a grand slam title, it's the next best thing and a highly distinctive honor in tennis. If she were able to win gold, that would certainly be one of the feel good stories of the games. How far she goes will certainly be one of the key things to look for in this tournament. 

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10 things to take away from 2021 Wimbledon

 

                                                  (Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports) 

2021 Wimbledon is now behind us, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were in London. The top seed in both the gentlemen's and ladies' singles draw won the championship, making it somewhat unique in that sense. #1 Novak Djokovic defeated #7 Matteo Berrettini 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the gentlemen's singles final while #1 Ashleigh Barty defeated #8 Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 in the ladies' singles final. 

#1. Novak Djokovic is on path to being the GOAT: Novak Djokovic now has 20 grand slam singles titles, tied for most all-time on the men's side with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. He also now has six Wimbledon titles, two back of Federer's all-time mark of eight. While there will always be those who say Federer is the greatest of all-time and to a lesser extent Nadal, it's clear at this point that Djokovic is on path to being the greatest men's tennis player of all-time. He's already tied Federer and Nadal and he is the youngest of the three. There's no reason to doubt that he'll walk out with at least 5+ more grand slam titles and with the US Open just around the corner, he has a chance to finish the year with 21 grand slam titles and hold the record outright. 

When you consider that Djokovic has done this in the era of Federer/Nadal that just makes it all the more amazing. He's never not known having them in front of him, which raises the scary question of what his numbers would look like if they weren't around. Before attempting to complete the calendar slam later this summer at the US Open, Djokovic first heads to Tokyo for the Olympics where he will attempt to get a gold medal, setting up the possibility of a calendar golden slam. It'll be fun to see if Djokovic can pull that off. 

#2. Ashleigh Barty backed up her #1 ranking: Going into Wimbledon, Ashleigh Barty held the world #1 ranking on the women's side, but she did so without having won a grand slam in the past 12 months. She had won a grand slam before at the 2019 French Open, so that helped boost her resume a bit, but still, if you are world #1 without a grand slam title in the past 12 months, some may feel your ranking isn't legit. By winning Wimbledon, Barty backed up her #1 ranking and showed that she is deserving of the world #1 ranking that she holds. She will even further solidify that ranking if she can win a gold medal in Tokyo and/or win the US Open later this summer. 

#3. Roger Federer could be done: Roger Federer's plan to withdraw from Roland Garros after his 4th round match win in order to save his body for Wimbledon didn't go as planned. He exited in the quarterfinals to Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, casting doubts about his long-term outlook. Personally, I think Federer will play one more season as a farewell tour of sorts, giving the tournaments a chance to say one final goodbye to him. 

In terms of whether or not he has one more grand slam title up his sleeves, I think it's unlikely though it is possible that he will be able to get one more. Maybe at this year's US Open, which has historically been the most unpredictable tournament on the men's side for the past few years now. Regardless of how this all ends for Federer, he will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game, with some forever calling him the GOAT. 

#4. Serena Williams may never pass Margaret Court: While there isn't as much discussion about Serena Williams' future as there is about Roger Federer's, the truth is there is just as much reason if not more to wonder whether or not Serena is done winning grand slams. She hasn't won a grand slam since the 2017 Australian Open (Federer ironically has won two since then at 2017 Wimbledon and 2018 Australian Open) and she hasn't reached a final since 2019 (Wimbledon and US Open). Wimbledon was especially bad for her as she went down in the 1st round, appearing to injure her knee/ankle. 

As it stands, Serena has won 23 grand slam titles, one shy of Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24. When you consider the data I just presented, it's clear that it's quite possible that Serena is done winning grand slams. If you are a Serena fan looking for some hope, it should be noted that Serena reached the semifinals at the 2020 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open. She is better on hard court. So, there is good reason to think she can win another US Open and Australian Open. Still, father time is not on her side and she knows it. 

#5. Hubert Hurkacz could be the next big thing: I might be getting way ahead of myself here, but after reaching the semifinals and knocking off Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, Hubert Hurkacz deserves some love on here. He's only 24 years old and made a major breakthrough at Wimbledon. His previous best outing at a grand slam was reaching the 2nd round. It's of course possible that this was one magical run by Hurkacz and that's it, but if you watch him play, you know that there's more reason to think this is only the beginning for him. He has great size at 6'5", moves well, has confidence, and in general has a really good feel for the game. On top of that he's very poised and relaxed on the court. The US Open and Olympics will be a good test for him to see if he can keep the mojo going. 

#6. Can Karolina Pliskova build on her run to the final? Karolina Pliskova reached her second grand slam final (2016 US Open) after nearly five years. That's a bit surprising since she's one who we thought might even have a grand slam title by now. After reaching her first grand slam final, she didn't do much to build on that reaching just two semifinals until this most recent run to the final. Maybe this is the start of something new for Pliskova and she'll be a threat at the US Open and beyond, but for now I wouldn't hold my breath. 

#7. Matteo Berrettini is the real deal: If we're gonna talk about Hubert Hurkacz possibly being the next big thing, the same has to be asked of Matteo Berrettini after his trip to the gentlemen's final. It was his first trip to a grand slam final and his second trip to a grand slam semifinal (2019 US Open). On top of that, he had a very nice outing at Roland Garros, reaching the quarterfinals. The US Open has recently produced some surprise champions on the men's side (e.g. Dominic Thiem in 2020). Maybe Berrettini will win it all in New York later this year. That's certainly something I might address when my US Open preview comes rolling around. 

#8. Aryna Sabalenka is making progress: While she didn't win it all this year, Aryna Sabalenka's time could be coming soon. She reached her first career grand slam semifinal at Wimbledon and is starting to show that she has the confidence to go deep in grand slams. She came in as the #2 seed and overall backed up her ranking. This year's US Open will be big for her. 

#9. Stefanos Tsitsipas needs to figure out Wimbledon: In case you were wondering if Stefanos Tsitsipas' 1st round exit at Wimbledon can be simply be blamed on fatigue from a run to the French Open final, it doesn't look like that answer will suffice. Sure, it might be part of it, but Tsitsipas has never fared well at Wimbledon. The furthest he's gone at Wimbledon is the 4th round back in 2018. In 2017, 2019, and 2021, the result was the same: 1st round exit. While I don't doubt that Tsitsipas will figure out the grass in the future, at the moment, it does remain something that he needs to figure out if he wants to take his game to the next level. 

#10. It's amazing that Venus Williams is still playing: At 41 years of age, I just wanted to give Venus Williams a shout out for still playing on the tour! Not only that, she's still winning matches at grand slams! She won her first round match at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year. While she is long past her prime and no longer contending for slams, it's nice to see that she still has a love for the game and is out there playing. It certainly would be fun to have one more grand slam featuring Venus Williams in the second week. 

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10 things to look for at 2021 Wimbledon

 

Today is the eve of 2021 Wimbledon, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Yesterday I wrote my 10 things to take away from the 2021 French Open, which you can read here. 

If you want a link to the 2021 Wimbledon draws, click here. If you want a link to the 2021 Wimbledon schedule, click here. Also, Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics. Click here for details on that. 

#1. Will the pressure of a calendar slam get to Novak Djokovic? The biggest story coming into this year's Wimbledon is the fact that Novak Djokovic is gunning for a calendar slam, which means a chance to win all four grand slams in one calendar year. Rafael Nadal's dominance at the French Open has typically made a calendar slam impossible, but by beating Nadal and winning the French Open, Djokovic now has as good of a shot as he's ever had to accomplish this monumental feat. Djokovic has won Wimbledon five times in his career, so he should be feeling pretty confident coming into this event. He's number one in the world and is playing the best tennis of his career. 

However, it should be noted that Djokovic has been in this position before. In 2016, he won both the Australian Open and French Open, but failed to win Wimbledon to keep the dream alive. He also did not win the US Open that year. So, it's far from a slam dunk that Djokovic will get the calendar slam even with an elusive French Open title under his belt. I think the biggest hurdle for Djokovic right now is the pressure that comes with chasing a calendar slam and also the physical side of it as well. I'm going to come out right now and say that I do expect Djokovic to win it all on the men's side, but it's going to be no easy task. Especially with a rested Roger Federer in the draw.  

#2. Can Ashleigh Barty win it all as number one? Ashleigh Barty comes in as the number one ranked player in the world on the women's side, making her among the major contenders. However, she's never advanced past the 4th round at Wimbledon and she had a less than stellar outing at this year's French Open, exiting in the 2nd round. 

If Barty wants people to take her world number one ranking seriously, she needs to win a grand slam as the world number one. When she won her lone grand slam title at the 2019 French Open, she was the #8 seed and she kinda came out of nowhere. Since being ranked number one, she hasn't won a grand slam, which is why many don't feel she's a true number one. Winning Wimbledon this year would change that perception of her for sure. 

#3. Will Roger Federer's plan to pull out of the French Open pay off? As I mentioned in yesterday's French Open recap, Roger Federer made the decision to pull out of his 4th round match against Matteo Berrettini at the French Open for the purposes of saving his body for Wimbledon. It was a gutsy decision by Federer that ruffled many feathers. The only way Federer can save face with the decision is if he reaches the final or wins Wimbledon. Otherwise, the decision to pull out of the French Open will look like it wasn't worth it. It'll be interesting to see how far Federer goes and what kind of reception he'll receive at the end of the tournament. 

#4. Can Serena Williams win her 8th Wimbledon and 24th grand slam? If Serena Williams wins Wimbledon, it will be her eighth Wimbledon title and her 24th grand slam title, tying Margaret Court's all-time mark. If you were to pick a place for Serena to tie Court, Wimbledon would be a pretty safe bet. She's won the event seven times before and in her last two trips to Wimbledon in 2018 and 2019 (remember there no Wimbledon last year), she lost in the final, so it kinda feels like she's due to win it again. 

While she's not the top seed, Serena is seeded 6th and is overall sitting in a good position. In case you are wondering, yes, I am picking Serena to win it all this year on the women's side. She's been sitting on 23 for a while and as I said above, it just feels like she's due to get her 24th grand slam title. 

#5.  Can Andy Murray make some noise? Once thought to be done with his tennis career, Andy Murray is back at it and has a wild card into this year's Wimbledon. The two-time Wimbledon champion (2013 and 2016) has already accomplished far more in tennis than anyone ever thought he'd accomplish. Back when he won his first gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, everyone thought that would be the closest he'd ever get to winning Wimbledon or a grand slam. A few weeks later he won the US Open and came back the following year to win his first Wimbledon. So, if there's anyone who knows how to come back from the dead, it's him. Personally, I don't expect much from Murray this year, but if he could somehow find a way to get into the second week, that would be a lot of fun. 

#6. Can Coco Gauff make a deep run? Coco Gauff comes in as the #20 seed and makes her first return to Wimbledon since her 2019 run to the 4th round. Gauff had a strong outing at the French Open, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova. Gauff is proving that she's the real deal and that she has a very bright future in front of her. It'll be fun to see if she can build on her French Open success and past success at Wimbledon to make a real run at the championship. 

#7. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas get even with Novak Djokovic? Stefanos Tsitsipas had a two-set lead on Novak Djokovic in the French Open final and failed to finish the job. Thankfully for him, he has a chance to get right back on the saddle at a grand slam and get even with Djokovic. If they were to meet, it would be in the semifinals as Tsitsipas is the #3 seed and Djokovic is the #1 seed. What a scene that would be if Tsitsipas were to be the one to upend Djokovic on his quest to a calendar slam. It would be a case of Tsitsipas giveth and he taketh away! 

#8. Can Barbora Krejcikova follow up her French Open title with a Wimbledon title? Winning the French Open and Wimbledon is the hardest pair of grand slams to win back-to-back. Part of it has to do with the difference in surface and then also the fact that the two events are typically held two to three weeks apart from each other. I honestly doubt Barbora Krejcikova gets it done, but it'll be interesting to see how close she gets and whether or not she's able to translate success on the clay to grass. 

#9. How far will Daniil Medvedev go? Daniil Medvedev comes in as the number two ranked player in the world behind Novak Djokovic, so he's naturally among the list of contenders on the men's side. However, he hasn't had much success at Wimbledon, never getting further than the 3rd round. If there's reason for Medvedev to have hope it's the simple fact that going into this year's French Open, he had never advanced past the 1st round and he ended up reaching the quarterfinals. So, I do expect Medvedev to be playing into the second week and possibly be on the other side of the net when Djokovic is in the final. 

#10. Can Aryna Sabalenka make some noise? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the #2 seed on the women's side and the number four ranked player in the world. So naturally she's considered a contender based on her ranking/seeding alone. However, the furthest she's gone at Wimbledon is the 2nd round back in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, she lost in the 1st round. 

The furthest she's gone at a grand slam is the 4th round (2018 US Open and 2021 Australian Open), so it's fair to call her ranking/seeding into question. It'll be interesting to see if Sabalenka can silence her critics a bit with a deep run or if she'll once again flame out early. There's a lot of pressure on her for sure. 

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10 things to look for at the 2021 French Open

 The 2021 French Open is set to begin on Sunday now that the qualifying rounds have concluded. That means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for as is custom with every grand slam! If you haven't yet checked out the draws, click here. 

#1. Can Iga Świątek defend her title? Iga Świątek won her first grand slam title at the 2020 French Open despite coming into the event ranked #54 in the world. She became the first Polish player to win a grand slam title, putting her country on the map as well as herself. This time around, she comes in as the #9 ranked player in the world and the #8 seed in the tournament. So, there's a lot more expectations for her to do well this time around.

The interesting thing will be to see how she handles the pressure early on and whether or not she'll succumb to an early exit. A lot of players struggle out of the gates early when they seek to defend a grand slam title. Especially when it's their first time doing so. If Świątek can survive the first three rounds, she very well could be on her way to another Roland Garros title. 

#2. Is Rafael Nadal destined for a 14th Roland Garros title? Rafael Nadal is the defending champion, having won 13 French Open titles overall and four in a row. Nadal is the Michael Jordan of clay tennis. The King of Clay. Whatever other superlative you wanna call him, nobody has done it better on the dirt than Nadal. 

As Nadal guns for his 14th Roland Garros title, he'll also be gunning for his 21st grand slam title, which will put him ahead of Roger Federer for most grand slam titles ever. Both are tied at 20 at the moment.  So, there's a lot on the line here. Personally, I got Nadal getting it done. He's the #3 seed and is coming in with a lot of confidence. 

#3. Can Ashleigh Barty defend her 2019 title? It kinda feels like there are two defending champions on the women's side. There's Iga Świątek, who won the 2020 French Open and then there's Ashleigh Barty, who won the 2019 French Open, but skipped the 2020 French Open due to COVID-19 concerns. Barty comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world, so on paper, she should be the favorite to win it all. That said, we've seen her struggle at times under the pressures of being #1. Most notably at her home grand slam in Australia. How Barty does out of the gates will be interesting to see as well. It would be particularly fun to see her and Świątek face off. If that were to happen, that would happen in the semifinals as they are on the same half of the draw. 

#4. How deep will Roger Federer go? Roger Federer is playing for his legacy in this tournament. As I said above, if Rafael Nadal wins it all, Federer is no longer #1 all-time in grand slam titles. Nadal will be. Now, there's of course the chance for Federer to even things up at Wimbledon and that's certainly an event that Federer has had a lot more success at. But even so, Federer can't be happy with seeing his record fall to Nadal. 

As for how far Federer will go, he's slated to face #1 Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals should all things hold. And then if he were to beat Djokovic, Nadal projects to be there waiting for him in the semis. To put it simply, Federer has a tough draw. That said, Federer is an all-time great and considered by many to be the greatest ever. So if there's anyone who can rise to the occasion, it's him. 

#5. Can Naomi Osaka win a non-hard court grand slam? Naomi Osaka is ranked #2 in the world and a major reason for that is her four grand slam titles: Two at the U.S. Open and two at the Australian Open. However, she has never reached the 4th round at either Wimbledon or Roland Garros. The next step for Osaka will be to contend in Paris and London and show that she's capable of winning away from the hard courts. It'll be interesting to see if she's able to make strides at this year's French Open or if she'll once again bow out early. 

#6. Is this the year Dominic Thiem breaks through at Roland Garros? Dominic Thiem comes in as the #4 seed and he's also won a grand slam title (2020 U.S. Open). However, he's not been able to get over the hump at Roland Garros as he lost in the 2018 and 2019 final to Nadal. Should he reach the final again, Nadal in all likelihood will be waiting for him. 

I wish I could have more confidence in Thiem to knock off Nadal, but should they face again, I do see Nadal winning. Their first meeting in the 2018 final went Nadal's way in straight sets while the 2019 final went Nadal's way in four rather decisive sets. There's a first time for everything and maybe Thiem will prove me wrong. Time will tell. 

#7. Can Serena Williams make it to the second week? Serena Williams is still seeking to win her 24th grand slam title and tie Margaret Court, so that's something she's eying as she heads into this tournament. As for whether or not she'll get it done at this event, odds say it's unlikely to happen. In 2018, she lost in the 4th round; in 2019, she lost in the 3rd round; and in 2020 she lost in the 2nd round. So she's trending in the wrong direction at the moment. 

That said, if Serena can find a way to avoid an early exit and make into the second week, she should be a contender. She's the #7 seed and has won the French Open three times in her career (2002, 2013, and 2015) and also reached the final in 2016. So, she's proven to be dangerous once she reaches the second week. It's just a matter of getting there that has been a challenge for her. 

#8. Can Novak Djokovic win a second French Open title? Novak Djokovic comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world, seeking his 19th grand slam title and 2nd French Open title. On paper, his odds look good. However, when you learn that he's 0-4 in French Open finals against Rafael Nadal, you start to back off a bit. This year, if he were to face Nadal, it would be in the semifinals, which kinda sucks. As the #1 overall seed, you'd think they'd make him avoid Nadal until the final, but that's the nature of the draw. But anyways, Djokovic will be a major player to keep an eye on in this tournament. I do think he'll get past Federer in the quarterfinals should they meet. But, given his history with Nadal at this event, I just don't see him getting past him. 

#9. Will someone knew break through on the women's side? While picking the men's winner is super easy, the same cannot be said for the women's winner. A strong case can be made for both Świątek and Barty because they are the two most recent winners. A strong can also be made for Sofia Kenin (2020) and Marketa Voundrousova (2019) as they are the most recent runners up. If one is putting money on this event, one would be wise to not stray away from those four players when making a pick. But at the same time, one cannot ignore the fact that a lot of the recent winners have seemingly come out of nowhere. Nobody saw Świątek coming in 2020 and nobody saw Jelena Ostapenko coming when she won it all in 2017. 

So, it's hard to figure out whether to pick a consensus front runner or pick someone to break through and win it all. But in the spirit of not pushing and making a decision, I will pick Sofia Kenin to win it all. I think a new player will break through to win it all, but it'll be someone who has been knocking on the door. Kenin fits the description of such a player. She reached the 2020 final and won the 2020 Australian Open, so she knows what it takes to win a grand slam. 

#10. Can Daniil Medvedev win a match? You might be wondering why I'm asking this question when Daniil Medvedev is the #2 ranked player in the world. The reason is because he has never gotten past the first round at Roland Garros! He is 0-4 in first round matches. You know that this is on Medvedev's mind and that he's eager to silence his critics. So, it'll be interesting to see whether or not he'll be able to win a match and build on that to formulate some sort of deep run. If he fizzles out in the first round again, it'll be very disappointing. 

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10 things to take away from the 2021 Australian Open

                                     
                                         (Credit: SI.com) 

The 2021 Australian Open is a wrap! Novak Djokovic took home his 9th Australian Open title and 18th grand slam title, defeating Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 in the men's singles final. Naomi Osaka took home her 2nd Australian Open title and 4th grand slam title, defeating Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 in the women's singles final. Below is my list of 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were in Melbourne. 

Note: Click here to check out complete results from the tournament in case you missed any of the action. 

#1. Novak Djokovic is very much in the GOAT conversation: Love him or hate him, when you look at all that Novak Djokovic is accomplishing, it's clear that he's very much in the discussion for GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). He's just two shy of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's mark of 20 grand slam titles and for whatever reason, he's especially found his groove in Australia. He had to battle through some injury, but found a way to still come out on top. It's amazing what this guy is doing. 

#2. Naomi Osaka is the best in the world on hard court: Naomi Osaka proved that she is the best in the world on the hard courts after winning her 2nd Australian Open title. Her other two grand slam titles have also come on the hard courts at the U.S. Open, so she's certainly figured things out on the hard court. The next step for her is to figure out how to win on the grass of Wimbledon and the clay of Roland Garros. Once she figures that out, she could truly dominate the sport. 

#3. Daniil Medvedev isn't quite there yet: Daniil Medvedev is knocking on the door, but he still has more work to do before he wins his first grand slam. This was his second trip to the final of a grand slam (2019 U.S. Open) and all things considered, he has to feel good about the way he competed over the two weeks in total. At the same time, he has to also feel a bit discouraged to not get a single set off Djokovic. One thing Djokovic said earlier in the tournament is he, Nadal, and Federer aren't going to hand anything over to the next generation. Sunday was just another reminder of that. 

#4. Jennifer Brady has established herself as one of the top American players: When talking about the top American players, Serena Williams of course is right at the top with Madison Keys, Sofia Kenin, and Sloane Stephens often getting mentioned next. By reaching the final and elevating her ranking to #13 in the world, Brady shows she belongs among the very best of America's players and that she might be the next American to win a grand slam. It's going to be interesting to see what the rest of 2021 brings for Brady. 

#5. The Australian Open is not Rafael Nadal's event: Rafael Nadal has won Roland Garros 13 times, Wimbledon twice, the U.S. Open four times, and the Australian Open once in his career. For whatever reason, the Australian Open just isn't his event. It's a bit odd because he's won the U.S. Open, also a hard court event more than Wimbledon, so hard court is his second best surface. One would think he'd have more Australian Open titles under his belt, but alas he has just the one in 2009. 

This year, he went out in the quarterfinals to Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 4-6, 5-7, blowing a two set lead. I'm not saying Nadal will never win another Australian Open, but after seeing the way he lost this one and also looking back on his overall history at the event, it's hard to see it happening. Fortunately he's still got Roland Garros on lockdown! 

#6. Ashleigh Barty needs to step it up Down Under: As the #1 ranked player in the world and by extension the top ranked Aussie, Ashleigh Barty needs to step it up in her home grand slam. She exited in the quarterfinals 6-1, 3-6, 2-6 to #25 Karolina Muchova and quite honestly, choked that match. She should have gone to the final and been on the other end of the net facing Naomi Osaka in the final. She had a really good draw and wasn't able to get it done. The bottom line is we should expect more out of Barty going forward. This year's Aussie Open was a major disappointment for her. 

#7. Aslan Karatsev has arrived: Nobody knew who Aslan Karatsev was before this tournament (including myself) and he made quite an introduction, making it all the way to the semifinals before falling to Novak Djokovic in straight sets. It'll be interesting to see if this guy can work his way into more semifinals going forward and possibly even reach a final. The vibe I've gotten is this guy is for real and that this won't be the last we see from him. Going to be fun to see how he performs at Roland Garros and beyond. 

#8. Whether or not Serena Williams wins another grand slam is very much a live question: Even though she lost in the semifinals to Naomi Osaka and had an impressive win over Simona Halep in the quarterfinals, it's still not clear if we'll ever see Serena Williams win her 24th grand slam singles title and tie Margaret Court's record. She hasn't won a grand slam singles title since the 2017 Australian Open. That's four years ago. She'll turn 40 in September and quite honestly doesn't have much time left in her career. As a matter of fact, the way she left all emotional and all had some wondering if this was her last Aussie Open. I hope it's not, but the end is near regardless. 

#9. Stefanos Tsitsipas likewise has more growing to do: At 22 years of age, Stefanos Tsitsipas is still a young man and has plenty of time to win his first grand slam title. He's getting close, but is still yet to reach his first career final. Going down in straight sets to Medvedev in the semis, who in turn went down in straight sets to Djokovic in the final has to put things in perspective for him. Hopefully he'll use this as a learning opportunity and motivation to get better. He's certainly one of the brightest young talents in the game today. 

#10. Sofia Kenin was a disappointment: I picked Sofia Kenin to win the women's title and she exited in the 2nd round. As the defending champion and top five player in the world, she has to do better than that. Hopefully she'll bounce back and have a strong rest of the season. Maybe the U.S. Open will be her time to shine once again. 

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10 things to look for at the 2021 Australian Open

 

The 2021 Australian Open begins on Sunday, February 7. Which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for at this event. Click here to check out the draws for men's singles, women's singles, etc. 

Before I list my 10 things, here are some key names who are missing the event: Roger Federer, Andy Murray, John Isner, Kiki Bertens, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Madison Keys, Juan Martin del Potro, Joao Sousa, Kim Clijsters, and Kyle Edmund. Click here for more absences and details on those who aren't playing. 

#1. Can Rafael Nadal get over the hump? Rafael Nadal has won all four grand slams, but if it wasn't for his 2009 Australian Open title, he'd still be in hunt of a career slam. Kinda crazy to think about, no? For whatever reason, the Australian Open has been Nadal's least successful grand slam. Which is odd since his second most successful grand slam after the French Open is the U.S. Open, which is also played on hard courts. There's been kind of an odd cadence to his Australian Opens. He has been alternating between the quarterfinals and the final going back to 2017. In 2017 and 2019, he reached the final. In 2018 and 2020, he reached the quarterfinals. Does that mean in 2021, he'll reach the final? Gonna be interesting to see. 

#2. Will Serena Williams' shoulder be an issue? Serena Williams pulled out of an Aussie Open tune-up due to a right shoulder injury. Click here to read more about that. Serena says she feels great and isn't worried about the shoulder being an issue, but it's still something to monitor in the early rounds. 

#3. Can Novak Djokovic three-peat for a second time? Novak Djokovic has won the Australian Open eight times and is gunning for his ninth title. From 2011-2013, he won three straight titles. He had a shot to complete a three-peat in 2017 after winning the title in 2015 and 2016, but ended up going out in the 2nd round. Winning the same grand slam three years in a row is no easy task and even with some notable names out, it's still not going to be an easy feat for him to pull off in 2021. 

#4. Can Ashleigh Barty handle the Aussie pressure? Ashleigh Barty comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world and she's also an Aussie. Playing a grand slam in your country has its pros and cons. On the positive side, it's home court advantage. The fans have your back in larger numbers and that momentum can carry you forward. On the negative side, the fans have more expectations for you and that creates unbelievable pressure. She did reach the semifinals last year, which is the furthest she's gone. So, that should give her some confidence to come out on top in 2021. 

#5. Will Nick Kyrgios do anything of importance? Nick Kyrgios comes in as unseeded and he hasn't done much damage in the Aussie Open the past few years. His quarterfinal run was back in 2015 and since then, the furthest he's gone is to the 4th round. That said, he's a guy who seems to enjoy playing in his home country and is actually energized by the experience. With a slightly depleted field due to COVID-19, maybe he'll get back to the quarterfinals once again. 

#6. Can Simona Halen go the distance? Simona Halep comes in as the #2 ranked player in the world and yet she's never won the Australian Open. As a matter of fact, she's only reached the final once in 2018. She reached the semifinals last year and appears poised to make another deep run. If she wins it all, it will be her first grand slam title on hard court. Her two other grand slam titles have come at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. 

#7. Can Dominic Thiem keep the good vibes going on the hard court? Known as more of a clay court player, Dominic Thiem is starting to get the hang of things on the hard courts. He won the 2020 US Open and reached the 2020 Australian Open final. If there's a guy most likely to spoil a Nadal/Djokovic final, it's definitely Thiem. He won the 2020 US Open in part because of how the draw opened up with Novak Djokovic's 4th round disqualification, but even so, he's shown that he's confident on the hard court. Hopefully he'll get a shot at Djokovic in the semifinals. That would make for some good theater. 

#8. Can Naomi Osaka get her 4th grand slam title? Naomi Osaka has won the US Open twice in 2018 and 2020 and the Australian Open once in 2019. Maybe she'll keep the trend going and win the Australian Open again in 2021. Osaka has settled in and can now handle the pressure that comes with being one of the top players in the world. 

#9. Look for Novak Djokovic to win the men's title: I understand that it's no easy task to win the same grand slam event three times in a row, but Djokovic loves the Australian Open. It's been his favorite grand slam and I expect him to once again win it all Down Under. Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem are two legit threats. It's not going to be easy. But I think Djokovic is fueled by what happened at the US Open and wants to get back in the winning circle more than ever. 

#10. Look for Sofia Kenin to defend her title: I'm very tempted to pick Serena Williams to win it all, but she hasn't won a grand slam since her 2017 Australian Open title. Odds say she won't win it this year. Sofia Kenin however won the 2020 Australian Open and is coming in as the #4 seed. I'm expecting Kenin to come back hungry to defend her crown and put herself in a great position to do so. I got Kenin going the distance. 

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10 things to look for at the 2020 Australian Open

With the Australian Open beginning on Monday, it is time for my first grand slam preview of the year! To check out the draws, click here. For a list of players that will not be playing in the event (E.g. Andy Murray and Bianca Andreescu), click here. Ok, with those two housekeeping items out of the way, let's begin!

#1. Is Rafael Nadal a real threat? I find patterns in grand slams to be really interesting. For all of his success (19 grand slam singles titles), Rafael Nadal has won just one Australian Open title in his career back in 2009. It's a bit odd since he's won every other grand slam multiple times, most notably the French Open (12 times). What's also odd is the grand slam he has won the second most times is the US Open (4 times), which is also played on the hard courts.

At any event, it will be interesting to see if Nadal can break through to win his second Australian Open title and be a real threat at this year's event. What makes me think Nadal can win it all is he is the number one overall seed and he won the US Open last year. He certainly shouldn't be lacking in confidence.

#2. Will the coaching change pay off for Naomi Osaka? After winning the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open back-to-back, Naomi Osaka has cooled off a bit, losing in the 3rd round of the French Open, the 1st round of Wimbledon, and the 4th round of the US Open. In order to get herself back on the right track, Osaka has hired Wim Fissette as her coach at the start of the year, who has also coached Petra Kvitova, Victoria Azarenka, Simona Halep, and Sabine Lisicki. It will be interesting to see if the coaching change pays off for Osaka and how long this relationship lasts.

#3. Will this be the slam Daniil Medvedev breaks through? Daniil Medvedev comes into the Australian Open ranked #4 in the world after his run to the US Open final last year in which he lost to Nadal in five sets. Provided he stays healthy and doesn't spontaneously combust or develop a crippling cocaine problem, Medvedev is almost certain to win a grand slam title. The only question is when will it happen? After what we saw from him in New York, it certainly feels like his time is coming soon. He's incredibly confident and knows he has the ability to hang with the very best players in the world. I don't know if he'll win it all, but I expect him to be a serious contender.

#4. Can Ashleigh Barty handle the pressure of being #1? Ashleigh Barty comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world and by extension the top ranked Australian at this event. With that comes expectations and pressure. Aside from her 2019 French Open title, the furthest she's gone at a grand slam is the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and the 4th round at Wimbledon and the US Open. Her track record at grand slams away from the clay doesn't give me a ton of confidence that she'll win this event, but women's tennis is random enough that it's anyone's game. I think the real key will be for Barty to survive the first week. It's usually the first couple of rounds where players like her feel the nerves and choke. If she's alive come the second week, I think she's got a real chance to do some damage.

#5. Can Roger Federer get back in the winner's circle? Two of Roger Federer's last three grand slam titles (2018 Australian Open, 2017 Australian Open, and 2017 Wimbledon) have come Down Under, so he has found recent success at this event. I think part of the reason for that is he comes into this event pretty fresh, whereas later on in the year he gets more banged up. I believe that explains why he hasn't won the US Open since 2008. At 38 years old, Fed continues to blow off Father Time, so there's no reason to think age will be a factor here. I'm not sure Fed will get it done, but I'm willing to say this is probably his best chance to win a grand slam in 2020.

#6. Can Maria Sharapova work some magic? Maria Sharapova has fallen from grace ever since her failed drug test for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open. She hasn't reached a grand slam quarterfinal since, though she has reached the 4th round of a grand slam three times, including last year's Australian Open. Sharapova was granted a wild card into this year's event and will look to make some noise. Will she? It's hard to say, but given her experience, I think it would be foolish to write her off entirely. She certainly should have the motivation to get back on track after what has been a frustrating stretch.

#7. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas make another deep run? 21 year-old Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas comes in as the 6th ranked player in the world in large part because of his run to the semifinals at last year's Australian Open in which he knocked off Roger Federer in the 4th round. Since that magical run, Tsitsipas hasn't gotten past the 4th round at a grand slam. He has a lot of points to defend at this year's Australian Open and also a lot to prove. If he has an early exit, a lot of people will start to wonder if his run to the semifinals was a bit of a fluke. It's not fair, but that's the way it rolls.

#8. How will CoCo Gauff handle the spotlight? After her run to the 4th round at Wimbledon last year, 15 year-old CoCo Gauff caught the tennis world by surprise, looking like she might be the new face of American women's tennis. She entered last year as an unknown and now enters this year as very much a known. She's ranked #66 in the world and has one WTA title under her belt at the Linz Open in Austria. While she has plenty and I mean plenty of tennis ahead of her, it will be interesting to see how she handles the spotlight this year. The Australian Open will give us our first taste of that.

#9. Look for Novak Djokovic to win it all: Ranked #2 in the world, Novak Djokovic is my pick to win the 2020 Australian Open men's singles title. He's the defending champion, has won the event seven times, and appears to have a little pep in his step after leading Serbia to the inaugural ATP Cup title. That doesn't mean it will be easy for him. Federer, Nadal, Medvedev, and Stan Wawrinka (who I haven't yet mentioned) all have a shot to win this title. Still, even with them all playing well, one has to give a nod to "The Joker" for the way he has dominated this event.

#10. Look for Serena Williams to win it all: I was thinking of going off the wall and picking someone random like Johanna Konta to shock the world, but I don't want to overthink this. This event is Serena Williams' to lose. With 23 grand slam titles, she is one shy of tying Margaret Court's record and has won two of the last five Australian Opens (2015 & 2017). After not winning last year, it feels like she's due. It would also be cool for her to tie Court's record at the event that she perhaps unfairly dominated due to being an Aussie in an era where not everyone came down to Australia. If you could script this anyway for Serena, tying Court's record in Australia and breaking it in New York would be the way to go. I hope it happens.

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10 things to take away from the 2019 French Open

                                         (Corinne Dubreuil/FFT)


Before I preview Wimbledon, I need to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were at the 2019 French Open. In the words of Rafael Nadal: "Vamos!"

#1. Rafael Nadal is unstoppable on clay: I picked Rafael Nadal to win it all at Roland Garros and he did not disappoint me, defeating Dominic Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in the final. This is Nadal's 12th French Open title and 18th grand slam title overall. At 33 years of age, there's no reason to doubt his ability to win at least a couple of more French Opens before he hangs up his tennis shoes. Nobody else on tour seems to have the goods to dethrone him any time soon.

#2. Ashleigh Barty is the real deal: Ashleigh Barty navigated the crazy maze that is women's tennis to win her first grand slam title at Roland Garros, defeating Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 6-3 in the final. While it was a wide open field, Barty deserves a lot of credit for getting across the finish line. Her 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 win over Amanda Anisimova in the semifinals was incredibly gutty. She's now ranked #1 in the world, so she's going to have to get used to playing with a bigger target on her back. I'm confident she can handle it.

#3. Dominic Thiem isn't ready to win Roland Garros: While he is the #2 clay player in the world, Dominic Thiem did nothing to convince me that he's going to be the one to knock Nadal off his perch as the king of clay. While clay is his best surface, Thiem sadly might have better odds winning a grand slam on a non-clay surface. At least for the next little while.

#4. Is Marketa Vondrousova a one hit wonder? If you are an artist that has one track peak at #2 on the charts you are deemed a one hit wonder, so it's fair to say that if you reach one grand slam final your whole career you too are a one hit wonder of tennis. Outside of her run to the final at this year's French Open, Marketa hasn't done much at grand slams (2nd round at Australian Open, 1st round at Wimbledon, and 4th round at US Open). It'll be interesting to see if she'll start to be a consistent presence in the second week of grand slams or if she'll fade.

#5. Roger Federer should play on clay more often: While he didn't win the title like he hoped, Roger Federer had a really good run to the semifinals before falling to Nadal 3-6, 4-6, 2-6. That straight set beatdown shouldn't discourage him from playing future French Opens. If anything, it gives him a little bit of momentum going into Wimbledon and the fans certainly like to watch him play. It'll be interesting to see if Federer will return to Roland Garros next year.

#6. American women's tennis has a bright future, even on clay: Despite Serena Williams going down in the third round, American women's tennis did really well at Roland Garros. For starters, it was an American Sofia Kenin that took her out. Secondly, there were four Americans (Madison Keys, Sofia Kenin, Amanda Anisimova, and Sloane Stephens) in the fourth round, three in the quarterfinals (Keys, Anisimova, and Stephens), and one in the semifinals (Anisimova). That's pretty good for a country that favors the hard courts.

#7. Novak Djokovic should be disappointed: If you are Novak Djokovic, the only acceptable outcome at Roland Garros outside of winning the whole tournament would be to lose a hard fought battle to Rafael Nadal in the final. That did not happen to Djokovic as he instead lost to Dominic Thiem in the semifinals 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 5-7. Luckily for Djokovic, he has Wimbledon coming up soon.

#8. Naomi Osaka needs to pick it up on the clay: Despite having won the US Open and Australian Open, Naomi Osaka flamed out in the third round at Roland Garros, which is consistent with 2018 and 2016. Osaka has similarly never gotten past the third round at Wimbledon (2017 and 2018), so we can talk about that more in a few days, but it is suffice to say that if Osaka wants to be ranked #1 in the world more consistently, she's going to have to pick it up on the non-hard court surfaces.

#9. Alexander Zverev did what he needed to do: Alexander Zverev lost in the quarterfinals to Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-2, 6-2, which while disappointing is exactly what he needed to do at an absolute minimum. He got a bad draw as the #5 seed having to face the #1 seed in the quarterfinals, so all things considered, he should feel ok about how Roland Garros turned out. For now anyways. He'll have to pick it up in future years and at future grand slams later this year.

#10. Simona Halep should be disappointed as well: Another player that should be disappointed with how they played at Roland Garros is Simona Halep, who fell to Amanda Anisimova 2-6, 4-6 in the quarterfinals. Halep came in as the #3 seed and defending champion, so to fall in the quarterfinals to an unseeded player is really a bummer.

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