10 things to take away from the 2026 Australian Open

 

                                             (Credit: Getty Images) 

With the 2026 Australian Open now in the rear view mirror, it is time for me to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were Down Under. Ok, let's dive in! 

#1. Carlos Alcaraz proved he can win the career grand slam: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in the men's singles final 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to win his seventh grand slam title and first Australian Open title. As a result, Alcaraz has now won a career grand slam. Pretty impressive given he's 22 years old (turning 23 in May). Winning a career grand slam is an important box to check off if you want to enter the conversation for being one of the all-time greats. While we all knew it was just a matter of time before Alcaraz checked off this box, doing it now takes some pressure off of him. It'll be interesting to see how many Australian Open titles he wins in the future. 

#2. Elena Rybakina wins a second grand slam: Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the women's singles final. It's the second grand slam title of Rybakina's career after winning Wimbledon in 2022. Being a multi-grand slam champion is far different than winning one. It shows consistency. Especially when you do it on multiple surfaces. At just 26 years of age, Rybakina is halfway to a career grand slam. The furthest she's gone at the French Open is the quarterfinals and the furthest she's gone at the US Open is the 4th round. While it's far from a guarantee that she'll win a career slam, being halfway there is a lot better than 25% of the way there. 

#3. Novak Djokovic can still play at an elite level: At 38 years of age, the fact that Novak Djokovic is still able to reach grand slam finals is amazing. The Australian Open is his best event, which he has won 10 times. He defeated Jannik Sinner in the semifinals  3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. That shows he's still able to play at an elite grand slam level. The question is how much longer does Djokovic want to do this? I'm sure he wants to win 25 grand slams just to surpass Margaret Court's mark, but given she played in a vastly different era and took advantage of not everybody coming out to play the Australian Open, he shouldn't beat himself over the head if he doesn't surpass her mark. 

#4. Aryna Sabalenka shows she is beatable on the hard court: While she is widely considered the top hard court player in the world, Aryna Sabalenka losing in the final shows that she can be beaten on the hard courts. She also is still in search of that career slam with the French Open and Wimbledon still on her list to win. Sabalenka had a fantastic tournament overall, but until she figures out how to win grand slams on the grass and clay, she needs to win as many hard court slams as possible. It'll be interesting to see if she can have a break through on grass or clay this year and whether or not she's able to get back on top at the US Open.  

#5. Alexander Zverev just can't quite break through: Alexander Zverev fell to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals in a five set thriller: 4-6, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 5-7.  Despite being a reliably top five player in the world, Zverev still is yet to crack the code to winning a grand slam. He's becoming a more successful Tim Henman/David Ferrer. A guy that gets close, but doesn't quite get over the hump. This year's Australian Open unfortunately reinforced that narrative in a painful way. 

#6. Jessica Pegula is knocking on the door: At 32 years of age, Jessica Pegula reached the semifinals before losing to Rybakina in straight sets  3-6, 6-7. It's the furthest she's gone at the Australian Open and only the US Open has she reached the final (2024). Ranked No. 5 in the world, maybe this will be the year Pegula finally wins her first grand slam. This year's Australian Open could be the springboard she needs to make that happen. 

#7. Alexander Bublik built on his Hong Kong title: After winning the title at the Hong Kong Open, world No. 10 Alexander Bublik reached the 4th round, where he lost to No. 6 Alex de Minaur in straight sets 4-6, 1-6, 1-6. It was the best performance Bublik has had at the Australian Open and ties for the best performance he's had at a grand slam (2023 Wimbledon & 2025 US Open). The big question with Bublik is can he breakthrough to reach the quarterfinals at a grand slam? So far, that answer has been no, but it was still overall a good tournament for him. 

#8. Elina Svitolina gets back to a grand slam semifinal: For the first time since 2023 Wimbledon, Elina Svitolina reached the semifinals of a grand slam, losing to Sabalenka in straight sets 2-6, 3-6. It was a great tournament for her as she cracked the top ten in the world as a result. She's now ranked No. 9. While it feels unlikely she'll ever win a grand slam, maybe this is the year she'll break through. Having a strong result at the Australian Open is always a great way to start the year. 

#9.  Jannik Sinner showed he can be beaten: Ranked No. 2 in the world, losing to Novak Djokovic showed that Jannik Sinner can be beaten by someone other than Alcaraz and that should give the rest of the tour some hope. At the same time, he lost to a man who is arguably the greatest of all-time. Still, Sinner not reaching the final was a reminder that he is human. Especially since the hard court is his best surface. 

#10. Naomi Osaka still has work to do: Ranked No. 16 in the world, Naomi Osaka is working her way back to being a top player. She lost in the 3rd round via walkover after winning her first two matches. At 28 years of age, there's still plenty of time for Osaka to get back in the mix to contend for more grand slams, but at the same time, this year's Australian Open was a reminder that she still has a lot more work to do. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the season goes for her. 

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10 things to look for at the 2026 Australian Open

                                              (Credit: Mike Frey/Imagn Images) 

With the 2026 Australian Open already underway, I need to get my 10 things to look for posted ASAP. If you want to check out the draws, click here. Ok, let's get after it! 

#1. Can Jannik Sinner complete the three-peat? World No. 2 Jannik Sinner is gunning for a three-peat Down Under, having won the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025. He's certainly the heavy favorite to go all the way, but winning any grand slam three years in a row is no easy task. The record for most consecutive Australian Open titles during the Open Era is three by Novak Djokovic. Djokovic did it twice from 2011-13 and 2019-21. Sinner would be joining rarefied air if he were to complete a three-peat this year. A lot of it may end up coming down to how well world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz does (more on him later). 

 #2. Can Madison Keys defend her title? Madison Keys is the defending champion on the women's side, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. It's the only grand slam title Keys has ever won. She comes in ranked No. 9 in the world and obviously a contender. It'll be fun to see if she can defend her title and how far she goes. She had a first round exit at the US Open last year, so these first few rounds will be key for her to regain some confidence. She's already through the first round in straight sets, so she's off to a good start. 

#3. Can Carlos Alcaraz complete the career slam? The furthest world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz has gone in the Australian Open is the quarterfinals in 2024 and 2025. It's the only grand slam he is yet to win. At some point, I think he's going to break through Down Under and go all the way. The question is when will that breakthrough happen? For whatever reason, he hasn't been able to get past the quarterfinals. It's really important for him to win with confidence during the first few rounds and enter the second week of the tournament with as much momentum as possible. 

#4. Can Aryna Sabalenka win her third Australian Open title? Aryna Sabalenka is ranked No. 1 in the world and is gunning for her third Australian Open title after losing in the final to Madison Keys last year. Sabalenka is likely the favorite the go all the way. She's already won the title twice in 2023 and 2024 and reached the final last year. If she's able to win her third Aussie Open title this year, that would truly be a fantastic way for her to start the season and remind everyone who is number one. 

 #5. Can Alexander Bublik keep the momentum going from Hong Kong? World No. 10 Alexander Bublik is coming off a strong performance in Hong Kong, winning the title at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open. He's never gotten past the 2nd round at the Australian Open, so if he can win two matches that in and of itself will be progress. I look forward to seeing how he does. If he does make a run, I think we'll be able to look back at his title in Hong Kong as the catalyst. 

#6. Can Iga Swiatek complete the career slam? While Carlos Alcaraz is gunning for a career slam on the men's side, Iga Swiatek is doing the same on the women's side. The furthest she's gone at the Australian Open is the semifinals in 2022 and 2025, so she's gone further than Alcaraz has. I feel like at some point, she's going to win an Australian Open title and complete the career slam. Will this be the year it happens? 

#7. Can Novak Djokovic still contend? At 38 years of age, Novak Djokovic is ranked No. 4 in the world, so on paper, he should be a serious contender to win it all. Especially since he has won the Australian Open a record 10 times. This is by far and away his best event. After winning it all in 2023, he reached the semifinals in 2024 and 2025. If Djokovic could get one more grand slam to get to No. 24, that would be pretty cool. If it's going to happen anywhere, the Australian Open would be the most fitting place for it to happen. 

#8. Can Naomi Osaka make a run? Ranked No. 17 in the world, Naomi Osaka is climbing her way back up the rankings. She won the Australian Open twice in 2019 and 2021, so she knows what it takes to win this event. It's just been a little while. If there's any dark horse on the women's side that could legitimately go the distance, it's Osaka. She reached the 3rd round at the Australian Open last year and reached the semifinals of the US Open. So she should be coming in with some momentum and confidence. 

#9.  Can Alexander Zverev break through to win his first grand slam? Alexander Zverev comes in ranked No. 3 in the world, reaching the Australian Open final last year. Given that Alcaraz hasn't reached the semifinals Down Under yet and Sinner's attempt to win three titles in a row is no easy task, there's an opportunity for Zverev here. He just has to make the most of his opportunities and hope that he gets a bit of luck in the draw.

#10. Can Coco Gauff break through to win her first Aussie Open? World No. 3 Coco Gauff is looking to win her first Australian Open title with US Open (2023) and French Open (2025) titles already under her belt. I feel like her time is coming Down Under. Especially after she reached the semifinals last year. If there's anyone that can most threaten to beat Sabalenka, on paper it's probably Gauff. 

Prediction: On the men's side, I gotta roll with Jannik Sinner. He's gunning for a third straight Australian Open title, knowing well what it takes to go the distance at this event. I think he does it again. As for the women's side, I have to pick Aryna Sabalenka. I think after not winning it last year, she'll be hungry to get back on top. The fact that she'll have that as extra motivation will make her even tougher to beat.  

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Hopefully Zheng Qinwen can return soon after Australian Open withdrawal

 

                                              Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images

A disappointing piece of news that hit before the Australian Open began was world No. 24 Zheng Qinwen withdrawing from the Australian Open due injury. She's been battling an elbow injury, which also kept her out of the US Open. She was hoping to return to grand slam tennis at the Australian Open, where she reached the final in 2024. Instead, she's going to have to delay her return for at least a little while longer. 

Given the fact that she's had some success at the Australian Open, she was really eager to see if she could make some noise Down Under in 2026. It's obviously a bummer for her to have to miss the tournament and delay her return to grand slam action even further. 

However, she's only 23 years old and has plenty of years left to play at a high level. She needs to make sure she doesn't do anything that risks further damage or prevents her from having success for the duration of the year. You'd hate to return early from injury only for that to lead to even more setbacks. I'm sure that was a big part of the calculation. 

Looking ahead, the goal for Zheng has to be getting as rested and healthy as possible so that she can build some good momentum heading into the French Open. She reached the quarterfinals last year and should be feeling confident in her ability to make some noise in Paris. It's just matter of healing up, shaking off the rust, and being confident when she does return to the court. I wish her all the best and hope she's able to still put together a strong 2026 season despite this early setback.  

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Gaël Monfils to retire after 2026 season

 

                          

                                             (Credit: Julien Crosnier/FFT) 

Earlier this week, French tennis star Gaël Monfils announced on social media that he will retire after the 2026 season. Monfils made the following statement: 

"I held a racket in my hands for the first time at two and a half, and began playing professionally at 18. Now, after celebrating my 39th birthday just a month ago, I’d like to share that the year ahead will be my last as a professional tennis player.

"The opportunity to turn my passion into a profession is a privilege I have cherished during every match and moment of my 21-year career. Though this game means the world to me, I am tremendously at peace with my decision to retire at the end of the 2026 tennis season.

"Mostly, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I’d like to express it to so many people:

"To my wife, Elina: my love, inspiration, and strength – and an exceptional player in her own right. To my daughter Skai: for the profound love, meaning, and joy she has added to my days. To my brother Daryl and my sisters Roddie and Maelie, for lifting me up during tough times and helping me celebrate the good ones. 

"To my best friends and loved ones, whose faces in the stands have always given me courage when it counted the most. To my longtime agent Nicolas, whose support and friendship helped me reach the highest highs and ride out the lowest lows. 

"To my coaches and team members over the years, who believed in a lanky kid from Paris and who have helped nurture my talent in ways I could never have imagined. To every person who ever cheered or shouted ‘Allez Gaël!’ in real life or at a TV screen: your energy and love are truly everything to me. To the French Tennis Federation for their unwavering support since Day One. 

"To Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon, and Richard Gasquet, my three musketeers and best friends for life. And most of all, to my parents: because all of this would have been impossible — unthinkable, even — without them. Papa, Maman, look how far we’ve come.

"While I came close, I never did win a Grand Slam during my career. I won’t pretend that I expect to do so during the next year. ‘You could have, you should have…’ As those who know me can attest, I’ve never thought this way, and frankly I’m far too old to start doing so now. Life is too short. Believe me when I say that I have no regrets.

"What I do have is the feeling that I have been lucky: insanely, stupidly lucky. I’ve had the chance to play during a golden age of tennis, alongside some of the greatest names in the history of our sport: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray. Even losing feels epic when you’re facing a legend.

"Looking ahead, I have only one goal: to enjoy every minute, and to play each match like it’s my last."

Monfils got ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in November of 2016 and for a little while was knocking on the door to win a grand slam, reaching the semifinals of the French Open in 2008 and the semifinals of the US Open in 2016. He also reached the quarterfinals twice at the Australian Open in 2016 and 2022. Only Wimbledon has he never figured out, reaching the 4th round just the once in 2018. 

While he was never able to win a grand slam, Monfils still had a strong career. For many years, he was in the mix and was always a crowd favorite. He plays the game with a lot of flair and passion, which you can't help but love if you enjoy the sport. I feel like he's been especially fun to watch on clay given his length and sliding. There are so many difficult balls he has gotten to over the course of his career. 

I think what's most amazing is that at 39 years of age, Monfils is currently ranked No. 48 in the world. He became the oldest ATP Tour singles champion earlier this year at 38 years and 132 days old when he won the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. On top of that, he reached the 4th round at the Australian Open earlier this year as well. The fact that he's playing as well as he is at his age speaks to the dedication he has to his craft. Few players are able to compete at such a high level so late in life. His longevity more than anything else is something he should be proud of. 

Looking ahead to 2026, it'll be fun to see how Monfils does in his final season on tour. Given how he did at the Australian Open this year, there's a chance he makes his way into the second week of a grand slam at least once. Of course, the tournament where there will be the most buzz is the French Open. If he can find a way to make the 4th round in Paris next year, you know the place will be bursting with excitement. 

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10 things to take away from the 2025 Australian Open

 

                                             (Credit: Mark Avelino/Anadolu via Getty Images) 

With the 2025 Australian Open now in the rearview mirror, I would like to share my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were Down Under. 

#1. Jannik Sinner has an iron grip on the world number one: By winning his third grand slam title overall and three straight hard court grand slam titles, Jannik Sinner is without a doubt the top men's player in the world. He'll miss a bit of time (through May 4th) due to a WADA ban for testing positive for Clostebol, but he'll be back in time for the French Open and the remaining grand slams. The big thing for him is to figure out how to win grand slams on clay and grass, but given that hard courts are where most of the action is at, he should remain the top player in the world for the foreseeable future so long as he stays healthy and doesn't get banned again for a future doping offense.

#2. Madison Keys has proven she can win a grand slam: By winning her first grand slam title, Madison Keys has proven she can win a grand slam. Her only other grand slam final appearance was back in 2017 at the US Open, so it's pretty amazing she found a way to win a grand slam all these years later. Of course, now the question is whether or not she can break through to win a few more grand slams, but regardless, she can now say she is a grand slam champion.

#3. Alexander Zverev is knocking on the door: Alexander Zverev reached his third career grand slam final and first Australian Open final, losing to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. At 27 years of age (turning 28 next month), Zverev can certainly take inspiration from Madison Keys. While I'm not sure if Zverev will ever be a multiple grand slam winner, I do think at some point he'll break through and win one. Especially since one of his grand slam finals came at Roland Garros in 2024. His ability to play on the clay is definitely a boost to his chances. 

#4. Aryna Sabalenka is beatable on the hard court: Aryna Sabalenka came in as the heavy favorite on the women's side having won back-to-back Australian Open titles as well as the 2024 US Open title. She's the best hard court player in the world and yet she wasn't able to defeat Madison Keys in the final, who won 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. This tournament showed the rest of the WTA tour that Sabalenka is beatable on the hard courts. It'll be interesting to see how she bounces back in the upcoming hard court swing. 

#5. Ben Shelton continues to make strides: 22 year old Ben Shelton had a nice run to the semifinals of the Australian Open before going down to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. Shelton has now reached two grand slam semifinals (2023 US Open) and appears poised to soon reach his first grand slam final. It'll be fun to see how the rest of the season goes for Shelton and what kind of impact he makes on the upcoming hard court swing as well as the US Open later this year. 

#6. Iga Swiatek needs to figure out the hard courts: Even though she's won a hard court grand slam at the 2022 US Open, it's clear that Iga Swiatek still needs to crack the code on the hard courts. She lost in the semifinals to Madison Keys in her second trip to the Australian Open semifinals (2022). She also has reached only three semifinals at hard court grand slams in total, which obviously includes her US Open title. This year's Australian Open was another reminder that while she's of course competitive on hard courts, she still has work to do if she wants to start winning multiple slams on the surface. 

#7. The end could be coming soon for Novak Djokovic: The last of the "Big Four" that's still standing, Novak Djokovic fell to Alexander Zverev in the semifinals 6-7, ret. due to a muscle tear. He hasn't won a grand slam title since the 2023 US Open and with the Australian Open being his best event (10 titles), if he's coming up short in that event, it's fair to wonder if the end is near for Djokovic. He's 37 years old and Father Time catches up with everyone. That said, he's still ranked in the top 10 at No. 7 in the world and probably has another grand slam title or two in him. Still, this year's Australian Open was a reminder that Djokovic's best days are behind him and that it won't be too long before he retires. 

#8. Paul Badosa finally reaches a grand slam semifinal: Paula Badosa finally reached her first career grand slam semifinal, losing to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. At 27 years of age, it's possible Badosa's best tennis is still in front of her. This year will tell us a lot about about whether or not the best is yet to come or if this run to the semifinals is where she's gonna peak. 

#9. Taylor Fritz needs to bounce back: Ranked No. 4 in the world, Taylor Fritz is the highest ranked American, who came into the Australian Open with a lot of hope after his run to the US Open final. Unfortunately, he went down in the 3rd round to Gaël Monfils. If Fritz wants to maintain his top ten ranking going forward, he's going to have to get back to work after such an early exit at the Australian Open. On paper, he's the best hope the United States has to break their men's grand slam drought, but after how things went Down Under, one can't help but have their doubts. He needs to put those doubts to rest fast. 

#10. Coco Gauff needs to figure out the Australian Open: Coco Gauff fell in the quarterfinals, which was not what she was hoping to have happen as she came in with championship hopes. Last year's run to the semifinals is the furthest she's gone at the Australian Open. It's clear that she has to figure out how to go deeper in this tournament. It'll be interesting to see if she'll be able to crack that code. Especially since her lone grand slam title is on the hard courts at the US Open in 2023. 

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Jannik Sinner defends Australian Open title

 

                                               (Credit: Getty Images) 

Jannik Sinner came into the Australian Open as the No. 1 ranked player in the world, seeking to defend his title. While world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was unable to defend her title, losing to Madison Keys in the final, Sinner was able to get the job done, defeating No. 2 Alexander Zverev in the final 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. By defending his Australian Open crown, the 23 year old Sinner now has won three grand slam titles and has an iron grip on the world No. 1 ranking. 

During his two weeks Down Under, Sinner only dropped two sets. Sinner dropped the opening set against wild card Tristan Schoolkate in the 2nd round before eventually winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 and then he dropped the second set against No. 13 Holger Rune in the 4th round, winning that match 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The rest were all straight set victories, which is pretty dominating. 

What Sinner did a great job of was winning his service points. He won 81% of his first serve points, which ranked 7th in the tournament and 4th among players who played in 4+ matches. As for his second serve, he won 62% of those points, which ranked 7th in the tournament and first among players who played in 3+ matches. The interesting thing about that is Sinner wasn't getting a lot of aces. He ranked 10th in the tournament in total aces with 59, but when you consider he played in seven matches, his aces per match (8.42) was relatively low compared to other guys in the tournament. But he made up for it with great ball placement and putting returners on their back heels even if they were able to get a racket on the ball. 

The other thing Sinner did a great job of was winning tiebreakers. He was 4-0 in tiebreakers during the tournament, which speaks to his mental toughness and resolve. And then just in general, while he did drop a couple of sets, Sinner was never really pushed in this tournament. From start to finish, he was the top player in the field and to his credit he finished the job. 

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, it'll be interesting to see how Sinner does. He's figured out how to win grand slams on the hard court and now needs to figure out how to win on the grass at Wimbledon and the clay at Roland Garros.  Perhaps this will be the year he breaks through on at least one of those surfaces. 

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Madison Keys is finally a grand slam champion after winning Australian Open

 

                                             (Credit: Getty Images) 

After years of coming up short in grand slams, Madison Keys finally broke through to win her first grand slam title at the 2025 Australian Open. Keys came into the tournament as the No. 19 seed, defeating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the final. Sabalenka was gunning for a third straight Australian Open title and a fourth grand slam title, making her the heavy favorite coming in. In addition to defeating the number one player in the world, Keys also defeated No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals by a final score of 5-7, 6-1, 7-6. 

Keys became the first woman to defeat the top two players in the world en route to an Australian Open title since Serena Williams defeated No. 2 Amelie Mauresmo in the quarterfinals and No. 1 Lindsay Davenport in the final back in 2005. The last woman to do it at a grand slam was Svetlana Kuznetsova at the French Open in 2009. Kuznetsova defeated No. 2 Serena Williams in the quarterfinals and No. 1 Dinara Safina in the final. 

What makes Keys' title all the more impressive is that in five of her seven matches, she had to play a third set. Only her first round victory over Ann Li (6-4, 7-5) and third round victory over No. 10 Danielle Collins (6-4, 6-4) were straight set victories. It could have easily ended in the second round for Keys in her match against qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse, as she narrowly won 7-6, 2-6, 7-5. Many times did Keys bend during her two weeks in Australia, but she never broke. She always found ways to come through and pull out the win. And in tennis, that's all that matters. It doesn't matter if your win is pretty, ugly, easy, or tough. What matters is if you win and Keys' run in Australia is a reminder of that. 

A major reason why Keys was able to win the tournament was her service game and ability to win break points. Her 34 aces led the tournament while her 29 break points ranked 4th. When she really needed to hold her serve or break her opponents' serve, she was able to deliver the goods. 

Another factor that I think helped Keys was the rule change allowing players to talk to their coaches during the match and actually be present courtside. Her conversations with her coach/husband Bjorn Fratangelo seemed to really help calm her down and keep her focused. Tennis is very much a mental game and allowing coaches to talk to their players is something that is going to help a lot of players mentally. Keys certainly benefited from that. 

After years of wondering whether or not Keys could win a grand slam, we now have our answer. The question now is how many can she win? She's ranked No. 7 in the world for the first time since October 2016 and should have a good deal of confidence going forward. Turning 30 in February, Keys has plenty of time to win some more grand slams. It'll be fascinating to see if she can add to her total. 

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Can anyone stop Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open?

 

                                             (Credit: Mike Frey/USA TODAY Sports) 

On the men's side, my pick to win it all at the start of the Australian Open was world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. That pick is looking good so far as Sinner has advanced into the quarterfinals where he will face No. 8 Alex de Minaur of Australia. In my previous blog post, I wrote about whether or not anyone on the women's side can stop Aryna Sabalenka (click here to read that) and now I am asking the same question about Sinner. Can anyone on the men's side stop him? 

Sinner has had a pretty smooth run to the quarterfinals, dropping only two sets. He dropped the opening set in his 2nd round match against wild card Tristan Schoolkate (4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3) and also dropped the second set in his most recent win over No. 13 Holger Rune (6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2). That honestly isn't much resistance. 

Looking ahead to the quarterfinals, Sinner is 9-0 all-time against de Minaur if you don't include a walk-over victory for de Minaur back at the 2023 ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris. On paper, Sinner should dispose of de Minaur pretty easily though this will likely be the toughest match that Sinner has had against him given that de Minaur will have home court advantage and is ranked in the top ten. In their most recent meeting at the Davis Cup finals last year, Sinner defeated de Minaur 6-3, 6-4. In their lone meeting at a grand slam in the 4th round of the 2022 Australian Open, Sinner defeated de Minaur 7-6, 6-3, 6-4. 

If Sinner is able to advance past the quarterfinals, he'll either have No. 21 Ben Shelton or Lorenzo Sonego in the semifinals. Sinner is 4-1 all-time against Shelton and 5-0 all-time against Sonego. The lone win that Shelton has over Sinner was in their first meeting at the 2023 ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. Shelton won 2-6, 6-3, 7-6. Since then, it's been all Sinner, including a 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 win over Shelton in the 4th round at Wimbledon last summer. In their most recent meeting at the end of last season, Sinner got revenge in Shanghai with a 6-4, 7-6 win in the Round of 16. 

In short, Sinner's path to the final looks to be pretty smooth. He should defeat Alex de Minaur pretty handily and then whoever he faces between Ben Shelton or Lorenzo Sonego should be a fairly speedy victory as well. 

As for who Sinner would see in the final, he'll either see No. 7 Novak Djokovic, who defeated No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals or No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who defeated No. 12 Tommy Paul 7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-1. 

Starting with a possible final against Zverev, Sinner is actually 2-4 in their six meetings. In their most recent meeting in the semifinals of the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati last season, Sinner won in three tight sets: 7-6, 5-7, 7-6. In their two meetings at the US Open in 2023 and 2021, both in the 4th round, Zverev won both matches. In 2021 it was 6-4, 6-4, 7-6. In 2023 it was 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. 

As for Novak Djokovic, the two of them have split their eight matches with four wins each. Sinner has won three matches in a row against Djokovic, most recently defeating him 7-6, 6-3 at the final of the ATP 1000 Masters event in Shanghai last year. In the semifinals of the Australian Open last year, Sinner defeated Djokovic 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. 

When looking at this data, it's clear that Djokovic and Zverev are the biggest threats to Sinner defending his Australian Open title. Sinner's half of the draw looks pretty good, but it's the other half, awaiting in the final, that could give him trouble. 

At this point, it's looking pretty likely that Sinner will get to the final. The big question is will he defeat Djokovic/Zverev. Both guys have given him trouble and should feel confident in beating him. Ironically, I think given his current winning streak against him, Sinner might actually prefer to see Djokovic over Zverev. I know Djokovic is the GOAT and has won 10 Australian Opens while Zverev has never won a grand slam. But the head-to-head and recent matches suggest that it actually could be Zverev that gives Sinner more trouble. 

Either way, I still got my money on Sinner to win it all. He's number one in the world, is the defending champion, and so far has been playing fantastic tennis in this tournament. He's given me no reason to back off my prediction, but I am curious to see how much resistance he gets the rest of the way. 

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Can anyone stop Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open?

 

                                              (Credit: Mike Frey/USA TODAY Sports) 

My pick to win the Australian Open on the women's side at the beginning of the tournament was world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who is gunning for a three-peat. So far, that pick is looking solid as Sabalenka is into the quarterfinals without dropping a set. Most recently, Sabalenka dispatched of No. 14 Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 in the 4th round. 

Through four matches, Sabalenka is tied for second in the tournament with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in break points won (20). Number one is Emma Navarro with 21 breakpoints won. Oddly enough, Pavlyuchenkova is Sabalenka's next opponent in the quarterfinals. Given how well both players have done with break points, that should be an interesting match. A big reason why Sabalenka is doing so well with break points is her ability to win points off her opponents' first serve. She and Pavlyuchenkova are both tied at fourth place in the tournament with 77 first serve return points won, just two points behind Coco Gauff and Donna Vekic, who have won 79 first serve return points. 

Sabalenka is also serving well with 18 aces, which is top ten in the tournament, but it's really her return of serve that is giving opponents trouble. When you are able to win break points and first serve return points as well as Sabalenka, you're going to be tough to stop. That's clearly the key to her success. 

As far as whether or not anyone can stop Sabalenka, the two names that stand out as the biggest threats to her quest for a three-peat are Pavlyuchenkova and Gauff. Pavlyuchenkova is returning as well as Sabalenka is and doing a great job of capitalizing on break point opportunities and winning first serve return points. So that could be a tough matchup in the quarterfinals. And then Gauff just because of how well she's serving. Gauff is serving better than anyone Sabalenka has seen so far in this tournament and has a chance to give her some serious trouble on that end. Gauff is also returning well, so just all around she's a threat. 

If Sabalenka were to see Gauff, that would be in the semifinals. So two of the most difficult opponents are her quarterfinal and potential semifinal opponent. That adds to the challenge for sure. That said, I still expect Sabalenka to pull through and win her third straight Australian Open title. She's been the best at this event the last couple of seasons and knows what it takes to get it done. It'll be fun to see how the coming week unfolds for Sabalenka and the rest of the women's field. 

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10 things to look for at the 2025 Australian Open

 

                                             (Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports) 

The 2025 Australian Open is set to begin, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for at the first grand slam of the year. If you want to check out any of the draws, click here. 

#1. Can Taylor Fritz go the distance? The top ranked American on the men's side is Taylor Fritz, who is ranked No. 4 in the world. He is coming off a run to the final of the US Open, where he lost to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in straight sets. It's been a while since an American man won a grand slam (Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open). Given how well he's playing, it feels like Fritz will break through to win a grand slam. The only question is when. Perhaps that breakthrough will happen at the Australian Open this year, though it should be noted that Fritz' best run at the Australian Open was last year to the quarterfinals. So, if he does win it all this year, it'll be quite a breakthrough. 

#2. Can Coco Gauff go the distance? If you are looking for an American on the women's side to put money on, it would be Coco Gauff, who is ranked No. 3 in the world. She's already won her first grand slam at the 2023 US Open and is certainly not done winning grand slams. Last year, she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, so she's shown she can make some noise at this event. Given she's already won a hard court grand slam, one should like her chances to win the Australian Open. Perhaps this is the year she'll get it done. 

#3. Can Alex de Minaur overcome the hometown pressure? The top ranked Aussie on the men's side is Alex de Minaur, who comes in ranked No. 8 in the world. On paper, he should be a threat to at least make the quarterfinals and possibly semifinals. However, the furthest he's gone at the Australian Open is the 4th round. He's reached the quarterfinals at every other grand slam at least once in his career. If he doesn't at least reach the quarterfinals, one will have to wonder if the pressure of being an Aussie is weighing on him too much. 

#4. Can Naomi Osaka make some noise? Naomi Osaka made her return to the WTA tour last year after being out for the 2023 season, but didn't make any noise in the grand slams with three 2nd round exits and one 1st round exit. The 1st round exit happened to be at the Australian Open. That said, she is ranked 50th in the world and has won the Australian Open twice in 2019 and 2021, so she knows what it takes to win this event. If you're looking for a dark horse to win on the women's' side, Osaka would be an interesting pick. 

#5. Can Jannik Sinner defend his title? Jannik Sinner comes in ranked No. 1 in the world, winning both the Australian Open and US Open in 2024. Given that last season was truly a breakthrough season for him, this is the first year where he'll be entering grand slams as the favorite. Especially the ones where he'll be looking to defend his title. How he handles the pressure and expectations that come with that will be very interesting to see. 

#6. Can Aryna Sabalenka complete a three-peat? Aryna Sabalenka comes in ranked No. 1 in the world, having won the Australian Open back-to-back times in 2023 and 2024. This year, she'll be gunning for a three-peat, making her the heavy favorite on the women's side. Personally, I see no reason to pick against her. In addition to gunning for a three-peat at the Australian Open, she also is the defending US Open champion. She's proven to be hands down the best hard court player in the world. It'll be surprising if she doesn't defend her crown, but there's enough talent in the field that she'll have to play well to deliver. 

#7. Can Novak Djokovic bounce back to win another grand slam? Novak Djokovic didn't win a grand slam in 2024, raising the question of as to whether or not the 37 year old superstar still has it in him to win another one. He's the all-time leader in grand slam titles on the men's side with 24, so he certainly doesn't have anything to prove. That said, I'm sure he'd like to win at least one more grand slam before he retires. If there's a place for him to do it, the Australian Open would be the place as he's won it more than any other slam he's won: 10 times. Djokovic is ranked No. 7 in the world, so on paper he should still be a threat. Especially when you see how many times he's won this event. 

#8. Can Iga Świątek win her first Australian Open? Iga Świątek comes in ranked No. 2 in the world as probably the biggest favorite to win the women's singles title aside from Aryna Sabalenka. That said, Świątek has never won the Australian Open before, with her deepest run being to the semifinals in 2022. Świątek would love to add an Australian Open title to her collection and be one grand slam away from completing a career slam (Wimbledon). 

#9. Can Carlos Alcaraz complete the career slam? Even though Alexander Zverev is ranked No. 2 in the world, Carlos Alcaraz is probably the biggest threat to Sinner to win this title. Either him or Djokovic. Alcaraz is ranked No. 3 in the world and has won every grand slam except for one. The one grand slam he hasn't won is the Australian Open. The furthest he's gone at this even is the quarterfinals in 2024. At some point, I do think Alcaraz will complete the career slam. The only question is when. Perhaps 2025 will be the year that happens. 

#10. Can Zheng Qinwen win her first career grand slam? Ranked No. 5 in the world, Zheng Qinwen is one of the top rising talents in the world at just 22 years of age. She's been to one grand slam final in her career and that was at the Australian Open in 2024. It feels like she's going to win one at some point and if one had to pick a grand slam for her to win first, it would definitely be the Australian Open. I look forward to seeing how she performs. 

Prediction: On the men's side, I gotta roll with Jannik Sinner. He's the best in the world right now and the defending champion. Smart money is on him to defend his crown. On the women's side, I have to pick Aryna Sabalenka. She's the best in the world and is the two-time defending champion. Smart money is on her to defend her crown as well. 

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Alexandre Müller wins first title at Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open

 

                                             (Credit: hkmenstennisopen.com) 

Andrey Rublev was not able to defend his title at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open (中銀香港網球公開賽) as he went down in the Round of 16 to Fabian Marozsan by a final score of 5-7, 6-3, 3-6. In my previous blog post, I addressed whether or not Rublev could defend his title and what that might mean for his Australian Open chances. 

In short, Rublev has to be disappointed to not defend his title, especially to go out so early in the tournament. It'll be interesting to see if he's able to still make a deep run at the Australian Open or if he'll flame out of that event early as well. It's always hard to predict how guys will respond from a disappointing tournament. Especially at the grand slam level. 

As for the winner of the tournament, Alexandre Müller defeated Kei Nishikori in the final in three sets: 2-6, 6-1, 6-3. This is the first ATP title of Müller's career and as a result, he has achieved the highest ranking of his career at No. 56 in the world. 

Müller had an impressive tournament and showed a lot of resiliency, dropping the first set in each of his five matches played. His tightest match was in the Round of 16 against Miomir Kecmanovic, winning 5-7, 7-6, 7-6. Müller could have thrown in the towel, but instead he showed a lot of fight and determination to win the first title of his career. 

Of course, the big question now is how Müller will perform at the Australian Open. As a result of his ranking, he should get the best grand slam draw he's ever had. He's reached the 2nd round at every grand slam at least once in his career and last year, he reached the 2nd round in three of the four grand slams (Wimbledon, US Open, and French Open). Perhaps he's on the verge of a breakout season. 

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Can Andrey Rublev defend his title in Hong Kong?

                                        

                                            (Andrey Rublev-Hong Kong. Credit: Zuma/Panoramic) 

The 2025 ATP season begins this week as world No. 8 Andrey Rublev will look to defend his title at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open (中銀香港網球公開賽), played at Victoria Park Tennis Centre in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. The tournament is in its second year back on the men's side, not having played from the years 2003-2023. 

I think it's exciting for the ATP Tour to have a presence in Hong Kong once more. It's a beautiful city with a fabulous culture and global feel. It's the kind of city that professional tennis players should have a blast playing in. 

Rublev comes in as the top seed in the tournament with world No. 17 Lorenzo Musetti and world No. 19 Karen Khachanov as the number two and three seeds respectively. Given he's the only player ranked in the top ten globally in this tournament, Rublev naturally is the heavy favorite. Especially since he won the event last year. 

The Hong Kong Tennis Open will be Rublev's tune up event for the Australian Open, which will start in mid-January. Rublev has made back-to-back trips to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open with last year's title in Hong Kong helping him gain some positive momentum towards a second consecutive quarterfinal run. 

Considering that he failed to make the quarterfinals at the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open last season, it's really important for Rublev to get off to a strong start this season and at least get back to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open for a third straight season. If Rublev is able to do so, that could set the tone for the kind of season that he is hoping to have, which is to get past the quarterfinals at a grand slam for the first time. 

Even though it's the first tournament of the season and is an ATP 250 event, this season's Hong Kong Tennis Open is actually quite important for Andrey Rublev. If he wants to make a run at the Australian Open, defending his title in Hong Kong would give him a lot of confidence. It'll be interesting to see how he does. 

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10 things to look for at the 2024 Australian Open

 The 2024 Australian Open fires up on Sunday, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Let's dive in! If you want to check out the draws, click here. 

#1. Can Novak Djokovic defend his title? Novak Djokovic is the defending Australian Open champion on the men's side and the number one ranked player in the world. He has won the Australian Open 10 times and will be gunning for a 25th grand slam title, which would add to his already record total. Given that he is the best player in the world and also has had more success at the Australian Open than any other grand slam, he's the heavy favorite here. It's just a matter of him backing it up. 

#2. Can Aryna Sabalenka defend her title? Aryna Sabalenka is the defending Australian Open champion on the women's side and is the number two ranked player in the world. Last year's Australian Open title is her lone grand slam title. She is coming into this tournament having reached the 2023 US Open final, so in the past two hard court slams, she has reached the final. That bodes well for her chances. I would be very surprised if we don't at least see her reach the semifinals. 

#3. Can Carlos Alcaraz make a run? Carlos Alcaraz is the number two player in the world so on paper he should be favored to at least reach the final against Djokovic. That said, the furthest he has gone at the Australian Open is the 3rd round in 2022. He missed the event last year and so in many ways, this is his first Australian Open being ranked as high as he is. He won his first grand slam at the 2022 US Open and aside from missing the 2023 Australian Open has reached the semis of every grand slam since including winning it all at Wimbledon last year. Still, he hasn't done anything of real significance at the Australian Open yet.

#4. Can Coco Gauff make a run? Coco Gauff comes in ranked #4 in the world, fresh off her US Open title in 2023. She's a major contender to win the Australian Open in 2024. However, the furthest she has gone in the Australian Open is the 4th round in 2023 and 2020. It's been a bit of a challenge for her to make a run in this event. Will this year be different? 

#5. Can Daniil Medvedev get back to his old form? Daniil Medvedev is ranked #3 in the world, but he's coming off a 2023 that was a mixed bag: A 3rd round exit at the Australian Open, a 1st round exit at the French Open, a run to the semifinals at Wimbledon, and a run to the final at the US Open. He's getting back to what he's been when you look at the last two grand slams. This year's Australian Open is huge for him in terms of continuing that momentum.

#6. Can Iga Świątek get one step closer to a career slam? It's about time I bring up the number one ranked player on the women's side: Iga Świątek. She has won three French Opens and also one US Open in 2022. As for the Australian Open, the furthest she has gone is the semifinals in 2022. Coming in as the number ranked player in the world, a lot of people will be putting down money on her to win it all. The question is can she win this event. She's shown she can win grand slams, especially French Opens. Now it's a matter of her showing she's a threat at every slam. 

#7. Can Jannik Sinner back up his ranking? Jannik Sinner is ranked #4 in the world despite only having one grand slam semifinal appearance in his career at Wimbledon last year. Last year, he lost in the 4th round at the Australian Open and US Open while falling in the 2nd round at the French Open. It's time he starts to back up his ranking. If you are a top four player in the world, especially in this hard court dominant era, you can't be flaming out before the quarterfinals. 

#8. Can Victoria Azarenka go the distance? Victoria Azarenka comes in as the #18 seed in the tournament. Of all the grand slams, the Australian Open has by far been her best event. She won back-to-back Aussie Open titles in 2012 & 2013 and reached the semifinals in 2023 when everyone thought she was past her prime. It would be fun to see her make another deep run this year. 

#9. Will Alex de Minaur make Australia proud? Alex de Minaur is the top ranked Aussie on the men's side ranked #10 in the world. The furthest he's gone at a grand slam is the quarterfinals at the US Open in 2020. As for the Australian Open, he's reached the 4th round twice in 2022 & 2023, so he's had some success at his home country's slam. However, as the highest ranking Aussie man, he's gotta go deeper than that. If he can at least reach the quarterfinals, that'll be a successful run for him. 

#10. How far will Caroline Wozniacki go? Caroline Wozniacki is back on tour, reaching the 4th round of the US Open in 2023. She had to get a wild card for this year's Australian Open, but now that she's gotten that wild card, she's looking to do some damage. In women's tennis anything can happen. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see her reach the 4th round or better. It'll be fun to see how she does. 

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10 things to take away from the 2023 Australian Open

 

                                             (Credit: Wiliam West/AFP)

Before I shift gears to write about the French Open, I need to share my 10 things to take away from the 2023 Australian Open. Here we go! 

#1. Novak Djokovic is the GOAT Down Under: Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 in the men's final. It was Djokovic's 22nd grand slam title (tied for #1 all-time with Rafael Nadal) and his 10th Australian Open title, which is #1 all-time. While the overall GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate will rage on for years, Djokovic is indisputably the GOAT at the Australian Open. He owns this event having won the last four times he entered: 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2023. 

#2. Aryna Sabalenka is a grand slam champion: Aryna Sabalenka won her first career grand slam singles title, defeating Elena Rybakina 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 in the women's final. She had been to three grand slam semifinals before at Wimbledon (2021) and the US Open (2021 & 2022), so she has been knocking on the door. Once a player wins a grand slam, there's more pressure on them in future slams. It'll be interesting to see if she'll be able to build on this title and snag another grand slam this year or if the pressures that come with being a grand slam champion will get to her a bit. The US Open will be particularly big since that too is a hard court event. 

#3. Stefanos Tsitsipas is knocking on the door: Speaking of knocking on the door, Stefanos Tsitsipas has now been to two grand slam finals, the first one being the 2021 French Open. He's also been to five grand slam semifinals including this year's Australian Open, so he's a guy who keeps on putting himself in position. It does feel like his time will come and if it does, Australia is a very likely place for it to happen. 

#4. Elena Rybakina is a serious contender: While she fell in the final, Elena Rybakina showed she is a real threat at grand slams by getting back to her second career grand slam final after winning Wimbledon in 2022. I think it's safe to say that we're going to be seeing her compete deep into slams rather frequently. She's turning 24 in June and is just starting to enter her prime. 

#5. Tommy Paul had a breakthrough tournament: Tommy Paul turns 26 in May and is now ranked #17 in the world as a result of his run to the semifinals before falling to Djokovic in straight sets. The previous best outing he had at a grand slam was a trip to the 4th round of Wimbledon in 2022. So, he really had an outstanding and breakthrough event in Australia. It'll be fun to see if he can build on this and get back to another grand slam semifinal or better. 

#6. Victoria Azarenka is back (for now): I don't know if she'll be able to sustain this or not, but Victoria Azarenka reached her first grand slam semifinal since the 2013 French Open. The two grand slams she has won were at the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, so if there's an event for her to return to form, it's this one. She is turning 34 over the summer and is definitely on the older side, but she does seem to have found a new groove. How long will this new groove last remains to be seen, but it certainly is fun to have her back in the conversation. 

#7. Rafael Nadal had a rough outing: Rafael Nadal fell in the second round and clearly did not have his best stuff. He had a 1st round exit at the 2016 Australian Open, so by no means does this spell the end of him. Still, any time you see a player of his magnitude fall so early in a grand slam, one can't help but wonder if it's a sign of age. Obviously the French Open is going to be huge for him. 

#8. CoCo Gauff needs to find her groove Down Under: CoCo Gauff had a 4th round exit and while that doesn't sound too bad, she's yet to go beyond the 4th round in the Australian Open. She's reached the final of the French Open and the quarterfinals of the US Open, but at the Australian Open she has not found that same kind of success. At just 19 years of age, Gauff has plenty of time to figure it out, but nonetheless, making deeper runs Down Under have to be a priority for her. 

#9. Casper Ruud went out way too early: Casper Ruud came in as the number two seed and is currently ranked #3 in the world. Going out in the 2nd round is not how he wanted this tournament to go. Ruud does have a couple grand slam finals under his belt at the French Open and US Open in 2022, but he needs to find more consistency. How he responds the rest of this year is going to be very telling. 

#10. Magda Linette found a new gear: After never getting past the 3rd round at any grand slam, Magda Linette made a run to the semifinals before falling to Sabalenka in straight sets. Whether or not this was a one hit wonder kind of run is the big question, but at 31 years of age, her best tennis very well may be ahead of her. Linette is now ranked #19 in the world. If she can make another deep run at a slam this year, she should finish the year ranked inside the top-20. 

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10 things to look for at the 2023 Australian Open

 The 2023 Australian Open is underway, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for at the first grand slam of the year. Let's go! 

Note: To check out the draws for all events, click here. 

#1. Can Rafael Nadal defend his title? Rafael Nadal comes in as the top seed in the men's draw, eager to defend his title from last year. With Novak Djokovic back in the field after missing last year due to not getting vaccinated, things are going to be tougher for Nadal. Fortunately, Djokovic is on the other half of the draw for Nadal, so if he were to see Djokovic, it won't be until the final. It'll be fun to see how far Nadal goes and whether or not he'll be able to defend his crown. 

#2. Can Iga Świątek go the distance down under? Iga Świątek is the top seed in the women's draw and is establishing herself as the top player in the women's game. She won the US Open last year and will look to win her second straight grand slam, both on the hard courts. She reached the semifinals last year in the Australian Open and should be primed to make an even deeper run this year. If you're talking contenders on the women's side, she might be the one to pick. 

#3. Can Novak Djokovic re-establish his dominance? Novak Djokovic owns the Australian Open. Nine of his 21 grand slam titles have come in this event. He's had more success at this event than any other grand slam. However, he didn't play in this event last year and it's never easy to win an event after missing it the year before. Plus, he's likely to encounter mixed reactions from the fans for how he handled things last year. How he deals with the early rounds will be really key to his success. He needs to set a good tone and pick up right where he left off. If he does, he's going to be really tough to stop. 

#4. Can Ons Jabeur break through? Ons Jabeur is the number two seed in the women's draw after reaching back-to-back finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. She's knocking on the door and is eager to break through to win her first grand slam. She reached the quarterfinals in 2020, so she's had some success at this event, but after not playing it last year, she's gonna have to adjust to being back in this environment. I think it's going to be really interesting to see if her past couple slams propel her forward and how she does if she finds herself in a third straight grand slam final. 

#5. Can Frances Tiafoe bring his US Open success with him? Frances Tiafoe is the 16th seed and is coming off a run to the US Open semifinals. This will be a real test for him as he won't have the home court advantage he had in New York. If he's able to reach the semifinals of this event, that'll be a really strong indicator that he is here to stay for the foreseeable future. 

#6. Does Victoria Azarenka have another run in her? Victoria Azarenka is seeded 24th and had a decent outing at the Australian Open last year, reaching the 4th round. She won the event back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013. It's been a while, but she knows how to win this event. It would be really cool for her to win a third grand slam and if there's any place she'd do it, it would be in Australia. Also, she did reach the US Open final in 2020, so she's recently shown she can contend at grand slams. 

#7. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas reach the final? Stefanos Tsitsipas is the number three seed on the men's side and is eying a third consecutive trip to the semifinals. The big question with him is can he get over the hump and into the final. He's reached the final at Roland Garros (2021), so it's not totally uncharted territory for him. Still, he hasn't yet figured out how to get to the final at this event. Getting past Nadal is not going to be easy, but I like his chances of sneaking past Nadal in the semifinals better than I do against Djokovic. So, he's got a shot. 

#8. Can Jessica Pegula reach the semifinals? Jessica Pegula is the third seed in the women's draw, but she's never gotten past the quarterfinals at any grand slam. She reached the quarters at three of the four grand slams last year, only failing to do so at Wimbledon. How she does at the Australian Open will be a really strong indicator of whether or not she's made progress from last season. 

#9. Can Casper Ruud make a deep run? Casper Ruud is the number two seed on the men's side and reached the final at both the US Open and French Open last year. As for the Australian Open, the furthest he's gone is the 4th round in 2021. He didn't play in it last year. How he does this year after a strong 2022 season is something to watch for. Definitely a strong candidate to at least reach the semifinals if not the final. 

#10. Will Coco Gauff finally breakthrough down under? Coco Gauff is seeded 7th and is coming off a strong 2022 in which she reached the French Open final and US Open quarterfinals. However, she has not had that same kind of success at the Aussie Open, with her best finish being the 4th round in 2020 followed by a 2nd round exit in 2021 and a 1st round exit in 2022. She's regressing at this event and needs to put together a strong run in 2023. Will it happen? Time will tell. 

Predictions: On the men's side, I gotta roll with Novak Djokovic. He owns this event and will be hungry to reclaim his rightful crown. On the women's side, I'm going to pick Iga Świątek. She's the top player in the world right now and is bound to win the Australian Open at some point. Why not this year? 

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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 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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