10 takeaways from 2026 Wimbledon

               (Jannik Sinner & Linda Noskova with their championship trophies. Credit: Wimbledon.com) 

Alrighty, I'm long overdue to get my 10 takeaways from Wimbledon in, but here we go! 

#1. Jannik Sinner is figuring out the grass: Jannik Sinner defeated Alexander Zverev in the gentlemen's final 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4. Sinner has now won Wimbledon back-to-back times, showing that he has command of the grass. The clay of the French Open continues to be a work in progress for him, but he's at least showing he has what it takes to win on the grass. Even without Carlos Alcaraz, this was still an impressive run for Sinner.  It'll be fun to see how many more Wimbledon titles he racks up as his career goes on. 

#2. Linda Noskova is a grand slam champion: Linda Noskova defeated Karolina Muchova in the ladies' singles final 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Noskova really came out of left field in this one as the furthest she'd gone at a grand slam going into Wimbledon was the quarterfinals at the 2024 Australian Open. A big thing to look for is whether or not Noskova is a one-hit wonder or if she has more grand slam titles in her future. At just 21 years of age, I lean towards her winning more before her career ends. She's got plenty of tennis in front of her. 

#3. Alexander Zverev has a career best at Wimbledon: While he came up short in the final, it was still the best Wimbledon performance of Alexander Zverev's career. He's had a great season, winning the French Open to win his first career grand slam. With the way he's trending, perhaps a Wimbledon title is also in Zverev's future. 

#4. Karolina Muchova has a career best at Wimbledon: While she came up short in the final, Karolina Muchova can hold her head high knowing she had the best run of her Wimbledon career. And it was the best run of her Wimbledon career by far. She reached the quarterfinals in 2019 and 2021 before having four straight first round exits. She really took her game up a notch on the grass this year. Whether or not this year was an aberration or a sign that she's figured things out on the grass, next year will tell us a lot. 

#5. Arthur Fery had a run for the ages: Arthur Fery had a run for the ages, reaching the semifinals before losing to Alexander Zverev 6-7, 2-6, 4-6. Fery also played for Stanford and on CardinalSportsReport.com, I wrote more about his run. Click here to check that out. It really was an amazing run for him. He came in as a wild card and now doesn't have to worry about qualifying for grand slams for a full calendar year. It'll be interesting to see how he does in his next four grand slam appearances, which includes, Wimbledon 2027. 

#6. Coco Gauff has her best Wimbledon performance: Coco Gauff reached the semifinals, losing to Karolina Muchova 6-2, 1-6, 7-6. Gauff had been to the 4th round three times at Wimbledon (2019, 2021, & 2024), but that was as far as she could go. This year, she made tremendous progress, getting to the semifinals. What is interesting is 2019 was her first ever Wimbledon. The fact that it's taken her so long to get past the 4th round is super interesting. But regardless, she should be feeling good about how this year went as she eyes an eventual Wimbledon title in the future. 

#7. Novak Djokovic still has juice: Novak Djokovic fell to Jannik Sinner in the semifinals 4-6, 4-6, 4-6. While he's no longer the grand slam contender he once was, reaching the semifinals is nothing to sneeze at. As I've written earlier, Djokovic can still play at a high level. The only question is how long does he want to play at a level where he hangs around but comes up a bit short. Only he can answer that question.

#8. Naomi Osaka had a bounce back tournament: Naomi Osaka reached the quarterfinals, losing to Karolina Muchova 6-7, 4-6, putting up a good fight in that match. It was the best performance she's ever had at Wimbledon. It was fun to see her back in the mix at a grand slam. Especially on a surface that hasn't been her strong suit. She seems to be finding a good balance between being a mom and still playing at a high level, which is exciting for the tennis world. 

#9. Jan-Lennard Struff has break through tournament: Jan-Lennard Struff reached the first quarterfinal of his grand slam career, losing to Jannik Sinner 5-7, 6-7, 3-6. At 36 years of age, it's super impressive that Struff had this run to the quarterfinals. He's been to the 4th round at the US Open and French Open before, but at Wimbledon he had never gotten past the 3rd round. On top of reaching the quarterfinals, he also battled Sinner tough in the loss. Struff should be very pleased with how his Wimbledon went. 

#10. Marta Kostyuk is finding her groove: Marta Kostyuk reached the semifinals of Wimbledon right after reaching the semifinals of the French Open. That's back-to-back grand slam semifinal runs. That has to give her a real boost of confidence. It was Linda Noskova, the eventual champion, that defeated her 6-4, 6-4. Kostyuk finds herself just outside the top 10, ranked No. 11 in the world. At just 24 years of age, she's really stepping into her own and finding her groove, which is great to see. 

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Thoughts from Week 1 at 2026 Wimbledon

                                  (Naomi Osaka is into the 4th round. Credit: Brian Inganga/AP Photo) 

This past week was a busy and eventful one at Wimbledon with lots going on across the gentlemen’s and ladies’ singles evens. Below are some thoughts I have about some of the action that has transpired. Over at CardinalSportsReport.com, where I cover Stanford for On3 Rivals, I did a piece on Stanford alum Arthur Fery, who is the last Brit standing. Click here to check that out. Ok, let’s dive in! 

The first thing that has popped out at me is No. 14 Naomi Osaka knocking off No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6 in the 4^th round to reach the quarterfinals. Osaka reached a career-best 4^th round at the French Open earlier this year and now her run to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon is a career-best for her as well. It’s taken Osaka a bit of time to get back to form, but she’s finally getting back to the level of tennis we all know she can play at. It’s been pretty exciting to watch.  

Secondly, No. 1 Jannik Sinner is finding his groove after a 1^st round scare against Miomir Kecmanovic in which he narrowly won 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3. Since that match, Sinner hasn’t dropped a set as he now marches into the quarterfinals. That can happen sometimes at Wimbledon. Those early matches can be tricky due to the new grass and all. Now that the grass is wearing down and he’s finding his footing (both literally and figuratively), Sinner is going to be really tough to stop this coming week.  

Third, No. 7 Coco Gauff reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the first time of her career is a big deal. She has reached the 4^th round at Wimbledon three times before in 2019, 2021, and 2024. She has historically hit a wall in the 4^th round, but this year she broke through by defeating No. 11 Belinda Bencic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. It’s all uncharted territory at this point for Gauff. I get the sense she’s one who the crowd would love to see go the distance. That support should certainly help her. 

Finally, the quarterfinal match between No. 3 Felix Auger-Aliassime and No. 7 Novak Djokovic should be interesting. Auger-Aliassime didn’t drop a set in his first three matches before getting taken to a 5^th set against No. 2 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the 4^th round, winning 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-1. As for Djokovic, he hasn’t been taken to a 5^th set in this tournament, but in three of his four match wins, he dropped a set. The only straight set victory he’s had is his 2^nd round 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas. Auger-Aliassime I think has the slight edge here, but he’s never gotten past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon before while Djokovic is a seven time Wimbledon champion. I’m very curious to see how this one goes. 

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10 things to look for at the 2026 French Open

 With the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros about to begin in Paris, it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here to check out the draws. Ok, let's dive in! 

#1. Will anyone challenge Jannik Sinner? Jannik Sinner comes in as the number one ranked player in the world and with Carlos Alcaraz out with a wrist injury (he'll miss Wimbledon as well), it's fair to wonder if anyone will really challenge Sinner. Sinner and Alcaraz are clearly the top two players in the world and so if one of them goes down, the other is going to be the heavy favorite. It'll be interesting to see who gives Sinner the biggest challenge in this year's event. There's certainly an opportunity for a lot of guys, but the question is, will anyone capitalize? 

#2. Can Elina Svitolina build on her title in Rome? At the Italian Open on the women's side, world No. 7 Elina Svitolina defeated No. 4 Coco Gauff in the final 6-4, 6-7, 6-2. Svitolina is coming into Roland Garros with a lot of momentum, but she's never won a grand slam before and the furthest she's gone at Roland Garros is the quarterfinals. She's reached the quarterfinals five times, so she's comfortable getting to that point, but reaching the semifinals is another story. It would be cool if Svitolina could at least make the semis. If she can do that, who knows? Maybe this will be there year she finally breaks through to win a slam. 

 #3. Can Casper Ruud build on his run to the final in Rome? One guy to keep an eye on is Casper Ruud, who is coming in ranked No. 16 in the world and the 15 seed. He made a run to the final at the Italian Open in Rome and fell to Sinner in straights sets 4-6, 4-6. Even though he lost, those were close sets. I look forward to seeing how much confidence Ruud takes from his performance in Rome. 

#4. Can Aryna Sabalenka win a French Open title? Coming in ranked No. 1 in the world on the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka is still eying her first French Open title. She got close last year, losing to Coco Gauff in the final 7-6, 2-6, 4-6. I feel like at some point, Sabalenka will break through to win at Roland Garros, but she still has to go out and do it. 

#5. Can Alexander Zverev make the most of this opportunity? If there was ever a time for Alexander Zverev to win a grand slam, this would be it. With Alcaraz out, Zverev is the number two seed in the tournament and he's done well on clay, reaching the final at Roland Garros in 2024. Zverev has to feel like he has a great opportunity in front of him, but time and time again, he finds a way to disappoint. Perhaps this year will be different. If he wants to finally break through and go all the way, odds are good he'll be facing Sinner in the final and there's also a good chance he'll have to defeat Novak Djokovic as well. All of this is to say even with Alcaraz out, Zverev still has his work cut out for him. 

#6. Can Coco Gauff defend her title? Coco Gauff is ranked No. 4 in the world and as I posted earlier, she won the French Open last year, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Being the defending champion puts more of a target on your back and more pressure. If Gauff is able to defend her crown, that will speak volumes about what kind of player she's become. We already know she's really good given she's won the French Open and US Open (2023), but if she actually wins a grand slam back-to-back years? That's the stuff legends of the game are known for having done.  

#7. Can Novak Djokovic go all the way? Given he's on the same half of the draw as Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic has to feel like he could get back to the final at Roland Garros. He's the number three seed and the number four ranked player in the world. If Djokovic is able to upset Zverev and reach the final, that would certainly make for an entertaining final assuming Sinner is waiting on the other side.

#8. Can Elena Rybakina win her second grand slam of the year? Elena Rybakina comes in ranked No. 2 in the world and as the defending Australian Open champion.  Hard court and clay are different surfaces, yes. But even so, Rybakina is still coming with a good deal of confidence having won the first grand slam of the year. The furthest Rybakina has gone at Roland Garros is the quarterfinals in 2021 and 2024, she did win Wimbledon back in 2022, so she's shown an ability to win a grand slam away from the hard courts. If she can somehow go the distance this year, all she'll need is the US Open to complete the career slam. 

#9. Can Ben Shelton or Felix Auger-Aliassime reach the quarterfinals?  Ben Shelton comes in as the No. 5 player in the world while Felix Auger-Aliassime comes in ranked No. 6. Both guys have reached the 4th round at Roland Garros before, but neither has been able to go beyond that point. On paper, they should reach the quarterfinals, but clay is always harder for some guys and it's the least predictable surface. If these guys aren't able to reach the quarterfinals, we could be looking at a very interesting quarterfinal draw. 

 #10. Can Iga Swiatek win a fifth Roland Garros? No. 3 Iga Swiatek is gunning for her fifth Roland Garros title after winning in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Make no mistake, the French Open is Iga Swiatek's best grand slam. She is yet to win the Australian Open and she hasn't won Wimbledon or the US Open more than once. Given her success on the clay, it would be foolish to rule out Swiatek. 

Prediction:  On the men's side, I have to go with Jannik Sinner. He's been the best in the world and with Carlos Alcaraz sidelined, it's really hard seeing anyone beat Sinner. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I have to roll with Sinner. As for the women's side, give me Iga Swiatek. She's won this event four times and I don't think she's done winning at Roland Garros. Even though she's No. 3 in the draw, she should be the No. 1 among all the favorites. 

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10 things to look for at Indian Wells

 

                                             (Credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun) 

With the BNP Paribas Open (a.k.a. Indian Wells Open) already underway in Palm Springs, California, I thought I would share 10 things to look for in what many people dub the "Fifth Grand Slam." This is an ATP & WTA 1000 event.  Click here to check out the draws. Ok, let's get after it! 

#1. Can Jannik Sinner win his first Indian Wells title? Jannik Sinner is still in search of his first title at Indian Wells. After reaching the semifinals in 2023 and 2024, he did not play the event in 2025. This time, he comes in as the No. 2 ranked player in the world with No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz on the opposite side of the draw. At some point, Sinner is bound to win an Indian Wells title. The only question is when. After not reaching the Australian Open final, he should feel a bit of extra motivation coming into this event. Perhaps that extra fuel will make the difference. 

#2. Can Aryna Sabalenka win her first Indian Wells title? World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is also in search of her first Indian Wells title. She's a two-time finalist, but so far has not been able to get over the hump in the final. Also like Sinner, she should be coming in with an extra chip on her shoulder after not winning the Australian Open. A title at Indian Wells would be a nice message for Sabalenka to send to the rest of the WTA Tour that she's still the top hard court player in the world. 

#3. How deep of a run can Daniil Medvedev make? Coming in as the No. 11 ranked player in the world, Daniil Medvedev has never won Indian Wells before and his lone grand slam title at the 2021 US Open with each passing year is further and further in the rear view mirror. At 30 years of age, on paper he's a guy that should still be in the mix to win grand slams and big time tournaments. If he could make a deep run at Indian Wells to the semis or final, that would be massive for him. Heck, even a run to the quarterfinals would be nice for him. If you want to talk about a dark horse on the men's side for this tournament, I think Medvedev is your guy. 

#4. Can Coco Gauff win her first Indian Wells title? In case you aren't already catching onto my theme here, world No. 4 Coco Gauff is another player in search of her first Indian Wells title. She reached the semifinals back in 2024, but that is the furthest she has gone.  It'll be fun to see how deep she goes and whether or not she can go the distance. If she does, that would be a huge boon for her heading into the spring. 

#5. Can Jack Draper defend his title? The defending champion on the men's side is world No. 15 Jack Draper, who defeated Holger Rune in the final 6-2, 6-2.  While the odds are stacked against him given the depth of the field, Draper should have some confidence given what happened last year. World No. 3 Novak Djokovic is projected to be waiting for him in the Round of 16. If Draper could somehow upset Djokovic, anything could happen going forward. 

#6. Can Mirra Andreeva defend her title? On the women's side, world No. 8 Mirra Andreeva is the defending champion, defeating Sabalenka in the final 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. Andreeva was 17 years old at the time and became the youngest champion at the event since 1999. Given she defeated Sabalenka in the final last year, she should be feeling confident going into this year's tournament. It'll be fun to see what kind of tennis Andreeva plays and how much she threatens do defend her crown. 

#7. Can Novak Djokovic break Roger Federer's record? On the men's side, world No. 3 Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer each have a record five titles at Indian Wells. If Djokovic could win a sixth, he'd be all alone in first place. Given how important of a tournament Indian Wells is, holding the record would mean a lot to Djokovic. As for when he won his five titles, Djokovic won in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2016. So, it's been a full decade since he won his last one. If Djokovic is able to get his sixth Indian Wells title 10 years later, what a headline that would be! 

#8. Can Elena Rybakina build on her Australian Open title to win at Indian Wells again? World No. 3 Elena Rybakina is coming in with some momentum having won the Australian Open earlier this year.  She also won Indian Wells back in 2023, defeating Sabalenka in the final 7-6, 6-4. She's won this tournament before and did so beating the best of the best. If Rybakina can find a way to win Indian Wells this year, she'll really be heading into the spring with a spring in her step. Pun intended! 

#9. Can Carlos Alcaraz build on his Australian Open title to win at Indian Wells? World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz won the Australian Open this year and also has two Indian Wells titles under his belt in 2023 and 2024. He should be feeling confident in his abilities to go the distance this year. What helps him out a bit is having Djokovic/Draper/Sinner on the other half the draw. The perks of being the top seed! In the Round of 16, Alcaraz should he advance would likely face No. 13 Casper Ruud, who he has a 5-1 record against.  Honestly, it will be a surprise if Alcaraz doesn't at least make the final. The draw really is pretty nice for him. 

#10. Can Iga Swiatek win a third Indian Wells title? World No. 2 Iga Swiatek is gunning for a third Indian Wells title.  She won it back in 2022 and 2024. Given her lone hard court grand slam title is at the 2022 US Open, it actually would be good for Swiatek to win this title if she has hopes of winning the US Open this year. Winning on hard court is still something she needs to get more comfortable doing, especially at the grand slam level. I'll be interested to see how she does in this event. 

Prediction: On the men's side, I'll roll with Novak Djokovic to come out on top. I think in three set matches, his stamina can hold up better and he'll have that extra motivation of surpassing Federer to win his sixth Indian Wells title. As for the women's side, I'll roll with Elena Rybakina. She just won the Australian Open and has won this event before. I think picking her to win the women's title is sound. 

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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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10 things to look for at the 2025 US Open

 

The US Open actually began on Sunday, so I'm a bit late to getting this up. Below are my 10 things to look for at the 2025 US Open in New York. Click here to check out the draws in case you haven't yet seen them. Ok, let's dive in! 

#1. How healthy is Jannik Sinner? No. 1 Jannik Sinner pulled out of the final in the Cincinnati Open due to an illness, handing the title to No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz. A lot of questions have swirled around about how healthy Sinner is and whether or not he'd even compete. Well, he's in the main draw and will give it a go. But will he stay healthy the entire tournament or could he be in for an early exit? The first couple rounds will tell us a lot. 

#2. Can Aryna Sabalenka defend her title? No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the defending champion with many picking her to defend her title. However, she did lose to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final earlier this year, unable to defend her title there. Sabalenka will be eager to not have that happen again and this time defend her crown. If she does, she'll be sending a message that she truly is the top hard court player in the game. 

#3. Does Novak Djokovic have one more slam in him? No. 7 Novak Djokovic has won 24 grand slams and is gunning for his 25th. He cruised to a 6-1, 7-6, 6-2 victory over Learner Tien in the first round, so he's off to a good start. The key for Djokovic will be to make sure he takes care of business in straight sets through the first four rounds. The less tennis he has to play, especially on the hard courts, the better. Djokovic has to make sure in these early rounds he doesn't get pushed. Otherwise, fatigue will certainly catch up with him in the later rounds. 

#4. Will Coco Gauff's coaching change pay off? No. 3 Coco Gauff fired her catch Matthew Daly just days before the US Open in a move that sent a bit of a shockwave through the tennis world. It's a bold move to make that only will look smart if she goes all the way. If she doesn't, it will look like a desperate move that should have at least waited until the end of the season. It certainly adds more pressure on Gauff to perform well at this tournament, but then again, maybe this will help her out mentally. Time will tell. 

#5. Can Carlos Alcaraz build on his win at Cincinnati? After winning the Cincinnati Open, Carlos Alcaraz comes into the US Open with a lot of momentum. But will it ultimately matter? If Sinner is not able to play to his full strength, one has to like Alcaraz's chances of winning it all. The only reason to pause is he hasn't won the US Open since 2022. It's a bit of a dry spell in New York that Alcaraz would love to end. 

#6. Can Iga Swiatek build on her win at Cincinnati? No. 2 Iga Swiatek defeated No. 7 Jasmine Paolini to win the Cincinnati Open. Just like Alcaraz, Swiatek is eager to build on the momentum she has coming into the tournament. Also like Alcaraz, she hasn't won the US Open since 2022. Will this be the year she wins it all again in New York? It should be interesting to see. 

#7. Can Alexander Zverev contend? No. 3 Alexander Zverev is still seeking his first grand slam title. He only reached the US Open final once in his career (2020), but he did reach the Australian Open final earlier this year. If Sinner is unable to go deep in the tournament, Zverev in theory should be the guy to take advantage as the number three guy in the world. But can he actually do it? That's the question. 

#8. Can Madison Keys threaten? After winning the Australian Open, No. 6 Madison Keys will look to wrap up the 2025 season how she started it: winning a hard court grand slam. Keys should have a lot more confidence in her US Open chances after the way she performed Down Under, but as a word of caution, she has only reached one US Open final in her career and that was back in 2017. If Keys does go the distance this year, that would be quite a story. 

#9. Can Taylor Fritz go the distance? If there's an American man to threaten to win it all this year, it would be No. 4 Taylor Fritz. Fritz reached the final last year and really fed off the American crowd. While not the same level of pressure that was on Andy Murray to win Wimbledon as a Brit, it has been 22 years since an American man won a grand slam (Andy Roddick, 2003 US Open). Fritz is the best chance the United States has to end that drought. It would be cool if he did. 

#10. Can Jessica Pegula go the distance? The number four seed on the women's side is also an American in Jessica Pegula. She reached the final last year just like Fritz did and is also in search of her first grand slam. It'll be interesting to see how she does and whether or not she can once again feed off the energy from the New York crowd. 

Prediction: I'm gonna pick both Cincinnati winners to win the US Open. I got Carlos Alcaraz winning on the men's side and Iga Swiatek winning on the women's side. They're both playing great tennis right now and seem eager to win a second US Open title. 

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10 things to take away from 2025 Wimbledon

 

                        (Jannik Sinner and Iga Świątek with their trophies. Credit: Getty Images) 

With 2025 Wimbledon now officially behind us, it is time for me to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were on the grass. Let's dive in! 

#1. Iga Swiatek can get it done on the grass: By winning Wimbledon, world No. 3 Iga Swiatek has now won a grand slam on every surface and only needs to win the Australian Open to complete the career grand slam.  She absolutely smoked Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final as Anisimova was nowhere near the level she was playing at going in. Some of that of course a credit to Swiatek. While she is still most dangerous on the clay with her four French Open titles, it's huge for Swiatek to show she can win grand slams on all surfaces. It makes her a much more dangerous opponent going forward. 

#2. Jannik Sinner proved he can go the distance on the grass: Just like Iga Swiatek, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner won his first Wimbledon title, showing that he can go all the way on the grass. Now he just needs a French Open title to complete the career slam, so unlike Swiatek, he is yet to win a grand slam title on all three surfaces of clay, hard court, and grass. For Sinner, what made this title extra special was he got revenge against world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz by beating him in the final 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 after narrowly losing to him in the French Open final. Given how close he came at the French Open, one has to think his time is coming on the clay. But regardless, winning Wimbledon is a big deal for Sinner. Hopefully the first of many for him. 

#3. Coco Gauff needs to figure out the grass: Coco Gauff had a 1st round exit at Wimbledon this year and has never gotten past the 4th round. While she is off to a great start to her career with her 2023 US Open title and 2025 French Open title earlier this year, it's clear that she has work to do on the grass. The odd thing is she reached the 4th round at Wimbledon back in 2019 in her first Wimbledon and first grand slam main draw. You would think she would have at least reached a Wimbledon quarterfinals by now, but she clearly has more work to do in order to make a deep run on the grass. 

#4. Carlos Alcaraz met his match against Jannik Sinner: Carlos Alcaraz came into Wimbledon having won back-to-back titles, gunning for a third straight title on the grass. He met his match against Jannik Sinner, going down in four sets. What's clear is that these two guys are forming a fantastic rivalry on the court and there really isn't a third guy who is consistently giving them a run for their money. It would be fun if a third guy could do that (hopefully Alexander Zverev), but if we have to live with watching more Sinner/Alcaraz battles for the next few years, I think that's okay. They really are a treat to watch. 

#5. Amanda Anisimova had a breakthrough tournament: Even though getting double bageled in the final against Iga Swiatek isn't what she wanted to have happen, Amanda Anisimova still can hold her head high knowing she reached her first grand slam final and at Wimbledon no less. She had a great tournament and at just 23 years of age, she has plenty of years ahead. It'll be fun to see how the rest of the season goes for her. 

#6. The end is nearing for Novak Djokovic: Novak Djokovic reached the semifinals, losing to Jannik Sinner in straight sets 3-6, 4-6, 4-6. The fact that a run to the semifinals is considered "running out of gas" so to speak just goes to show how freaking talented and amazing Djokovic is. That notwithstanding, it's fair to wonder if he'll ever win another grand slam and how much longer he wants to play if he knows he no longer can compete at the absolute highest level. 

#7. Aryna Sabalenka still in search of first non-hardcourt slam: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka came up short, losing in the semifinals to Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-4, 4-6. She has won the Australian Open two times and the US Open once, but she is still in search of her first non-hardcourt grand slam. The semifinals is the furthest she's gone at Wimbledon and the final (2025) is the furthest she's gone at the French Open. I have no doubt that Sabalenka will get there and win a grand slam on either grass or clay, but for now, it remains a goal for her to shoot for. 

#8. Taylor Fritz needs to find that next gear:  World No. 4 Taylor Fritz lost in the semifinals to Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-7. Fritz has reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, the 4th round at the French Open, the semifinals at Wimbledon, and the final at the US Open. He appears to be knocking on the door, but with Alcaraz and Sinner in front of him, he needs to figure out how to find that next gear. Can he do it? That's the question. 

#9. Emma Raducanu needs to get more out of her home court advantage: Despite being the darling of British women's tennis, Emma Raducanu is still yet to make a serious challenge at Wimbledon. She won the US Open back in 2021, making people think a Wimbledon title could be in her future. As of now, the furthest she's gone at Wimbledon is the 4th round and this year she exited in the 3rd round. Given she's a Brit, she has a great opportunity to get the home crowd behind her at Wimbledon, but she's gotta do her part to make some noise and give them something to cheer about. 

#10. Jack Draper needs to back up his ranking at grand slams: Ranked No. 5 in the world, Jack Draper has only one grand slam semifinal under his belt at the 2024 US Open. Matter of fact, it's the only grand slam semifinal he's reached in his career. This year, he reached the 4th round at the Australian Open and the French Open before losing in the 2nd round at Wimbledon despite being British. He's going to have lot of points to defend at the US Open and unless he can make another deep run in New York, he very well may see his ranking drop come September. 

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10 things to look for at 2025 Wimbledon

 

                       

Wimbledon starts this week, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here to check out the draws. Ok, let's get after it! 

#1. Can Aryna Sabalenka get it done on grass? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number one ranked player in the world on the ladies' side, but she is yet to win a grand slam away from hard court. She came close at the French Open, losing in the final to Coco Gauff, but no cigar. She has reached the semifinals at Wimbledon twice in 2021 and 2023. Will this be the year she finally wins away from the hard court? That's the question. 

#2. Can Jannik Sinner get it done on the grass? Just like Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner is ranked number one in the world without having a grand slam title away from hard court under his belt. Also like Sabalenka, Sinner came up short in the final at the French Open, though his loss was more heartbreaking given he was up 2-0 on Carlos Alcaraz. The parallels between Sinner and Sabalenka continue as the furthest Sinner has gone at Wimbledon is the semifinals in 2023. It'll be interesting to see if Sinner will have any better luck than Sabalenka or maybe both will break through on the grass. 

#3. Will Emma Raducanu make some noise in front of the home crowd? Ranked No. 38 in the world, it feels like a while ago since Emma Raducanu won the US Open in 2021. Given she is a British citizen, she should have the London crowd behind her. The furthest she's gone at Wimbledon is 4th round in 2021 and 2024. Perhaps this is the year she'll make a push to at least the quarterfinals. 

#4. How will Jack Draper do behind the home crowd? Jack Draper comes in as the No. 4 seed in the tournament with the weight of Great Britain behind him, hailing from London. Fortunately for him, he doesn't have the ghost of Fred Perry to worry about as Andy Murray put that demon to bed when he won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. Still, the Brits love to see their own do well at The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. Draper hasn't done well at Wimbledon, having not gotten past the second round. Hopefully for him, he'll fare much better this year. 

#5. Will Coco Gauff threaten? Despite all the success she has had, most recently winning the French Open, Coco Gauff remains stuck at Wimbledon, reaching the 4th round three times in her career but never beyond that. On paper, given she is the No. 2 seed, you'd think she'd be a heavy favorite. History suggests otherwise. Perhaps this will be the year she'll buck that trend for the better. 

#6. Will Carlos Alcaraz complete the three-peat? Carlos Alcaraz comes in as the number two ranked player in the world, yet he is the two-time defending champion at Wimbledon. Odds are on him to go the distance, but it's never easy to repeat, let alone three-peat at Wimbledon. If he's able to do that, he'll continue to put himself in rarified air. 

#7. Can Mirra Andreeva continue her momentum from Roland Garros? Mirra Andreeva is coming off a strong performance at Roland Garros, reaching the quarterfinals. She reached the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2024, so perhaps she's just far ahead on the clay. Still, at 18 years of age and ranked No. 7 in the world, there is a lot of interest in how she'll perform. 

#8. Can Alexander Zverev shake his Wimbledon struggles? Given he is ranked No. 3 in the world, never having gotten past the 4th round at Wimbledon I think is a failure for Alexander Zverev. There's no reason to think this year will be any different, but hope springs eternal, I suppose. 

#9. Can Naomi Osaka find her groove again? Ranked No. 56 in the world, it's been a while since Naomi Osaka has been relevant at a grand slam. She also has never won a grand slam away from the hard court, making it a long put for her to win Wimbledon. If she could reach the 4th round and build some momentum for the US Open, I think she'd take it. 

#10. How will Novak Djokovic perform? Novak Djokovic comes in as the No. 6 player in the world, having reached the semifinals at both grand slams this year. Djokovic loves Wimbledon, having won it seven times. This might be his best opportunity to win a slam this year. Especially since Sinner and Alcaraz both emptied the tank in the French Open final. 

Prediction: On the gentlemen's side, I have to roll with Carlos Alcaraz. It's his tournament to lose. As for the ladies' side, I'm going to say Aryna Sabalenka breaks through to win her first Wimbledon title. 

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10 things to take away from the 2025 French Open

                                   
                                       (Credit: rolandgarros.com) 

Before I shift my focus to Wimbledon and grass court tennis, I would like to take a look back on the two amazing weeks that were at the 2025 French Open on the grounds of Roland Garros. Okay, let's dive in! 

#1. Carlos Alcaraz is the top clay player in the world: Carlos Alcaraz won his fifth grand slam and second straight French Open, defeating Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller in the final: 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6. Alcaraz had to dig deep to come out on top, but he proved that he is the top clay player in the world on the men's side by defending his title. In order to prove you're the best on a surface, I kinda think you need to at least win back-to-back titles and Alcaraz has now done that at the French Open. 

#2. Coco Gauff finally cracks the code on clay: Coco Gauff has been knocking on the door to win her first French Open and she finally did it, defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 in the final. She reached the final in 2022 and lost in the semifinals in 2023, so she's been close. At just 21 years of age, she has plenty of tennis in front of her, which means this is likely the first of many French Open titles. What really made the difference against Sabalenka was her patience and ability to extend rallies. She's the better clay court player and in the end, that made the difference despite Sabalenka being the better all-around player. 

#3. Jannik Sinner still searching for his first slam away from hard court: Jannik Sinner had a heartbreaking French Open. He was up 2-0 on Carlos Alcaraz only to drop the next three sets. He also had three championship points, but failed to close it out. Sinner is still in search of his first grand slam title away from the hard courts after blowing this opportunity. He can't let this loss sting for too long with Wimbledon right around the corner. 

#4. Aryna Sabalenka has more work to do on the clay: As I mentioned above, Aryna Sabalenka failed to win the French Open in large part because Coco Gauff proved to be the better clay court player. Just like Sinner, Sabalenka is still in search of her first grand slam away from the hard courts. In order to truly be an all-time great, you have to win on the other surfaces. It'll be interesting to see how she does on the grass courts of Wimbledon. 

#5. Lorenzo Musetti is knocking on the door: At just 23 years of age, Lorenzo Musetti reached his first French Open semifinal, losing to Carlos Alcaraz. Musetti also reached the semifinals at Wimbledon last year, so he's knocking on that door to reach a grand slam final. The question is can he take it up a notch and get over the top? Wimbledon will be interesting for sure. 

#6. Iga Świątek is mortal on the clay: Iga Świątek came into Roland Garros having won four straight French Open titles. She was my pick to win it all and yet she ended up coming up short in the semifinals against Sabalenka, losing 6-7, 6-4, 0-6. If you are Swiatek, you are obviously hoping to come back stronger next year and go the distance. I'm sure she has more French Open titles in her future, but this year, she showed the rest of the WTA tour that she can be beaten. 

#7. Rafael Nadal is forever etched in history: Rafael Nadal was honored with a commemorative plaque with his footprint and number of French Open titles (14) on it that is on Court Philippe-Chatrier. It was a great way to begin the two weeks in Paris. Nadal has meant so much to the sport and especially Roland Garros. It is only fitting that he will permanently have his mark left on the clay. 

#8. Jasmine Paolini ran out of gas: Jasmine Paolini came into Roland Garros with high hopes having won the Italian Open. Unfortunately for her, she went out in the 4th round, unable to make it back to the final where she was last year. I still like Paolini's odds of winning Roland Garros in the next couple of years, but she showed that it's no easy task to win in Rome and then in Paris. 

#9. Novak Djokovic is still determined to win more slams: While he came up short against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, Novak Djokovic showed that he is still very much motivated to win grand slam titles, currently eying No. 25. Personally, I think Djokovic has the ability to win a couple more slams before it's all said and done. He has the will and the motivation. You can never count him out. 

#10. Lois Boisson took advantage of being at home: 22 year old Lois Boisson had an impressive run to the semifinals, falling to Coco Gauff 1-6, 2-6. She played well all the way until her final match against Gauff, taking advantage of having the home country crowd behind her. What made this all the more impressive was this was her grand slam debut. It'll be fun to see how the rest of her 2025 season goes and whether or not she can climb even further up the rankings. She started the tournament ranked No. 361 in the world and finished ranked No. 65. That's quite a jump! 

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Coco Gauff finally goes the distance at Roland Garros

                                              (Credit: Thibuad Moritz/AFP via Getty Images) 

In the women's singles final (2) Coco Gauff defeated (1) Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to win the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros. It is Gauff's second career grand slam title and first French Open title. Gauff's first grand slam title came at the 2023 US Open in which she also defeated Sabalenka in three sets: 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. 

At just 21 years of age, Gauff is one of the best all-around players in the game. A lot of American players her age struggle away from the hard courts, but due to spending a lot of time on the clay growing up, Gauff is perhaps even better and more comfortable on the clay. What really allowed her to beat Sabalenka was her patience and ability to let Sabalenka be the one to make mistakes. Sabalenka had 70 unforced errors during the match to Gauff's 30. Of the 119 points she won, 58.8% were due to those unforced errors by Sabalenka. That is a crazy stat.

Even though she grew up playing a lot of clay tournaments, Gauff still had to pay her dues to win her first French Open. In 2019, she didn't get out of the qualifying rounds. In 2020, she lost in the second round. In 2021, she reached the quarterfinals. In 2022, she reached the final, making it seem like a French Open title was imminent. But then in 2023, she lost in the quarterfinals and then in 2024 she lost in the semifinals. We all knew she was knocking on the door, but there were still questions about when she would break through on the dirt. Make no mistake, Gauff has worked extremely hard to improve her clay court tennis and she finally got rewarded by winning it all this year. 

In some respects, the final was a microcosm of what Gauff's Roland Garros journey has been like. She could have thrown in the towel after dropping that first set, but instead she kept on fighting and believing. She trusted the process and her approach to the game without wavering. Such an approach is especially beneficial on clay. If she keeps playing like this, I definitely see more French Open titles in her future. 

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Top 5 contenders entering second week of 2025 Roland Garros: Women's singles

 

                                             (Aryna Sabalenka. Credit: Getty Images) 

The second week of the French Open at Roland Garros is about to get started and there are 16 women left in the draw. Click here to check out the draw if you haven't already done so. Below is my list of top five contenders left on the women's side. Click here to check out who I got on the men's side. Okay, away we go! 

#1. Iga Świątek (Poland): Iga Świątek is the No. 5 seed in the tournament, but she's still number one on my list of contenders. She's a four-time champion at Roland Garros, having won three straight titles. She hasn't dropped a set all tournament and is really on cruise control through three rounds. It will get tougher for her starting with her fourth round match against No. 12 Elena Rybakina, but so long as she's still in the tournament, Swiatek has to be my favorite to win it all on the women's side. 

#2. Jasmine Paolini (Italy): Jasmine Paolini is the No. 4 seed in the tournament, but she's number two on my list of contenders. She reached the final at Roland Garros last year and is coming in with a lot of momentum having won the Italian Open in Rome. If Swiatek is going to go down to anybody, Paolini in the quarterfinals would be my bet. It's a shame they couldn't at least meet in the semifinals, but the draws go off the rankings and this is what we got. 

#3. Coco Gauff (United States): Coco Gauff is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and has proven herself to be a dangerous clay court player. She reached the final in 2022 at Roland Garros and during this clay season, she reached the final in Madrid and Rome. She's got a pretty favorable draw to reach the final and if she gets there, she should feel confident in her abilities to win it all. 

#4. Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus): Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the No. 1 seed, but given she's never won the French Open before, I have to have her lower on my list. She reached the semifinals back in 2023, so she's shown she can compete on the clay, but a lot of great hard court players have maxed out at that point. One thing that does help Sabalenka is her draw is pretty favorable. Her fourth round match is against No. 16 Amanda Anisimova and then her projected quarterfinal match would be against No. 8 Qinwen Zheng. Sabalenka should feel really confident in her abilities to reach the semifinals. But can she go beyond that? That's the question. 

#5. Mirra Andreeva (Russia): No. 6 Mirra Andreeva rounds out my list. She just turned 18, so she's got plenty of tennis ahead of her. Still, she's showing no signs of wanting to delay success. She reached the semifinals at Roland Garros last year and so far hasn't dropped a set this tournament. A lot of people feel she can go the distance. If she does, given her youth, that would be quite a story. 

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10 things to look for at the 2025 French Open

 

 

The French Open at Roland Garros in Paris is set to begin this upcoming week, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here for the draws in case you haven't gotten a chance to look at that and do feel free to scroll through the blog for some recent content that is French Open related. Okay, let's dive in! 

#1. Can Jannik Sinner build on his Italian Open success? While he came up short in the final to Carlos Alcaraz, world number one Jannik Sinner did reach his first career final at the Italian Open earlier this month. That should give Sinner a lot of confidence as he is set to begin his quest for a French Open title. If Sinner does win the French Open, I think we'll be able to look back on his performance in Rome as a catalyst. 

#2. Can Coco Gauff go the distance for the first time? Coco Gauff comes in as the number two seed in the women's draw and has been knocking on the door at Roland Garros. She reached the final back in 2022 and reached the semifinals last year. Earlier this month, she reached the final of the Italian Open, so she's continuing to be a major threat on the dirt. At some point, she'll win a French Open. It's just matter of her having that breakthrough tourney. Will this be the year? That's the question. 

#3. Can Carlos Alcaraz defend his title? Carlos Alcaraz comes in as the number two seed and defending champion on the men's side. He won the Monte-Carlo Masters and Italian Open, so he's coming into Roland Garros with a ton of momentum. He's the favorite to win the French Open, but this time he has to deal with the pressure that comes with being the defending champion. It'll be fun to see how he handles that extra pressure. 

#4. Can Iga Świątek overcome her seed to defend her crown? Iga Świątek comes in as the number five seed in the tournament while also having won three straight French Opens and four overall. If you look at her success at Roland Garros, Swiatek is the clear favorite. When you look at her seed and consider the fact that she lost in the 3rd round at the Italian Open, there is room for some doubt. Personally, I think she'll be motivated to prove that she's still the best clay court player in the world. The fact that she'll have a bit of a chip on her shoulder could make her even more dangerous. 

#5. Can Aryna Sabalenka win a grand slam away from the hard courts? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number one seed and top player in the world on the women's side. However, she's never won a French Open or Wimbledon. The furthest she's gone at the French Open is the semifinals in 2023. At some point, she needs to prove she can win a grand slam on other surfaces after being a dominant force on the hard courts. She did win the Madrid Open on clay earlier this year, so that should give her some confidence to have her breakthrough moment at Roland Garros. 

#6. Can Novak Djokovic pull a rabbit out of his hat? Even though he's the number six seed, Novak Djokovic had a rough clay season, losing in the second round in both Madrid and Monte-Carlo while skipping Rome. If Djokovic is able to reach the semifinals, that would be phenomenal given his recent results. I wouldn't bet on it, but at the same time, you can never count the Joker out. He's always a threat. 

#7. Can Jasmine Paolini build on her Italian Open title to win Roland Garros? Jasmine Paolini comes in as the number four seed, fresh off a title at the Italian Open. Paolini reached the final at Roland Garros last year and should be feeling confident in her ability to go the distance this year. She's got a lot of momentum and is playing excellent tennis at the moment. 

#8. Can Alexander Zverev make a serious run? Alexander Zverev comes in as the number three seed and reached the final last year. However, he went out in the second round at Monte-Carlo, the fourth round at Madrid, and the quarterfinals at the Italian Open. I guess he's making progress and picking up a bit of steam, so maybe he'll make some more noise than I think. It certainly will be interesting to see how he does after having a lukewarm clay season coming in. 

#9. Can Jessica Pegula make some noise? Jessica Pegula comes in as the number three seed, so on paper she should be a favorite to reach the semifinals. That being said, she only has one quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros back in 2022 and she didn't play Roland Garros last year. I'd say odds are well above 50% that she exits in somewhere between the first and fourth round, especially after she had back-to-back third round exits in Madrid and Rome (Italian Open). But hey, maybe she'll surprise me. 

#10. What will happen to Casper Ruud? Casper Ruud comes in as the number seven seed with clay results kind of all over the map. He reached the semifinals at Roland Garros last year and then this year, he lost in the 3rd round at Monte-Carlo, lost in the quarterfinals in Rome, and then won it all in Madrid. I could buy any number of results from Ruud at this year's French Open. I'll be very interested to see where the chips fall for him. 

Prediction: On the men's side, I got Carlos Alcaraz going the distance. He's playing the best clay tennis of anyone and comes in with a lot of momentum having won the Italian Open and Monte-Carlo Masters. I fully expect him to defend his title. As for the women's side, even though she's had a down clay court season and is seeded where she is, I still gotta pick Iga Swiatek to pull through and defend her crown. She's been the best clay player in the women's game these past few years and deserves to be treated as the favorite given her overall body of work. 

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10 things to look for at 2025 BNP Paribas Open | Indian Wells

 

                                             (Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images) 

The 2025 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California is underway. I would like to provide my list of 10 things to look for at this year's event, which is often dubbed the 5th grand slam. To check out the draws, click here. 

#1. Can Taylor Fritz bounce back from his disappointing Australian Open? Taylor Fritz comes in as the No. 3 seed and No. 4 player in the world on the men's side. He did not have a particularly strong Australian Open as he went down in the 3rd round, meaning he needs to bounce back and not let that result linger. The good news for Fritz is he's won Indian Wells before back in 2022 and being from Southern California, he basically has home court advantage. If there's an event for Fritz to bounce back at, this is the one. How he does could be very telling for how the rest of his 2025 season will go. 

#2. Can Aryna Sabalenka win her first Indian Wells title and reestablish hard court dominance? Aryna Sabalenka comes in ranked No. 1 in the world and the top hard court player in the women's game. In this year's Australian Open, Sabalenka fell to Madison Keys in the final, unable to win her third straight Australian Open title and third straight hard court grand slam. Sabalenka seems fired up to win this event and remind the WTA tour that she's the best on the hard court surface. She also hasn't won this event before, reaching the final in 2023 where she lost to Elena Rybakina. So that's probably a big source of her motivation for winning. It'll be fun to see if she can go the distance. 

#3. Can Novak Djokovic prove he's still got it? I think there are some questions about whether or not Novak Djokovic still has what it takes to win more grand slams. Personally, I think he does, but it would be huge for him to win at Indian Wells just to give himself some momentum after losing in the semifinals at the Australian Open earlier this year. Djokovic has won Indian Wells five times, so he knows what it takes to win it. But, he hasn't won since 2016. It would be pretty cool if he won a sixth Indian Wells title. That would break the tie he has with Roger Federer, who also won five Indian Wells titles (tied for most all-time). 

#4. Can Madison Keys build on her Australian Open success? Madison Keys won her first grand slam at the Australian Open earlier this year, knocking off Aryna Sabalenka. It'll be interesting to see how Keys does at Indian Wells. She comes in as the No. 5 seed and thus should be in the mix to win the tournament. That said, she has never won this tournament nor has she reached the final. If she were to win this, that would really be sending a message to the rest of the WTA. 

#5. Can Ben Shelton make a run? Ben Shelton is coming into this tournament with some momentum having reached the semifinals at the Australian Open earlier this year. That was his second grand slam semifinal appearance (2023 US Open). He's the No. 11 seed in the tournament and shown an ability to get hot on the hard courts. If you want to talk a dark horse in this tournament to at least make a semifinal run, Shelton is absolutely a guy who could challenge. I look forward to seeing how this tournament goes for him. 

#6. Can Coco Gauff win her first Indian Wells title? Coco Gauff comes in as the No. 3 seed and thus a favorite to at least reach the semifinals. She lost in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open this year, which was a bit disappointing for her since she's trying to win multiple grand slams after winning her first grand slam at the 2023 US Open. She's won a couple of WTA 1000 titles, but an Indian Wells title still eludes her. She did reach the semifinals last year, so she's certainly knocking on the door. Perhaps this will be the year she breaks through. 

#7. Will Alexander Zverev back up his seed? Alexander Zverev is the No. 2 ranked player in the world, but with Jannik Sinner serving a suspension for doping, Zverev is the No. 1 seed in the tournament. The question is will it matter? The furthest Zverev has gone at Indian Wells is the quarterfinals last year. Perhaps this will be the year that finally changes. If he could win this tournament, that would be a huge boost to his confidence heading into Miami where he reached the final back in 2022. 

#8. Can Paula Badosa win her second Indian Wells title? Paula Badosa comes in as the No. 11 seed, fresh off a run to the semifinals of the Australian Open. She also won this event back in 2021, so she knows what it takes to win it all. If you want to pick a dark horse on the women's side, Paula Badosa would be a pretty good pick. Don't be surprised if she threatens to win it all this year. 

#9. Will we get another Alcaraz/Medvedev final? Carlos Alcaraz comes in as the No. 2 seed, ranked No. 3 in the world while Daniil Medvedev comes in as the No. 5 seed, ranked No. 6 in the world. The last two years, they've met in the final with Alcaraz getting the better of Medvedev. A big question coming into this year's tournament is will we see another Alcaraz/Medvedev final? They're both on opposite sides of the draw, so it's totally possible. If we do, will Alcaraz win his third straight Indian Wells title or will Medvedev break through? If not, who will knock these guys off? 

#10. Can Iga Świątek defend her title? Iga Świątek comes in as the No. 2 seed on the women's side, ranked No. 2 in the world. She's the defending champion at this event and has won it twice, so she knows how to get it done. If she does reach the final, odds are good Aryna Sabalenka will be there. All I can say is what a fun match that would be! If Świątek is to defend her title, she's certainly going to have to earn it. This won't be an easy draw. It never is at Indian Wells. 

Prediction: I'm going to say Alexander Zverev breaks through to win his first Indian Wells title on the men's side. If he doesn't win it this year, he probably never will. As for the women's side, I'm gonna roll with Coco Gauff. I expect her to play well and feed off the energy that will come with being the top ranked American. I look forward to seeing how the tournament goes and who ends up winning it all. 

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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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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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