10 things to look for at the 2026 US Open

With the 2026 US Open already underway, it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here for the men's draw and click here for the women's draw. Ok, let's dive in!  

#1.  Can Aryna Sabalenka complete a three-peat? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number one player in the world in the women's draw, gunning for her third straight US Open title. A three-peat is not an easy feat at any grand slam. Especially one as grueling as the US Open. She's certainly the odds on favorite and should be feeling good about her chances. Especially since hard court is her best surface. 

#2. Can Carlos Alcaraz win his third US Open? Back from injury, number two seed Carlos Alcaraz is looking to win his third US Open and in the process defend his title. Given he was absent from the French Open and Wimbledon this year due to a wrist injury, it feels like it's been a while since we saw him compete. It's hard to know how well he'll be able to play in New York. Assuming he's feeling great, I don't see why we should pick against him. He won the Australian Open earlier this year and is the defending US Open champion. Hard court is his jam. On top of that, Jannik Sinner is not playing due to injury. 

#3. Can Elena Rybakina win her second hard court grand slam? Elena Rybakina comes in as the number two seed, having won the Australian Open earlier this year. She won Wimbledon back in 2022, so she's going for her third grand slam title overall and second on the hard courts. She came up short in Cincinnati in her most recent hard court tournament, losing to Iga Swiatek 4-1 via walkover in the quarterfinals, so it's hard to know how big of a worry that should be. Regardless, Rybakina absolutely should be seen as a serious contender given how things went for her at the Australian Open. 

#4. Can Felix Auger-Aliassime reach his first grand slam semifinal? Felix Auger-Aliassime comes in as the number three seed and yet he's never reached the semifinal of a grand slam. He has a chance to change that this year given he has a top four seed. On paper, he should be a semifinalist this year due to Sinner being out and Novak Djokovic getting eliminated in the first round, but every year he runs out of steam in the quarterfinals. Will this be the year he finally breaks through? It will be fun to find out. 

#5. Can Marta Kostyuk build on her French Open and Wimbledon success? Marta Kostyuk comes in as the No. 11 seed after reaching the semifinals at the French Open and Wimbledon. She's had a fantastic summer and should look to build on that at the US Open. Last year, she reached the 4th round at the US Open, so she's shown she can compete at this event and now that she's been to back-to-back grand slam semifinals, she should be feeling confident. I'm excited to see what she does. 

#6.  Can Alexander Zverev take advantage of Jannik Sinner's absence? Alexander Zverev is the number one seed on the men's side as a result of Jannik Sinner being out. With Alcaraz potentially rusty due to missing the last two grand slams, and Djokovic losing in the first round, the stars really could be aligning for Zverev to win his first US Open and second grand slam (2026 French Open). The US Open historically has more withdrawals given how beaten up guys tend to be at this time of the season. If there's a guy who should be looking to pounce on this chance, it's definitely Zverev. 

#7. Can Naomi Osaka build on her strong Wimbledon? Naomi Osaka comes in as the No. 13 seed in the tournament, having reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon earlier this summer. Osaka certainly seems to be finding her groove again and she has won the US Open and Australian Open twice, making hard court her best surface. If she could make a deep run, that would be awesome for the sport. Especially given how much the New York crowd likes her. 

#8. Can Alex de Minaur reach his first grand slam semifinal?  Just like Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur keeps hitting a wall in the quarterfinals of a grand slam. As I've mentioned, with Djokovic eliminated and Sinner out due to injury, someone has to take advantage of the waters parting. Alex de Minaur is a guy who absolutely has a chance to be one of those guys. He's the No. 6 seed and has plenty of grand slam experience. He just has to go out and make the most of this opportunity. 

#9. Can Linda Noskova build on her Wimbledon title? Linda Noskova is the No. 6 seed and is coming off an amazing two weeks at Wimbledon in which she went the distance to win her first grand slam. Winning on grass and hard court are different animals and it's always tough to follow up your first grand slam with a second grand slam in the next slam. Especially when you factor in a surface change. Still, Noskova has to take a lot of confidence from what she did at Wimbledon. I look forward to seeing how she does in New York. 

#10. Can Taylor Fritz break through to win his grand slam? Taylor Fritz is the No. 9 seed and the top ranked American man. The New York crowd will certainly be cheering him on. He reached the final back in 2024, so he's shown an ability to find success at the US Open. The last American man to win a grand slam was Andy Roddick in 2003 at the US Open.  Fritz has a chance to break that spell. Especially with the way the draw has been shaking out. If he could go the distance, that would be awesome for American tennis. 

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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 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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Eight takeaways from the 2025 China Open

 

                                                       (Credit: ChinaOpen.com) 

Earlier this month, the China Open (中国网球公开赛) in Beijing (北京) concluded. World No. 2 Jannik Sinner won the men's singles title, defeating Learner Tien in the final 6-2, 6-2. World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova won the women's singles title, defeating Linda Noskova in the final 6-0, 2-6, 6-2. It is an ATP 500 event and a WTA 1000 event, so it is more important on the women's side than on the men's side. Given the number eight (八) is a lucky number in Chinese culture, I thought it would be fun to take a look at eight takeaways from the event. Ok, let's get after it. 我们开始吧! 

#1. Jannik Sinner can be pushed, but he'll find another gear: Jannik Sinner had a strong tournament overall given that he won the event. That said, he was taken to three sets a couple of times. In the second round, Sinner defeated qualifier Térence Atmane 6-4, 5-7, 6-0 and then in the semifinals, Sinner defeated world No. 7 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. If you are the rest of the ATP Tour looking for a glimmer of hope, you should be encouraged to see a couple of different guys, especially a qualifier take a set off Sinner. At the same time, you have to be pretty discouraged to see him respond emphatically in the third set, not allowing either Atmane or de Minaur to have much life. This tournament was another reminder that as of now, only Carlos Alcaraz is capable of beating Sinner when he's playing at his best. 

#2. Amanda Anisimova can hang with the best in the world: Amanda Anisimova came out on top while also having world No. 3 Coco Gauff and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the field. Anisimova crushed Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals while also defeating world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Anisimova should take a lot of confidence from this tournament, especially after reaching the US Open final last month. It'll be interesting to see how the reset of the Asian swing goes for Anisimova with the Australian Open capping it all off in January. 

#3. Alexander Zverev continues to disappoint: Alexander Zverev is ranked No. 3 in the world and came into the tournament as the number two seed. Despite that, he flamed out in the quarterfinals, losing in straight sets to world No. 18 Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 3-6. I know this wasn't a grand slam event, but after the way he flamed out in the 3rd round of the US Open this year, it sure seems like Zverev is trending in the wrong direction. If he wants to find success at the Australian Open next year, he better pick things up during the Asian swing of the season. 

#4. Zheng Qinwen needs to rest her elbow: Hubei native and world No. 10 Zheng Qinwen wanted to give it a go as China's top ranked player, but her elbow ended up doing her in as she retired in the third set against Linda Noskova 4-6, 6-3, 0-3. 

"I know already in the second set I couldn't push more," Zheng said after the match. "Maybe I can play the first set, but to arrive at the third set is too much for my elbow. I believe with time it is going to be better." 

It was a disappointing result for Zheng, but given her injury, she shouldn't feel bad about not being able to finish. This really should be a reminder to her that she needs to give her elbow more time to heal and not force anything. The last thing she wants to have happen is for his to linger into the Australian Open. 

#5. Learner Tien balled out: Even though he came up short, Learner Tien had a fantastic tournament, defeating world No. 9 Lorenzo Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 3-0, ret. in the quarterfinals and then Medvedev 5-7, 7-5, 4-0 ret. in the semifinals. Tien is currently ranked No. 36 in the world and just on the cusp of being a seeded player at a grand slam. The highest he's ever been ranked. If can keep up this level of tennis down the stretch of the season, he should be well positioned to get a top 32 seed at the Australian Open. 

#6. Jessica Pegula found a nice groove: World No. 6 Jessica Pegula had a nice tournament, reaching the semifinals before falling to Noskova 3-6, 6-1, 6-7. Pegula was really close to winning this tournament and should be feeling confident with how she is playing. She's never gotten past the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, but with how she's playing, she has to feel confident that in 2026, that trend could change for the better. 

#7. Alex de Minaur should be feeling good: Currently ranked No. 7 in the world, Alex de Minaur on the whole should be feeling good about how the tournament went for him. He pushed Sinner to a third set in the semifinals and also pulled out a gritty 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 victory over lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech in the second round. Given he's an Aussie, he's going to have home court advantage at the Australian Open in January. If he can keep building momentum, maybe he makes a deep run at his home country's grand slam. He reached the quarterfinals last year. 

#8. Naomi Osaka needs to build her stamina back up: Ranked No. 14 in the world, Naomi Osaka is returning to her old form as she reached the semifinals of the US Open last month. However, she had a bit of a setback in Beijing as she lost in the second round to qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 4-6, 2-6. As she continues to get back to her old self, Osaka is going to need to build up that consistency again. I'm confident that she'll get there, but this tournament was a reminder that she has more work to do. 

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10 takeaways from the 2025 US Open

 

               (Carlos Alcaraz & Aryna Sabalenka with their trophies. Credit: WTA Photo) 

The 2025 US Open is now in the rearview mirror, which means it is time for me to write my 10 takeaways from the two weeks that were in New York City. Alrighty, let's dive in! 

#1. Carlos Alcaraz re-established himself as No. 1: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in the final 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. The two of them are the clear top two players in the world, jockeying for position. By winning the US Open, Alcaraz reclaimed the number one spot in the world. Alcaraz hadn't won the US Open since 2022, so it was huge for him to get back in the winner's circle at this event. On the year, they are 2-2 against each other in grand slam finals. Alcaraz also winning the French Open while Sinner won the Australian Open and Wimbledon. It'll be interesting to see which one of those two will end the year ranked number one. For now, Alcaraz has the inside track. 

#2. Aryna Sabalenka re-establishes herself as No. 1: Aryna Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova in the final 6-3, 7-6. As a result, Sabalenka has a strong grip on the world number one spot having won Wimbledon earlier this year. Sabalenka has been the top hard court player in the world and this year's US Open reaffirmed that. She was fantastic all tournament long only dropping one set against Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. It'll be fun to see if Sabalenka can go the distance at the Australian Open. While she's won the Australian Open and US Open in the same year before, he's never followed a US Open win with an Australian Open title. So that's something for her to shoot for. 

#3. Sinner and Alcaraz are the clear top two players in the world: As I mentioned, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner went 2-2 against each other in grand slam finals this year. While they are going back and forth between who has the world number one ranking, one thing that is clear is that they are the top two players in the world. They're getting very little challenge from the rest of the tour. Given how young they are (Alcaraz 22 years old; Sinner 24 years old), it's hard to see that changing any time soon. 

#4. Amanda Anisimova is knocking on the door: Amanda Anisimova followed up her run to the Wimbledon final with a run to the US Open final. At just 24 years of age, her time certainly seems to be coming. She had a great tournament in New York and as a result is now ranked No. 4 in the world. It'll be fun to see how the rest of the season goes for her and whether or not she'll be able to break through to win her first grand slam in 2026. 

#5. Felix Auger-Aliassime continues to have US Open success: Felix Auger-Aliassime had a strong US Open, reaching the semifinals for the second time of his career (2021). Auger-Aliassime hasn't reached the semifinals at any other grand slam before, so the US Open really is his best tournament. I guess the combination of hard court and proximity to Canada gives him an advantage. He started out the tournament seeded No. 25 and is now ranked No. 13 in the world. It'll be fun to see if he can make some noise at the Australian Open and build on the success he had in New York. 

#6. Naomi Osaka had a renaissance: Naomi Osaka had a fantastic tournament, reaching the semifinals where she lost to Amanda Anisimova 7-6, 6-7, 3-6. It was her first trip to the semifinals of a grand slam since winning the Australian Open in 2021. This was truly a renaissance tournament for Osaka as she played the best she's played in a good while. At 27 years of age, Osaka still has plenty of tennis ahead of her. It'll be fun to see if this strong US Open performance will propel her to a strong 2026 season. 

#7. Novak Djokovic is still elite, but no longer on top: Novak Djokovic fell to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals 4-6, 6-7, 2-6. Ranked No. 4 in the world, Djokovic is still an elite player, but as I wrote above, it's clear that Alcaraz and Sinner are the clear number two guys. Djokovic at this point is playing for the love of the game. How long will that last given the demands of playing on tour? That's a question only he can answer, but I for one hope he plays at least a couple more seasons. 

#8. Jessica Pegula keeps knocking on the door: Jessica Pegula had a nice run to the semifinals, falling to Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 3-6, 4-6. This was the second trip to the semifinals that Pegula has had at the US Open, reaching the final in 2024. Pegula hasn't reached the semifinals at any other grand slam, but the US Open is where she plays her best tennis. Whether or not she can put it together at other grand slams remains to be seen, but the US Open she clearly has developed a lot of comfort at. 

#9. Taylor Fritz was unable to get back to the final: After reaching the final in 2024, Taylor Fritz was unable to get back to the final in 2025. Fritz fell to Novak Djokovic in four sets in the quarterfinals: 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 4-6. Given he's the top ranked American man, now No. 5 in the world, it's a bummer for Fritz that he couldn't make a deeper run. Hopefully for him, he'll be able to make more noise next year and also do more to knock Sinner and Alcaraz off their perch. If he can't do it, it's fair to wonder who can. 

#10. Iga Swiatek was unable to win a second US Open: Iga Swiatek fell to Amanda Anisimova in the quarterfinals 4-6, 3-6, failing to win her second US Open title after winning it in 2022.  Clay has been her best surface by far with four French Open titles and then she finally broke through on grass this year at Wimbledon. At just 24 years of age, she's got plenty of time to win more US Opens and complete the career grand slam with an Australian Open title still needed. It'll be interesting to see if she can get more consistent on the hard court. If she does, given her clay abilities, she's got a chance to really dominate the WTA Tour. 

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Which 20+ seed has the best chance to make noise in the second week of the US Open?

 

                                             Felix Auger-Aliassime. Credit: USOpen.org 

With the 4th round of the US Open about to get started, several players seeded in the 20s or higher are still in the mix: 

On the men's side, (23) Alexander Bublik is set to face (1) Jannik Sinner after a Saturday night 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 victory over (14) Tommy Paul; (25) Felix Auger-Aliassime is set to face (15) Andrey Rublev after stunning (3) Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4; unseeded Leandro Riedi ranked (No. 435 in the world) is set to face (8) Alex de Minaur after defeating Kamil Majchrzak 5-3, ret; Jaume Munar is set to face (10) Lorenzo Musetti after defeating Zizou Bergs 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; (21) Tomas Machac is set to face (4) Taylor Fritz after defeating Ugo Blanchett 7-5, 6-3, 6-1; Jan-Lennard Struff is set to face (7) Novak Djokovic after defeating (17) Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-3, 7-6; Adrian Mannarino is set to face (20) Jiri Lehecka after defeating Raphael Collignon 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Lehecka will face Mannarino after defeating (6) Ben Shelton 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, ret; and Arthur Rinderknech will face (2) Carlos Alcaraz after defeating Benjamin Bonzi 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. 

As for the women's side, Cristina Bucsa is set to face (1) Aryna Sabalenka after defeating (19) Elise Mertens 3-6, 7-5, 6-3; Marketa Vondrousova is set to face (9) Elena Rybakina after knocking off (7) Jasmine Paolini 7-6, 6-1; Ann Li is set to face (4) Jessica Pegula after defeating Priscilla Hon 7-5, 6-3; Barbora Krejcikova is set to face Taylor Townsend after defeating (10) Emma Navarro 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Townsend upset (5) Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-2; (27) Marta Kostyuk will face (11) Karolina Muchova after defeating Diane Parry 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; and (23) Naomi Osaka will face (3) Coco Gauff after defeating (15) Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. 

Just to condense it down for you a bit, that's (23) Alexander Bublik, Jaume Munar, (25) Felix Auger-Aliassime, Leandro Riedi, Jan-Lennard Struff, Adrian Mannarino, (21) Tomas Machac, (20) Jiri Lehecka, and Arthur Rinderknech left on the men's side; Cristina Bucsa, Marketa Vondrousova, Ann Li, Barbora Krejcikova, Taylor Townsend, (27) Marta Kostyuk, and (23) Naomi Osaka on the women's side. Nine on the men's side and seven on the women's side, making for 16 players in total. That's a pretty good amount of players left in the draw who are seeded 20+, which means there's a real opportunity to make a run in the second week. 

While I don't want to rule anyone out, the two players who are standing out to me as the most dangerous are Auger-Aliassime and Osaka: 

Starting with Auger-Aliassime, he has been ranked as high as No. 6 in the world (November 7th, 2022) and did reach the semifinals of the US Open back in 2021, so he has made a deep run before. After his win over Zverev, Auger-Aliassime should be feeling really confident heading into his match against Rublev. He knows he can make deep runs in  New York. 

Osaka has not only made deep runs at the US Open, she's won it twice in 2018 and 2020. She also won the Australian Open twice in 2019 and 2021. She knows she can win this tournament and has found a lot of success at hard court grand slams in general. Gauff has won the US Open as well (2023), so Osaka is going to have her work cut out for her. Still, Osaka has to be feeling confident to be back in the 4th round at the US Open for the first time since her 2020 title. 

One other thing that's standing out to me is the upcoming matches of Mannarino vs. (20) Lehecka and Krejcikova vs. Townsend. That guarantees at least one 20+ seeded player on each side of the draw will be in the quarterfinals. Townsend being an American will have the crowd behind her, which gives her an edge. Neither Mannarino nor Lehecka will have that going for them, so it's harder to see how that one will go. Regardless, all four of those players have to sense a real opportunity to reach the quarterfinals and then who knows what happens from there. 

Overall, this is shaping up to be an exciting second week at the US Open. A good chunk of the big name players are still in the mix and at the same time, you have a lot of underdogs who are still alive as well. Regardless of how this all shakes out, there are certain to be a lot of captivating storylines to follow. 

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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 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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10 things to take away from the 2024 French Open

 

                                             (Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports) 

The 2024 French Open is now behind us, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were in Paris. Let's get after it!

#1. Carlos Alcaraz is nearing a career grand slam: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to win the men's final. This is Alcaraz's third grand slam singles title at his third different grand slam. He won Wimbledon last year and the US Open in 2022. He just needs to win the Australian Open to complete the career slam and he's just 21 years of age. That's crazy. I can't say I'm surprised though as he was my pick to win it all on the men's side. He's a becoming a superstar before our eyes. This almost certainly won't be the last French Open he wins. 

#2. Iga Świątek is the princess of clay: Chris Evert is still the queen of clay with her record seven French Open titles on the women's side, but after winning her fourth French Open title this year, Iga Świątek has earned the title of princess of clay and yes, she was my pick on the women's side. At just 23 years of age, she's got a great chance to surpass Evert's record and who knows, maybe she'll give Rafael Nadal's all-time record of 14 French Open titles a run for its money, too. By the way, if you didn't the result, Świątek defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 in the final. 

#3. Novak Djokovic's summer is in doubt: Novak Djokovic had to pull out after winning his 4th round match due to tearing the medial meniscus in his right knee. He underwent surgery afterwards, making his Wimbledon in doubt. It'll be interesting to see if he gives it a go in London or if he'll skip it so as to gear up for the US Open. 

#4. Coco Gauff continues to be a legit threat on the clay: Coco Gauff fell to Iga Świątek in the semifinals. There's no shame in that. Her last four French Opens have ended in the quarterfinals, final, quarterfinals, and now semifinals. If there's anyone that's going to challenge Świątek in the years to come for French Open titles, it's gonna be Gauff, who amazingly is just 20 years of age. 

#5. Alexander Zverev made some strides: Alexander Zverev made the second grand slam final of his career. His first being back in 2020 at the US Open. At 27 years of age, he is in the prime of his career and should have some hope that if he keeps knocking on the door, eventually he'll win a grand slam. Wimbledon is going to be key for him this year. 

#6. Jasmine Paolini has figured something out: Before this season, the furthest Jasmine Paolini had gone in a grand slam is the 2nd round. At the Australian Open this year, she advanced to the 4th round and at the French Open this year, she had a dream run to the final before losing to Iga Świątek who is one of the greatest clay court players ever. At 28 years of age, the Italian Paolini appears to have really figured out something in her game. It'll be interesting to see how she does at Wimbledon and the US Open later this year. 

#7. The end is finally here for Rafael Nadal: Rafael Nadal fell to Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the 1st round. Nadal losing that early at a tournament he dominated for so long is all you need to know about where his career is. It's coming to a close. The only question is whether or not he'll be back for one more French Open or not. Whenever he does officially say goodbye, he'll go down as one of the greatest players to ever play and the undisputed king of clay. 

#8. Mirra Andreeva has burst onto the scene: At just 17 years of age, Mirra Andreeva made a run to the semifinals before falling to Jasmine Paolini in straight sets. It was an amazing run for Andreeva as it was the furthest she's ever gone at a grand slam. She is now ranked #23 in the world and I'm sure her ranking will only continue to climb. It's always exciting when someone this young makes their presence felt in such a strong way. I look forward to seeing how she does in the future and how the rest of her summer goes. 

#9. Jannik Sinner hangs onto world number one ranking: While he wasn't able to win it all at Roland Garros, by reaching the semifinals where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets, Jannik Sinner hangs on to the world number one ranking. He won his first grand slam this year in Australia and wasn't quite able to get it done on the clay this year. At just 22 years of age, I do think he'll likely win a French Open at some point, but the problem he has is Carlos Alcaraz being a year younger than him. It's certainly going to be fun to see the two of them battle it out in the coming seasons. 

#10. It's good to have Naomi Osaka back: Naomi Osaka may have lost in the 2nd round, but she did so in as strong of fashion as possible. She lost to the eventual champion Iga Świątek by a final score of 6-7, 6-1, 5-7. She nearly knocked Świątek out of the tournament who as I mentioned, is becoming one of the most dominant clay players of all-time. 

To push Świątek to the edge like that has to give Osaka a lot of confidence. Especially since clay and grass have never been her thing. The 3rd round is the furthest she's gone at the French Open and Wimbledon. The hard courts are where she dominates as she has two US Open titles and two Australian Open titles. If she's playing well on clay against the top clay player in the world, who knows what awaits her when she gets back on the hard courts and even grass. 

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10 things to look for at the 2024 French Open

 

The 2024 French Open is beginning on Sunday, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for in Paris. If you have not yet seen the draws, click here. Alrighty, let's get started. 

#1. Can Rafael Nadal make any noise? Rafael Nadal is likely playing in his final French Open and as a result of his ranking falling, he will open up against No. 4 Alexander Zverev. Smart money is on Zverev to advance, but given that Nadal is the King of Clay, it would be foolish to rule him out. If Nadal could find a way to even reach the 4th round, Paris will be going nuts. 

#2. Can anyone stop Iga Swiatek? Iga Swiatek comes in as the number one ranked player in the world having won the French Open three times. She's won the event back-to-back years and will be gunning for her fourth French Open crown, her third straight French Open crown, and her fifth overall grand slam title.  She's definitely the favorite to win it on the women's side. Will anyone stop her? That's the question. 

#3. Can Novak Djokovic defend his crown? Novak Djokovic comes in as the top seed on the men's side. He's ranked number one in the world and is hoping to win his 25th grand slam title and his fourth French Open. He won the French Open last year, so is coming in as the defending champion. While he's won back-to-back Wimbledons and back-to-back Australian Opens, Djokovic has never won the French Open back-to-back times. Same with the US Open. It'll be interesting to see if he can buck that trend this year. 

#4. Can Aryna Sabalenka contend? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number two ranked player in the world having reached the semifinals of the French Open last year. She has won the Australian Open twice and is looking for her first French Open title and third grand slam. If you're talking about who has the best chance to beat Swiatek, Sabalenka's name comes up. Having said that, Swiatek is 8-3 all-time against Sabalenka. If Sabalenka is going to beat Swiatek, she's going to have to play her absolute best assuming they do meet in the final. 

#5. Can Jannik Sinner build on his Australian Open victory? Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open this year and is now looking for his second grand slam title. A calendar slam is theoretically in play for him though I think everyone would be shocked if he pulled that off. Being Italian, you would think clay would be one of his better surfaces but he's actually struggled on the dirt. At least at Roland Garros. His lone quarterfinals appearance came in 2020 and last year he lost in the 2nd round. It'll be interesting to see if Sinner is able to make a deep run or if he'll flame out early. I could see it going either way, though if I had to guess, I think he'll be at least make it to the Round of 16 (4th round). 

#6. Can Coco Gauff go the distance? If you are talking contenders on the women's side, Coco Gauff is a major name to keep an eye on. She is ranked No. 3 in the world and won the US Open in 2023. While she is an American, she loves the clay and reached the French Open final in 2022. I do feel she's going to win a French Open at some point. The only question is when. Will this be the year? We'll just have to find out. 

#7. How will Stefanos Tsitsipas perform? Stefanos Tsitsipas comes in as the number nine ranked player in the world. He reached the French Open final in 2021, the semifinals in 2020, and the quarterfinals in 2023. He is yet to win a grand slam, but he keeps knocking on the door. He's a guy who I think has a chance to go all the way, but it's a matter of him staying consistent and getting a break or two along the way. It would be fun to see him pull it off. 

#8. Does Jelena Ostapenko have what it takes to win it again? Jelena Ostapenko is a former French Open champion, winning it back in 2017 as a teenager. She comes in as the number nine seed, so she should be getting a pretty good draw. She's been playing good tennis lately to get that seed, but for whatever reason she has never been able to contend at the French Open since winning it all. She's been bounced in the 2nd round back-to-back years and the furthest she has gone since her title is the 3rd round in 2020. It'll be interesting to see if this year can be any different for her. 

#9. Can Carlos Alcaraz carry the Spanish torch for Rafael Nadal? While Rafael Nadal is looking like a long shot to win the French Open, there's another Spaniard who has a great opportunity in Carlos Alcaraz, who is ranked number three in the world. Alcaraz has won the US Open and Wimbledon already, making him half-way to the career slam at just 21 years of age. He reached the semifinals of the French Open last year, so he's gaining confidence on the dirt. It would be fitting in a way if Nadal's final French Open resulted in him passing the torch onto Alcaraz. That would be pretty cool (though not as cool as Nadal winning it all, of course). 

#10. How does Naomi Osaka perform? After taking all of last year off, Naomi Osaka is back, though she didn't make much noise with her 1st round exit at the Australian Open. Still, she is back and that's exciting for the sport. Given all four of her grand slams have come on the hard courts, it might not be fair to expect much from her at the French Open. Especially since she's never gotten out of the 3rd round. Still, it's worth paying attention to how she does given she's such a big name in the sport. 

Prediction: I gotta roll with Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek to win it all. Alcaraz's time to win the French Open I think is now and I think the emotion of this likely being Nadal's final French Open might prove to help lift him a bit given they are both from Spain. As for Swiatek, she owns this tournament. She's won it three times and going for her fourth. I can't pick against her. 

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10 things to look for at the 2022 US Open

 

The 2022 US Open begins on Monday, August 29th, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here for the men's singles draw. Click here for the women's singles draw. 

#1. Will Daniil Medvedev be refreshed? With Novak Djokovic out due to not being vaccinated against COVID-19, Daniil Medvedev is the top seed on the men's side. Due to Wimbledon not allowing Russian athletes to compete this year, Medvedev did not play in Wimbledon, giving him a little time off and chance to rest. It'll be interesting to see if he'll feel a bit more refreshed and if that will propel him to a second straight US Open title. 

#2. How long can Serena and Venus Williams ride the wave? Serena Williams will be playing in her final US Open and while Venus Williams hasn't announced her plans, this will be their last grand slam together. Both players are not seeded, but we've seen them make deep runs before without being seeded. It'll be interesting to see how far they can go and how much they can ride the wave of fan support. There will be an extra buzz whenever they're playing. That's for sure. 

#3. Can Nick Kyrgios make a deep run? Nick Kyrgios is coming off a run to the Wimbledon final, which is the first grand slam final he's ever reached. The furthest Kyrgios has gone at the US Open is the 3rd round, but maybe this year will be different. I think odds are good he gets to the 4th round and sets a career best at the Open, but beyond that, I think it's honestly tough to say. 

#4. Can Iga Świątek mąkę a deep run? Iga Świątek comes in as the number one seed on the women's side and the top player in the world. While the grass of Wimbledon hasn't been her friend, she has found some success on the hard courts, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open earlier this year. When talking about contenders to win the US Open, one has to give Świątek pretty good odds. She reached the 4th round last year, so that's reason to think she'll at least make it that far if not go deeper. 

#5. Can Rafael Nadal defend his 2019 title? Rafael Nadal won the 2019 US Open and did not compete in 2020 or 2021. So in a way, he's kind of defending his crown even though it's from a couple years back. Nadal won the Australian Open earlier this year and his last three US Opens including his 2019 title have been two titles and a run to the semifinals (2018). Nadal should be feeling confident. Especially with Djokovic not in the tournament. 

#6. Can Naomi Osaka keep her US Open pattern going? Naomi Osaka won the US Open in 2018 and 2020. She won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. If that pattern holds, she'll win the US Open again this year in 2022. Osaka has her work cut out for her if she is to do that. She's not seeded and she's been in and out of grand slams due to her mental health. If she were to win the US Open this year, this would be her most impressive grand slam title for sure. 

#7. Will Novak Djokovic's absence loom large? Novak Djokovic's decision to not get vaccinated means he won't compete in this year's US Open, costing him a chance to tie Rafael Nadal's all-time mark of 22 grand slam titles. I think regardless of what happens, his absence is going to loom large. If Nadal wins, that will have huge implications on the all-time grand slam titles race and if Nadal doesn't win, then it'll look like Djokovic had a golden opportunity to tie him and blew it. Djokovic is at peace with his decision and that's the main thing. It's his life. But man, it is crazy that COVID-19 has had this kind of impact on which player will win the most grand slams! 

#8. Will the American women make noise? The US Open has often seen Americans do well and as of late, a lot more on the women's side. Outside of the Williams sisters, there's a lot of American women in the field who could make noise: Danielle Collins, CoCo Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Sofia Kenin, Sloane Stephens, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, and others. Of that group, Pegula (8) and Gauff (12) are seeded the highest, so they have the highest odds of making a deep run but anyone on that list is capable of going deep. It'll be fun to see who of that group will do the best. 

#9. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas have a strong US Open? Stefanos Tsitsipas comes in as the number four seed and yet he's never gone past the 3rd round at the US Open. He's reached the semifinals of the Australian Open three times, but the US Open has been harder for him. Perhaps this is the year he'll make a deep run. 

#10. Can Emma Raducanu defend her US Open title? I started with the defending men's champion and I'm closing with the defending women's champion. Emma Raducanu shocked the tennis world last year when she won the US Open and this year she's looking to defend her title. She's the 11th seed and has a pretty good draw, but has to now deal with the pressures that come with being a defending champion. It's likely she'll either flame out early and succumb to the pressure in the first couple of rounds or she'll make a deep run to the at least the quarterfinals. How she does this year will be really interesting to see. 

Predictions: I'm going to say Rafael Nadal wins the men's singles title, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final. I think Nadal is hungry to extend his all-time lead and sees an opportunity with Djokovic out. On the women's side, I'm going to say Maria Sakkari wins the singles title, defeating Iga Świątek in the final. She's the number three seed and has been knocking on the door, reaching the semifinals last year. This could be the year she breaks through to win her first grand slam. 

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10 things to take away from the 2022 French Open

                                              (Credit: SportsKeeda.com) 

Before I dive into my Wimbledon preview, I do want to write my takeaways from the two weeks that were at Roland Garros. Like every grand slam, it was an exciting two weeks with lots to discuss! 

#1. Rafael Nadal continues to make his case for GOAT: Rafael Nadal defeated Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the final to win his 14th French Open title and his 22nd Grand Slam, both of which are all-time records. No one in the men's game has won anything close to that number of French Open titles and he also has the most Grand Slam titles of anyone in the men's game. A lot of people like to resist calling him the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) because so many of his Grand Slam titles have come on the clay, but at some point, you just gotta admit it doesn't matter how he gets to the number that he has. It's simply phenomenal. 

#2. Iga Świątek is the best female on clay: While Rafael Nadal is the undisputed King of Clay, the best clay player in the women's game is definitely Iga Świątek. Świątek now has won two French Open titles (2020 & 2022), defeating Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-3 in this year's women's final. She's really figured things out on the clay and now it's just a matter of her figuring things out on the other surfaces. If she can do that, there's no telling how many Grand Slam titles she'll have. 

#3. Casper Rudd has arrived: Even though he didn't win it all, Casper Ruud had his best performance in a Grand Slam by reaching the final. It was the best performance he's had at Grand Slam by a mile as his previous best performance was reaching the 4th round at the 2021 Australian Open. The big thing will of course be for him to build on this and consistently make deep run in the majors, but boy is this a great start for him. At just 23 years of age, he should have plenty of deep runs ahead. 

#4. Clay is actually Coco Gauff's best surface: While she first turned heads by reaching the 4th round at the 2019 Wimbledon, it turns out clay is the surface that Coco Gauff plays her best tennis on. Which is unusual for an American.  Before reaching this year's final, she reached the quarterfinals of the French Open back in 2021, her second-best performance at a Grand Slam. It'll be interesting to see if she'll be able to dethrone Świątek in coming French Opens and also if she'll be able to make similar strides on the other surfaces. 

#5. Novak Djokovic has a Rafael Nadal problem: Rafael Nadal won the 2022 Australian Open and also defeated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 in the quarterfinals of this year's French Open. With 20 Grand Slam titles, everybody assumes that Djokovic is going to eventually win more Grand Slams than anyone in the men's game and become the GOAT, but right now, he's two titles back of Nadal who (A) won his favorite event in Australia this year and (B) knocked him out of the French Open again this year. Nadal is not going down without a fight and Djokovic better step up his game if he wants to solidify the GOAT debate in his favor. 

#6. Sloane Stephens had a bit of a bounce back: Sloane Stephens has been pretty quiet lately in Grand Slams, but had a bit of a bounce back in this year's French Open by reaching the quarterfinals before falling to Gauff. That was the best performance she's had at a major since the 2019 French Open, where she also reached the quarterfinals. Stephens is one of the bigger names in tennis, especially American tennis, and yet she hasn't won any majors since the 2017 US Open. It would be fun to have her contending in majors in the future. 

#7. Alexander Zverev keeps knocking on the door: Alexander Zverev was unable to complete his semifinal match against Nadal as he tore three lateral ligaments in his right ankle and underwent surgery afterwards. He is out indefinitely and will miss Wimbledon. It's not all doom and gloom for Zverev, though. As a result of reaching the semifinals, he achieved a number two world ranking, the highest of his career. It feels like it's only a matter of time before Zverev will win a major. 

#8. Daria Kasatkina made a deep run: Daria Kasatkina reached the semifinals before getting knocked out by Świątek. It was the furthest run she's had at a major since her back-to-back quarterfinal appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2018. It'll be interesting to see if she can build on this in the rest of 2022 and beyond. 

#9. Marin Cilic turns back the clock: Marin Cilic reached the semifinals before getting knocked out by Ruud. This was the best performance Cilic has had at a Grand Slam since the 2015 US Open in which he reached the semifinals one year after his 2014 US Open title. Whether or not this was an aberration for Cilic or a possible sign of things to come remains to be seen. But for while it lasted, it was fun to see him back in the mix at a major. 

#10. Naomi Osaka needs to figure out how to win away from the hard court: Naomi Osaka lost in the first round and will not be playing Wimbledon due to an Achilles injury. While she has won the US Open and Australian Open twice for four total Grand Slam titles, she hasn't gotten past the 3rd round at the French Open or Wimbledon. This year's French Open was just another reminder that Osaka needs to figure out how to win on surfaces other than hard court. That's really the next step for her in her career. 

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