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. 

ATP Guy on X (Twitter): @atp_guy 

ATP Guy on Facebook: @ATPGuyNation 

Ben Parker on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, & X (Twitter): @slamdunk406

10 things to look for at the 2023 US Open

 

The 2023 US Open is already underway, which means it is past my time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Let's dive in! 

#1. Can Iga Świątek defend her title? Iga Świątek is the defending champion on the women's side. She's ranked number one in the world and should be favored to win it all again this year. There's a different kind of pressure that comes from being the defending champion and with hard court not being her top surface, it'll be interesting to see how she handles it. Before winning it all last year, the furthest she had gone at the US Open is the 4th round, so this year will tell us a lot about where she is on the hard courts. 

#2. Can Carlos Alcaraz defend his title? Carlos Alcaraz is the defending champion on the men's side and is coming off winning his first Wimbledon title, so he's on quite a roll. Alcaraz no doubt will be the favorite on the men's side. He's playing fantastic tennis right now and after defeating Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final has established himself as the top player in the world. It's gonna be fun to see how he performs. 

#3. Can Coco Gauff make a run? Coco Gauff comes in as the number six player in the world. As an American, she will get tremendous fan support with many hoping she can go the distance. The 2022 US Open was her best showing as she reached the quarterfinals, so she should be coming in with some confidence. When talking about players who could make a run on the women's side, Gauff has to be one of the first names that comes to mind. The key for her will be to not let the pressure of being an American get to her. That can sometimes be a challenge for players who are competing in their home country's grand slam. 

#4. Can Novak Djokovic recapture the magic? Novak Djokovic is one of the major contenders on the men's side, but he hasn't won the US Open since 2018. Even more odd is he's only won the event three times. For whatever reason, the US Open has never been his best event and so in that vein, it's hard to pick him to win it all this year. That said, one can never count him out. He's too good. 

#5. Can Elena Rybakina make it to the second week? Elena Rybakina comes in as the number four player in the world and yet the furthest she's gone at the US Open is the 3rd round in 2021. She won Wimbledon in 2022 and reached the Australian Open final in 2023. On paper, she's a strong contender and yet she's never been able to put it together in New York. Maybe this year will be different. 

#6. Can Daniil Medvedev win it all again? Daniil Medvedev won the US Open in 2021 and is ranked number three in the world. Yet due to the war in Ukraine and Russian athletes getting banned and all, it feels like we haven't seen him in a while. But now he's back and able to compete. He should be hungry and eager to not just make a deep run, but win the whole thing. He's definitely a name to watch. 

#7. Can Aryna Sabalenka win her second grand slam? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number two player in the world, winning the Australian Open earlier this year. Sabalenka is a major contender and should look to at least make the semifinals, where she has fallen in the last two US Opens. It feels like this could be the year she finally breaks through in New York, but as we've seen, success at the Aussie Open doesn't always translate to the US Open. 

#8. Is this the year for Frances Tiafoe? Frances Tiafoe comes in as the number ten ranked player in the world on the men's side and has already shown he can make a deep run at the US Open after his run to the semifinals last year. It felt like a Cinderella run last year, but in truth, Tiafoe should be viewed as one who could be lifting up the trophy at the end. If he is, what a story that would be. 

#9. How will Caroline Wozniacki do in her return? After walking away from the game after the 2020 Australian Open, Caroline Wozniacki is back and eager to prove she still belongs at this level. The 2018 Australian Open champion has shown she can win a grand slam on the hard courts and shouldn't be counted out to at least make the 4th round this year. How she does is definitely a major storyline on the women's side. Especially if she is able to win at least a couple of matches. 

#10. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas have a breakthrough US Open? Stefanos Tsitsipas is ranked number seven in the world and yet he has never gotten past the 3rd round at the US Open. He's reached the final the Australian Open in 2023 and at the French Open in 2021, so he's got the pieces to put it together. He just needs to figure out how to do so with more consistency. It would be fun to see him make a run this year. 

Prediction: On the men's side, I gotta roll with Carlos Alcaraz. He's just on such a tear right now. It's really hard to pick anyone other than him to win it. As for the women's side, I hate to be boring and pick the other defending champion, but my money is on Iga Świątek. She's the best player in the world on the women's side and deserves to be favored. 

ATP Guy on Twitter: @atp_guy 

ATP Guy on Facebook: @ATPGuyNation 

Ben Parker on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter: @slamdunk406

10 things to look for at 2023 Wimbledon

 

The 2023 Championships at Wimbledon will begin on Monday, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Let's dive in! 

#1. Can Iga Świątek make the jump on grass? Iga Świątek is the number one player in the world right now, fresh off her third French Open title and fourth grand slam title overall (2022 US Open). She's starting to establish herself as an all-time great at just 22 years of age. The next step for her is to make some noise at Wimbledon. The furthest she's gone is the 4th round in 2021. It'll be interesting to see if she'll be able to make a deep run this year. 

#2. Can Carlos Alcaraz make some noise? Similar to Iga Świątek, Carlos Alcaraz is ranked number one in the world with his best Wimbledon performance being a trip to the 4th round in 2022. Alcaraz is coming off a disappointing French Open in which he fell in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic in four sets. This Wimbledon will tell us a lot about Alcaraz and where he's at mentally. I could see him bouncing back strong and making a deep run and I could also see him flaming out early. It'll be interesting to see what happens and whether or not he'll be able to have the kind of Wimbledon that we all know he's capable of having. 

#3. Can Victoria Azarenka have a renaissance? Victoria Azarenka is coming in as the number 19 seed, so she's in a position where she could make her presence felt. She reached the semifinals way back in 2011 and 2012, but has since then gone even deeper at a grand slam, reaching the 2020 US Open final. When talking about dark horses on the ladies' side, Azarenka is definitely a name to keep an eye on. 

#4. Can anyone stop Novak Djokovic? While he comes in as the number two seed behind Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic is the clear front runner on the gentlemen's side. Djokovic will be gunning for his 24th grand slam title and his 8th Wimbledon title. He's won Wimbledon the last two times and has to like his chances to win it once again. It'll be fun to see how the Joker does and whether or not anyone will be able to give him a serious push. 

#5. Can Beatriz Haddad Maia prove her ranking? Beatriz Haddad Maia is ranked #12 in the world, but that's largely due to her semifinal run to the French Open. The Brazilian hasn't gotten past the 2nd round at any of the other grand slams. Her last trip to the 2nd round at Wimbledon was in 2019. This Wimbledon is going to be big for her. If she can make a run to the 4th round or better, I would call that a success. Anything less than that will be a major disappointment. It'll be interesting to see how she does. 

#6. Can Andy Murray make a bit of a run? Andy Murray is in the bonus round of his career at this point. It's not clear how many more of these he has left. Wimbledon is where he is most loved and after reaching the 2nd round last year, he showed he's got some fight left in him. If Murray could even reach the 3rd round, the place would go nuts. And then if he happens to go even further, you know that will be the biggest story of the tournament so long as he stays alive. 

#7. Can Aryna Sabalenka have her Wimbledon moment? Victoria Azarenka isn't the only player from Belarus looking to make some noise on the ladies' side. Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the #2 player in the world after winning the Australian Open earlier this year. Sabalenka made a run to the Wimbledon semifinals in 2021 and this time has her eye on the title. She's got to like her chances. Especially with Świątek looking far from a lock given her Wimbledon history. 

#8. How will Daniil Medvedev handle his Wimbledon return? Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Wimbledon banned Russian athletes from competing last year, but this year they are able to do so. That means Daniil Medvedev is back and looking for his first Wimbledon title. Medvedev comes in as the #3 ranked player in the world and is one of the few guys who could challenge Djokovic for the title. It certainly would be exciting if he finds himself in the semifinals, a place he's never been at Wimbledon. 

#9. Can Coco Gauff go the distance? Coco Gauff took the tennis world by storm when she reached the 4th round of Wimbledon in 2019. She was just 15 years of age. Since then, she's gotten back to the 4th round at Wimbledon once in 2021 and also has a grand slam final under her belt at the 2022 French Open. It's time for her to take the next step at Wimbledon. It would be awesome if she does. 

#10. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas make it to the second week? Stefanos Tsitsipas has only reached the 4th round at Wimbledon once in 2018. He reached the Australian Open final this year and the French Open final in 2021, so he's shown he can go deep at grand slams. He just hasn't yet shown that he can at Wimbledon. At some point, he needs to break through on the grass. Maybe this will be the year. 

Prediction: On the gentlemen's side, I got Novak Djokovic winning it all. He's the best in the world and is probably going to go down as the GOAT. He's the clear front runner and easy pick in this one. As for the ladies' side, give me Aryna Sabelenka. She's number two in the world and has reached the semifinals before. I like her chances to come through and win it all this year. 

Note: On CardinalSportsReport.com, I wrote a piece on John McEnroe's greatest Wimbledon performances. Click here to check that out. 

ATP Guy on Twitter: @atp_guy 

ATP Guy on Facebook: @ATPGuyNation 

Ben Parker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @slamdunk406 

10 things to take away from the 2023 Australian Open

 

                                             (Credit: Wiliam West/AFP)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker on Facebook and Twitter, click here. 

10 things to look for at the 2023 Australian Open

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker on Facebook and Twitter, click here. 

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. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker on Facebook and Twitter, click here. 

10 things to look for at 2022 Wimbledon

The 2022 Championships at Wimbledon are getting underway today, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. To check out all of the draws, click here. To check out my recent French Open recap, click here. 

#1. Can Novak Djokovic get back in the winner's circle? Novak Djokovic has had a rough go lately. He didn't get vaccinated against COVID and as a result missed the Australian Open. He later got bounced in the quarterfinals against Rafael Nadal in the French Open. If there's a Grand Slam for him to bounce back at, it's Wimbledon. He's won the event six times and really should be the odds on favorite to win it all. How Djokovic does will be really interesting to see given the rough ride he's been on. 

#2. Can Iga Świątek make a deep run? Iga Świątek has won two French Open titles after winning it all in Paris this year. She's the best in the world on clay in the women's game. Now it's a matter of winning Grand Slams outside of the French Open. She's ranked number one in the world and has an opportunity to show she truly is the best in the world and not just the best on clay. The furthest she's gone at Wimbledon is the 4th round last year, so she's certainly got a lot to prove. 

#3. Can Rafael Nadal win another Wimbledon? If Rafael Nadal finds a way to win Wimbledon this year, the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) discussion will get even more interesting than it already is. It would be Nadal's third Wimbledon title and his first since 2010. It would also be his 23rd Grand Slam title, extending his all-time record. And in case you think it's a long put for Nadal, when he won the Australian Open this year, it was his first Australian Open title since 2009. Maybe this is going to be the year of Nadal ending really long droughts. 

#4. Can Anett Kontaveit back up her ranking? Anett Kontaveit comes in as the number two ranked player in the world and yet she has never been to the semifinal of a major. At Wimbledon, she's never gotten past the 3rd round. This is a big Wimbledon for her. A chance to show she is as good as her ranking says she is. How she does under the pressure will be fun to watch. 

#5. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas make some noise? Stefanos Tsitsipas is seeded 4th at Wimbledon and yet has never gotten past the 4th round. He's reached the semifinals three times at the Australian Open and the 2021 French Open final, so he's gone deep at majors. He just hasn't yet done so at Wimbledon. If he can find a way to step up his game on the grass, look out. 

#6. Can Ons Jabeur back up her ranking? Ons Jabeur is seeded third at this year's championships even though she's never reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam. She did reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2021 and the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2020. Like Kontaveit, Jabeur is another player who has a lofty ranking, but hasn't done enough in the majors to justify her ranking. It'll also be interesting to see how she performs and how well she backs up her ranking. 

#7. Can Andy Murray find lightning in a bottle? Andy Murray reached the 3rd round of Wimbledon last year and will once again have the British crowd behind him. If the draw opens up for him a bit, he could make things interesting. Watching Murray even go as far as the 4th round would be a ton of fun. 

#8. Can Serena Williams win one more Grand Slam? Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slams, the most of anyone in the Open era, and just one shy of Margaret Court's record of 24. She's been stuck on that number 23 for a while though as she hasn't won a Grand Slam since 2016 Wimbledon. It does feel like Serena is not going to tie Court's mark, but given how many times she's been doubted before and proved us wrong, I wouldn't count her out. 

#9. Can Casper Ruud do something at Wimbledon? Casper Ruud is coming off a phenomenal run to the French Open final and yet at Wimbledon he has never gotten past the 1st round. History says he'll flame out early, but after what he did at Roland Garros, one can't help be like his chances of at least winning one match. 

#10. Can Coco Gauff build on her strong French Open? Coco Gauff is coming off a trip to the French Open final and will look to build on that with a strong performance at Wimbledon. She first burst onto the scene at 2019 Wimbledon with a run to the 4th round, so the fans are very familiar with her. She has since not been able to get beyond the 4th round at Wimbledon, but it's possible this run to the French Open final will propel her to an even deeper run. 

#11. How will the lack of ranking points affect the tournament? Due to Russian and Belarusian players being banned from Wimbledon due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, ranking points won't be assigned for this tournament. It'll be interesting to see how that affects the feel of the tournament and just in general, what the absence of some major names will mean. It's a very strange position for the tournament to be in and one of the major storylines going into the tournament for sure. 

Prediction: On the gentlemen's side, I'm going to predict that Novak Djokovic will find a way to win it all. He's been the best on grass and he knows he really needs to win this one. On the ladies' side, it's a total crapshoot, so just to have some fun, I'm going to predict Serena Williams to come out on top. This very well may be her final Wimbledon and if things open up for her, she could make a deep run. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker on Facebook and Twitter, click here. 

10 things to look for at the 2021 US Open

 

           

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

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

 

                                              (Credit: ausopen.com) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

10 things to take away from 2021 Wimbledon

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

10 things to look for at 2021 Wimbledon

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

10 things to take away from the 2021 French Open

                                              (Credit: USA TODAY Sports) 

Before I look ahead to Wimbledon (Round 1 starts Monday), I need to first look back on the two weeks that recently were in Paris at the 2021 French Open. Barbora Krejcikova def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 to win the women's singles title while Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to win the men's singles title. This was Krejcikova's first grand slam singles title while it was Djokovic's 19th grand slam singles title and second French Open title, with the first one coming in 2016. 

#1. Novak Djokovic is making a serious case for GOAT: I personally don't think the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate will really even be able to begin until Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer are all done playing. Until then, all three guys have a strong case for being considered the GOAT with Pete Sampras being firmly in 4th place. 

That all said, I think if we're projecting at where things will eventually land, I think it's likely that when it's all said and done, the general consensus will be that Novak Djokovic is the greatest men's tennis player of all-time. He's only one grand slam title away from tying Nadal and Federer, which means if he wins Wimbledon, there will be a three-way tie for most grand slam singles titles on the men's side with 20. The fact that he's kept pace with them and is the youngest of the three I think gives him an edge for GOAT at the moment. Though once again we'll just have to wait and see where things all land once the dust finally settles and their careers are all over. 

One other feather in Djokovic's cap is that he beat Nadal to win this title. Nadal has won 13 French Open titles and is the undisputed King of Clay. To win his second French Open title and 19th grand slam title by getting past Nadal is definitely something that gives Djokovic a definitive boost in the GOAT debate. 

#2. Barbora Krejcikova is a threat in singles: Barbora Krejcikova was previously thought of as a doubles player who played singles on the side. That no longer can be said. Going into this year's French Open, she had won two grand slam doubles titles (2018 French Open and 2018 Wimbledon) and three grand slam mixed doubles titles (2019 Australian Open, 2020 Australian Open, and 2021 Australian Open) but never had much success on the singles side in grand slams. The furthest she's gone at the Australian Open in singles is the 2nd round (2020 and 2021), the furthest she's gone at the US Open is the 3rd round of the Qualifiers, and by qualifying for the 1st round of Wimbledon this year, that's automatically the furthest she's gone at Wimbledon. 

That all said, the one grand slam where she had found some success was the French Open. In 2020, she did reach the 4th round, so there was some reason for optimism coming in, though nobody expected her to be the one lifting the trophy at the end. 

It'll be interesting to see if she'll be able to build on this success at other grand slams in singles, something I'll address in my Wimbledon preview, but for the purposes of this French Open recap, it's suffice to say that she's at least figured out how to contend at the grand slam singles level on clay. 

#3. Stefanos Tsitsipas' time will come: While he wasn't able to close out Novak Djokovic after going up by two sets in the final, Stefanos Tsitsipas still has to feel good about the two weeks he had at the French Open and feel like he's knocking on the door. Djokovic ended up winning by digging a little deeper and using his experience to his advantage, but make no mistake, Tsitsipas is on track to win multiple grand slams and carve out a Hall of Fame career for himself. 

#4. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had a breakthrough: Even though she didn't win it all and lost in the final, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has to feel like she had a major breakthrough at Roland Garros. She had never gotten past the quarterfinals at any grand slam before, but this time she went all the way to the final. If she is able to turn lemons into lemonade and build on this, she could be winning a grand slam title very soon. She's 29 years old, turning 30 in a few days. Her best tennis may very well be in front of her and not behind her. 

#5. Rafael Nadal is mortal: I picked Rafael Nadal to win the French Open for obvious reasons. He's the best all-time at Roland Garros and so long as he remains an elite player, he should be the favorite to win it all. That said, he showed that he is mortal and that he can be beaten at this event. But if you are to beat him, you better bring your A-game and that's exactly what Djokovic did, calling it one of the best if not the best match he's ever played in his life. 

#6. Roland Garros just isn't Serena Williams' event: While she has won the French Open twice (2002 and 2013), it's clear that of all the grand slams, it is Serena Williams' weakest even by far. This year, she went out in the 4th round and she hasn't advanced to the quarterfinals since 2016 in which she reached the final. I think it's safe to say that if she is to tie Margaret Court's mark of 24 grand slam titles, it's not likely to come at Roland Garros. 

#7. Roger Federer's decision better pay off at Wimbledon: Roger Federer made a controversial decision to pull out of his 4th round match against Matteo Berrettini in order to rest up for Wimbledon, which is his top event. It was a controversial decision because (A) the fans wanted to see how far he could go and (B) it's just not a great look to pull out of a grand slam unless you are legitimately injured. One has to wonder if playing one more or two more matches would have really hurt his Wimbledon chances. So, if he wants to make this decision seem more justified, he better go deep at Wimbledon and ideally win it all. 

#8. Naomi Osaka needs to get her mind right: The big story from the first week of the French Open was Naomi Osaka withdrawing after winning her 1st round match due to not wanting to talk with the media. She was fined $15,000 and decided she would withdraw after all the grand slams came out and said they might default her going forward if she doesn't comply with her media duties. Osaka said she didn't want to be a distraction and that this is all about her mental health, etc. 

As far as where things sit right now, Osaka will skip Wimbledon, but she does plan to play in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics later this summer per her agent. It's clear that Osaka needs to get her mind right, recharge mentally, and figure out how to not be so worried about talking to the media. She has a bright career in front of her and hopefully this will just be a small bump in the road for her in the grand scheme of things. 

#9. Daniil Medvedev can win a match at Roland Garros: If you read my preview, you know that Daniil Medvedev had never gotten past the 1st round at Roland Garros coming into this event. So, it was of keen interest to see how far he could go. All things considered, he should be happy with how things went. He reached the quarterfinals, which is far better than the 1st round. Medvedev showed that he can find some success at this event and maybe this will propel him to even bigger things next year. 

#10. Iga Świątek was unable to defend her title: Iga Świątek came in as the defending champion on the women's side, but she was unable to defend her title. She didn't do terrible as she lost in the quarterfinals, but she was unable to recapture the magic from last October. It'll be interesting to see how she does next year and also how she does at the remaining grand slams this year. Wimbledon starting on Monday will give her a chance to show that she can win on surfaces other than clay. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here.