Bold predictions for the 2023 tennis season: no Grand Slams for Carlos Alcaraz? Another Big Four retirement?

Who would have predicted that Carlos Alcaraz would become number one in 2023 and win his first Grand Slam title? What about Iga Swiatek, who snaps a 37-match winning streak and emerges as a dominant force on the WTA Tour?

Prediction is a tough game.

Alcaraz cannot win a Grand Slam title

Carlos Alcaraz was arguably the player of the 2022 season on the ATP Tour, winning five titles, including two Masters events and the US Open, becoming the youngest No. 1 in ATP history. With his powerful ground strokes and physical game, he is a certified crowd thriller and almost certainly a player to watch for years to come.

In 2022, he came from outside the top 30 to conquer all, defeating Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas. But his status as a dominant force in tennis doesn’t seem set in stone just yet.

Djokovic will be stronger in 2023, Nadal will come again, Zverev too if he is fit after injury, Daniil Medvedev should fight, and others like Felix Auger-Aliassime, Holger Rune or Jannik Sinner can rise.

There is no doubt that Alcaraz will win more Grand Slam titles in his career, but in 2023?

The Australian Open could be a tough ask as it looks set to be his first competitive event since the injury. At the French Open, Alcaraz is likely to challenge, but will he overtake Nadal, Djokovic or Zverev? Wimbledon is a tall order with so little grass experience and the US Open who knows about the US Open. But don’t be shocked if Alcaraz doesn’t win another major in 2023.

Another of the Big Four retires

Roger Federers gone, who next?

Djokovic probably won’t call it a day in 2023, but Nadal and Andy Murray look to be closer to the end. Nadal revealed in September that he almost stopped winning a record 14th French Open title. I thought this might be my last tournament, this is reality.

He has since said he will continue to fight and sounds determined to win more titles, but if he has more injury problems, he may consider bowing out.

Murray could be in for a defining season. He had encouraging results in 2022, but didn’t make the cut and said he was disappointed with his performances. If he can’t step up to the second level in 2023, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him calling it a day.

The Canadian reaches the Grand Slam final

Canadian tennis is looking good right now.

Led by Top 20 duo Denis Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime, the men won the ATP Cup in 2022 along with their first-ever Davis Cup title. Auger-Aliassime also enjoyed an impressive finish to the season as he went on a 16-match winning streak that saw him capture three titles.

Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime hinted at their Slam potential last year when they reached the semifinals, while Auger-Aliassime lost in five sets in the second week of both the Australian Open and French Open.

The women didn’t have as much silverware to show for it, but former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, who recently hired a new coach, and former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez both have the potential to reach the top again. Andreescu in particular could be watched in 2023 if he plays a more complete schedule than he has in the past few years.

Andreescu became the first Canadian tennis player to win a major singles title when he lifted the US Open in 2019. Another Canadian could come close or win a Grand Slam next season.

Draper becomes the tallest Briton

Jack Drapers’ first season on the ATP Tour was encouraging.

Big wins were achieved especially over Taylor Fritz, Diego Schwartzman, Stefanos Tsitsipa and Auger-Aliassime, as well as the semi-final match in the next generation final in Milan.

Draper has proven he has the tools to compete with the best. His left serve is a big weapon and his shots can penetrate from all over the court. Now, the question mark of moving up to No. 42 in the world rankings is likely to remain with his fitness and whether he’s ready to hang it up on the ATP Tour week after week. If he is, he should move further up the rankings in 2023.

Anisimova wins the Grand Slam title

The Grand Slam final feels close for Amanda Anisimova, who reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2019 and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon this year.

The 21-year-old had a solid season in 2022, winning the Melbourne Summer Set in January and posting some decent wins en route to several quarter-finals. He is a strong, aggressive player all over the court and one to watch at the Australian Open.

Earlier this year, she beat Belinda Bencic and Naomi Osaka in Melbourne before losing to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty in the last 16. He finished the season with a 4-3 record against top-10 opponents and a 9-8 record against top-20 opponents. .

Anisimova will be part of a strong American line-up at the Australian Open, which includes top-10 players Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, as well as world No. 11 Madison Keys and this year’s Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins.

All could be strong for the seasons, but Anisimova seems poised for a big year if she can stay healthy and add a few improvements to her game.

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