Predicting Every Slam Winner in 2023

Here are my picks for who wins every Grand Slam before the season starts. I will make more as the season progresses, immediately before each slam—the game changes way too rapidly to make one all-encompassing prediction at the beginning of the year—but this will be an interesting moment to reflect upon during the season. We can all see how right or wrong I am. 

Australian Open

In my opinion, the winner of the Australian Open is not necessarily dependent on a player’s form at the end of the season preceding the AO (see Barty and Nadal) as it is a fresh start to the season. My picks for the winners completely ignore that idea because it is nearly impossible to picture anyone else winning this slam.

ATP: Novak Djokovic. Who can challenge him in Australia? He would need to somehow play both Nadal and Alcaraz to have a chance of losing, and those circumstances seem unlikely. Nobody has more stamina. Honorable mentions: Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal

WTA: Iga Swiatek. Once again, who can contest her? Swiatek learns from her losses, as we have seen against Garcia, and will be very prepared to play either Sabalenka or Collins in-form (her biggest threats, in my opinion). The only possible danger to Swiatek t aking an L in Melbourne would be Ostapenko playing excellent tennis and maintaining the level for two sets or Swiatek getting in her own head. Honorable mentions: Caroline Garcia, Aryna Sabalenka

French Open

Come on now. The French has been a mixed bag for the WTA for many years now, but there is only one real choice at this point. As it appears now, the era of first-time slam winners at Roland-Garros is over.

ATP: Rafael Nadal. Djokovic scared him into remembering he is the greatest clay-courter of all time in 2021. He’s not going to forget that anytime soon. Honorable mentions: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz

WTA: Iga Swiatek. Easily the best clay-courter on tour right now—she’s done it twice, she can win it again. Nobody is on her level. Honorable mentions: Qinwen Zheng, Coco Gauff (if her forehand is better in 2023)

Wimbledon

Wimbledon always boils down to the best grass-courters. Once the draw is reduced to those players, it becomes a battle of refusing to choke first (ATP final, 2019) or obliterating your opponent quickly (ATP final, 2018).

ATP: Novak Djokovic. There is nobody who can outplay him on grass. Although his game is not stereotypically suited for the surface, he has interestingly made the courts bend to his will instead of the general, converse idea. Honorable mentions: Matteo Berrettini, Nick Kyrgios

WTA: Ons Jabeur. Now is the time. She has the variety, her serve has improved throughout the 2022 season, and she should be hungry for it. A good idea would be to model her game more like Barty’s than Radwanska’s, as Jabeur can hit the ball pretty hard. This prediction could change based on how Swiatek looks on the grass, but she is not in contention right now. Honorable mentions: Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka

US Open

Anything goes at the US Open. Teenagers can win their first Slams, experienced players can finally grab that first Major title, and multi-Major winners can grab another. It’s all dependent upon who is and who isn’t tired at the end of the season, and who can deal with the unique pressure the US Open environment puts on the players in the most effective fashion.

ATP: Jannik Sinner. I’m going with a first-time Major winner for this year, just like the last two; Sinner’s big break is coming and I think it will be at the US Open because he will have ironed out all of his weaknesses by the (relative) end of the season. Honorable mentions: Felix Auger-Aliassime, Taylor Fritz

WTA: Caroline Garcia. I think 2023 is the year Garcia consistently hits her stride. She will be able to aggressively serve +1 her way to the title, and I think players who do well on multiple surfaces tend to do the best on hard courts because it is the happy medium between the natural surfaces. Garcia is able to excel on all surfaces, and I think her game will find its peak at the US Open after she fell flat to Jabeur in the semifinals this year. Honorable mentions: Madison Keys, Iga Swiatek