2016 Grand Slam predictions

The 2016 tennis season is upon us, which means it is to make predictions for the year’s four Grand Slams. One, the Australian Open, begins in just two weeks—with Novak Djokovic as the obvious favorite.

Australian Open – Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has won this event five times, including four of the last five installments. His only blemish during this stretch is a 9-7 in the fifth set loss to Stan Wawrinka in the 2014 quarterfinals. Not including one retirement, Djokovic has not lost prior to a fifth set Down Under since 2007. Based on the world No. 1’s dominant 2015 campaign, there is no reason to think anything will change at the season’s first major this time around. He won his last five tournaments of the previous year, going 25-1 overall in the process. A one-month “offseason” will not stop Djokovic’s momentum.

Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Andy Murray
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French Open – Rafael Nadal. The shocking part of Nadal’s failure to win at Roland Garros this past season was that it wasn’t shocking. Nadal struggled just about from start to finish throughout 2015—even on his beloved clay. But another setback in Paris, if the Spaniard is 100 percent healthy when the tournament rolls around, would be far more surprising and alarming. Nadal raised his level in the fall, especially at the World Tour Finals, so there is some reason for optimism in 2016. Also, the last time two consecutive French Opens were won by players other than Nadal was 2003 and 2004—when he was 17 and 18 and did not participate!

Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Novak Djokovic
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Wimbledon – Andy Murray. Will a Davis Cup title the preceding year do for Murray what it did for Djokovic in 2011? Maybe not entirely, but it can only help the Scot’s confidence and inspiration for more success. While other top players may be more focused on the Rio Olympics this summer, Murray’s eyes should be on another Wimbledon prize. After all, that is basically the world No. 2’s home tournament and he already has a gold medal in his back pocket (at the All-England Club, coincidentally, in 2012). Djokovic’s back-to-back Wimbledon triumphs notwithstanding, Murray has a better chance against him on grass than on hard courts.

Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Roger Federer
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U.S. Open – Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is going to win multiple slams again in 2016. How could he not? The question is which ones. Backing him to win three, just as he did last year, may be the overriding trend. Heck, more than few folks in the tennis world are probably expecting a calendar-year Grand Slam. That is unlikely, but it is not hard to see Djokovic maintaining relative dominance—especially on hards. He lost a total of six sets at the two hard-court majors in 2015, three at each event. The Serb has triumphed at the U.S. Open twice in his career, both within the last five years, and he has been to the final on four of the last five occasions.

Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Rafael Nadal

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55 Comments on 2016 Grand Slam predictions

    • Oooh forgot to pick my opponents/potential spoilers to Nole’s #DjokoGoldenSlam…

      AO: Djoko over Fed
      FO: Rafa over Djoko
      W: Djoko over Fed
      US: Djoko over Fed

      Olympics: Fed over Djoko

      #InconsistenciesByDesign
      #DoingTheBasesCoverings

      Full Disclosure and Disclaimer: I will not be personally attending and witnessing ANY of these matches.

  1. Nadal will turn 30 at Roland Garros. Andres Gomez was the last man to win it that old before Stan. The French is a young(ish) man’s slam. Nishikori beats Djokovic in the final.

  2. What I want:
    Djokovic over Fed at AO (don’t really want this but I have to be somewhat realistic I guess)
    Rafa over Nole at FO
    Fed over Nole at Wimbledon
    Stan over Nole at USO
    What will probably happen:
    Nole wins two slams
    Stan wins one
    Roger or Rafa will win the remaining slam
    No outsiders win slams this year (but I would happy if one did)
    Now I will say that I do think what I want to happen could happen but at the same time I see Novak winning two slams this season. Also at Olympics I see a Roger vs Novak final but I don’t really know who would win because both would be looking for first Olympics title so there could be pressure for both maybe more so for Djoker because he would be the favorite as the world number one.
    Now

  3. Can’t resist having a go at this thread. No jinx intended. 2 slams for Nole, 1 for Rafa, 1 for Andy.

    AO Nole
    FO Rafa
    Wimbledon Nole
    US Open Andy

    Olympics Gold: Novak Djokovic

  4. Scoot Dimon ( any relation of Ricky?)
    Are you looking into your crystal ball and saying Rafa WILL NOT (capitalization is mine) win RG? In which case of course nobody can dispute what you are saying but wait with bated breath for RG to roll around and prove either that you are the modern Nostradamus (or reincarnation of Baba Vanga?) or that you are just a frustrated Fed fan hating on Rafa.
    However if you have some rational basis for the above confident assertion, do let us know your reasoning. Might be interesting.

  5. hawkeye, If you mean you agree with me, it is not surprising. We are actually a lot alike but sadly your thinking has got twisted by being on the dark side. So now we are more like matter ( that’s me) and anti- matter (that’s you).

  6. Or you simply meant your prediction is the same as Ricky’s? I would call it the “obvious” prediction. A euphemism for lazy thinking prediction.

  7. Let’s say Rafa wins FO and USO, Nole still huge favorite for AO which he will most likely take (although the weather plays significant role; if heat remains an issue Rafa will take AO) and Andy takes Wimby! Nole may be too focused on Olympics which will interfere with his GS plans…
    Rafa will make surprises this year!
    BTW, it’s easy to just predict the obvious! Make more of it and think of the stuff that is unlikely to happen but still might…Rafa has always been unpredictable, sadly 2015 included…this year shall be his breakthrough year once again…
    Vamoooos!

  8. Now the comments have appeared! Must be crisscrossing with some parallel universe leading to strange disappearances and mysterious re-appearances!

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