The 2014 tennis season is less than a week away and the Australian Open is a mere 19 days out, so it’s time to make predictions for the year’s four Grand Slams. Feel free to join the fun with your own predictions in the comments section!
Australian Open – Novak Djokovic. Djokovic wrapped up 2013 on a 24-match winning streak, all on hard courts. Nobody other than Rafael Nadal and John Isner has defeated Djokovic on the surface since Tommy Haas in Miami, a late-March event. Similarly, the Serb is positively dominant Down Under. He has won three consecutive titles in Melbourne and he has not lost prior to the quarters of the season’s first Grand Slam since 2007.
Runner-up – Rafael Nadal
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French Open – Rafael Nadal. If Djokovic dominates the Australian Open, Nadal simply owns the French Open. His exploits there are, of course, well-documented; but we’ll revisit them again just for fun. Nadal is a ridiculous 59-1 lifetime at Roland Garros, with four titles in succession since an injury-induced aberration in 2009. The Spaniard came close to bowing out against Djokovic in a 2013 semifinal thriller, but he had only been back on tour for three months at that point.
Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Juan Martin Del Potro
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Wimbledon – Andy Murray. Shameless plug: I called Murray to win Wimbledon in the 2013 installment of this piece. That worked out pretty well for me, so why mess with success? The Scot is coming off back surgery, so an Australian Open title is unlikely and a clay-court triumph in Paris is always out of the question. No matter; Murray should once again be peaking at Wimbledon. Additionally, there will be a lot less pressure on him this time around.
Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Roger Federer
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U.S. Open – Novak Djokovic. I’m tempted to tip four different Grand Slam winners in 2014, just as I did last year. Del Potro could make it happen—he has already won this thing once, in 2009. However, it is just too tough to pick against Djokovic on a hard court right now. Things could be different by late August, but at the moment there is no reason to think that will be the case. When others are sometimes breaking down late in a grueling summer, Djokovic is usually heating up.
Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Juan Martin Del Potro
who ya got?
Rafa/Djoko in AO and RG, Muzza in Wimbly and Muzza/Rafa/Djokovic in USO.(this slam is the most unpredictable)
Unless the draws are rigged as in Wimbly, Olympics and WTF 2012 or Rome and RG 2013 or the draw Gods favor Fed or roof is perpetually closed or all the Big 3 are out before the semis, Fed will not go beyond semis.
The one thing I will say is that if Rafa does meet Djoker in the final at the 2014 AO, he’s not losing! I don’t care about Djoker’s winning streak late in the season and his success at this tournament. After losing in 2012, Rafa simply will not go down again to Djoker at this slam.
Rafa is the obvious pick at RG. I don’t know about Delpo being the runnerup. He could well meet Djoker in the final this time.
As for Wimbledon, I do think that by this time Murray should be back to his best form. He would definitely be one of the favorites. As for Fed meeting him in the final, I just do not see that happening. Not if Rafa is able to go deep this time. Also, Djoker isn’t going anywhere. I don’t know about Delpo. It’s true that he had an excellent result this year in pushing Djoker to the limit in that semifinal, but staying healthy and fitness are still concerns.
I would think that Djoker has a good shot at winning the USO. Assuming that Murray’s back is now healthy, he should be more than ready to go for it here. He could pull off another win. I am not counting him out. I also believe that Rafa will definitely be in the mix once again.
Australian Open – Rafael Nadal. Djokovic’s post 2013 US Open run is over-rated, it was expected, it would have been a big surprise if he had failed to win as much as he did. Rafa knows how to beat Djokovic on HC, he will no longer br transitioning from injury. He wins Melbourne and holds 2 career Slams.
Runner-up – Novak Djokovic
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French Open – Rafael Nadal.
Runner-up – Novak Djokovic
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Wimbledon – Rafael Nadal. This time, he will get the Rafa-Slam.
Runner-up – Andy Murray
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U.S. Open – Rafael Nadal. Calendar Slam. 17.
Runner-up – Novak Djokovic
This is the year Rafa goes “all in” for Slams, at the expense of Masters 1000. His knees help up in 2013 and the Masters’ were the testing ground including for new tactics and strategies. 2014 he goes for it because he knows he is not getting any younger. I expect him to just focus on RG after 2014.
Oh Twingey, where are you? Last year I predicted RG, Wimby and USOpen for Rafa and Twingey laughed me off the park. Well, I wasn’t too far off………..
Holy moly! You’re predicting a Calendar Slam for Rafa? With the full schedule he plans to play in 2014, I’m not sure Rafa is going to focus on Slams. I think Wimbledon can be the most difficult one for him because the grass troubles his knees.
I’m not impressed by Rick’s prediction either. Rick’s prediction is too conventional.
The two I’m hoping for Rafa in 2014 is AO and FO. Anything extra will be gravy. 😀
Happy holidays everyone!
@JCKNY, remember, he does not have to win every tournament he enters or is scheduled to play, neither does he have to go deep in every tournament. Also, the schedule is a plan, it can be changed mid-stream.
Agree, Wimby will be the most difficult but I expect Team Rafa to have fashioned a plan after the last 2 years’ debacles……..
They all (the top 5) focus on Slams, Rafa is no exception……………
But if Rafa completes a Calendar Slam next year, he’ll have 17! At the age of 28! The tennis world will explode! 😀
^^^Well, get your sandbags in place, 2014 is gonna be a blast!
Rafa for AO and French. A new Wimby winner and Djoko at the USO
I think that Joker gets surprised in the quarters or semis at the AO, but Rafa doesn’t win it either. Maybe Tsonga. Rafa doesn’t win the French either, but not sure who will. No way will Murray repeat at W…might be Fed! As for the USO, I think it’s DP!
Aus Open: Rafa,secondary choice: djokovic
French Open: Rafa, secondary choice: djokovic
Wimbledon: Murray , secondary choice: Rafa
USO: Djokovic,secondary choice: Rafa
Rafa is the man who is very capable of winning all four slams. People have forgotten how great he is on grass. If his knee holds up in the first few matches if wimbledon, he can power his way to a third wimbledon title.
I give the edge to rafa for AUs open. The court conditions and now the new balls are very favorable for Rafa. If rafa can blow djokovic away in the unfavorable conditions at USO, why not Aus open ! Rafa for the victory.
scootd,
I’d love to hear some of your thoughts as to why Nadal won’t win RG.
same.
although i have to admit, scootd correctly predicted before the 2009 French Open that Nadal would not win it.
unreal.
Aus Open: Djokovic d. Nadal
French Open: Nadal d. Djokovic
Wimbledon: Del Potro d. Federer
US Open: Djokovic d. Tsonga
I really like DelPo’s chances at Wimbledon next year as I think it is the most wide open of the Slams. I hope I’m wrong but I don’t see Murray doing great at the Slams in 2014.
Murray won’t win one this year
Reblogged this on Tennis Abides.
My picks … Australia – Djokovic d. Nadal
Roland Garros – Nadal d. Djokovic
Wimbledon – Murray d. Djokovic
US Open – Djokovic d. Murray
solid picks, Dan
Nothing flashy, but I am not quite ready to say the tour is turning. I’d like to see a period like we had in 1990, 1991 when Lendl, Edberg and Becker were the favorites, but Sampras, Agassi, Chang, Courier, Ivanisevic, Stich were looming. Maybe 2015 will be that year, but 2014 seems like a status quo year.
AO Nole
RG Rafa
Wimbles Andy
USOpen Andy
Yeah, boring and predictable, I know…
Lol! My picks, not outcomes which are not boring or predictable!
Rafa for the Calendar Slam this year!
Even though Rafa is the No 1, most folks on the net this site or others are still predicting Nole to win more slams and close the year 2014 at No 1, wonder why?
see end of 2013
Sanju,
I am not in that group. I predicted that Rafa will win AO and RG.
I don’t agree with Ricky that Djoker’s wins in the fall season mean that he is going to do well throughout 2014. Rafa’s not going anywhere. The fall hard court season has always been Djoker’s strong suit. So it’s to be expected that he did well. That does not portend anything for the new year as far as I am concerned.
Rafa is coming off a great comeback year. He still has the confidence of what he achieved this year. As long as he is healthy, there is no reason to think he won’t continue to do well in 2014.
By the way, it’s good to see you back here posting again! 🙂
Oh @Sanju, are you forgetting the saying, “hope springs eternal?” There is a genuine fear out there that Rafa will do something monstrous in 2014 to make even the strongest “Fed truthers” finally admit that he is the greatest. In the meantime, they will deny the obvious by convincing themselves his biggest rival will stop him, hence the sunny Nole predictions.
Another thing @Sanju, a lot of people are blinded by Novak’s Fall run, conveniently overlooking the following:
1. The competition is dry that time of the season, all the players are exhausted.
2. Novak is a supposed HC specialist so it really would be odd if he did not dominate the HC season, no?
3. The WTF is a tournament for the Top 10 only, so no surprises Novak has a higher winning percentage for the year against Top 10 players compared to Rafa. If the WTF were held during the Spring and on clay, Rafa would have a higher winning % against top 10 players during a season.
4. Rafa traditionally cools off during the Fall.
Pho pale are extrapolating Novak’s Fall run into next year, lazy but convenient.
Stan will win Australian open 2014
good pick, Boris!
aus stanliswarenka ‘french roger fedrer ,wimbledon roger fedrer
i had Delpo finishing RU at RG LOL
Okay Rafa, I need you to listen carefully: my picking reputation is on the line here, you gotta get RG 2014. We’ll worry about Wimbers after………..
I pick Rafa for the 2014 Calendar Slam, which would have been underway had he not suffered the back injury.
Hope springs eternal……..in the breast of Nadline.
But first he must thwart the Djoker in his quest for the holy grail.