The 2025 tennis season is on the immediate horizon, which means it’s time to make predictions for the year’s four Grand Slams. Will Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have another monopoly on the biggest tournaments in the world? Is Novak Djokovic still motivated? Can Alexander Zverev finally get over the hump? Those are just some of the burning questions.
Here are my picks.
Australian Open: Novak Djokovic
Is Djokovic the favorite–or even the second favorite? Absolutely not. Nonetheless, it is by no means out of the question that he wins another slam. And if he does, the Australian Open is obviously the most likely destination. After all, the 38-year-old Serb has won this tournament a record 10 times. Moreover, Carlos Alcaraz has never fared particularly well Down Under and Jannik Sinner heads into 2025 still being hounded by his doping controversy. Seeded outside the top four, Djokovic may need some help from the draw. If he gets it, another title is within reach.
Runner-up (if on opposite side of the draw): Alexander Zverev
French Open: Carlos Alcaraz
It was only a matter of time before Alcaraz won the French Open, and that time proved to be last spring. Among the 21-year-old Spaniard’s other clay-court titles in the early stages of his burgeoning career are Madrid twice, Barcelona twice, and Rio de Janeiro. Alcaraz is only getting better and better on the surface, too, so he will almost surely roll into Roland Garros as the favorite. With Rafael Nadal having retired and Djokovic probably least dangerous on clay of the three surfaces at this point, the door remains open for Alcaraz.
Runner-up (if on opposite side): Jannik Sinner
Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner
Alcaraz has won Wimbledon twice in a row, but–despite what those results suggest–grass really shouldn’t be his best surface. It’s not like he is a slam dunk to become the next dominant force at the All-England Club once Djokovic retires and the Big 3 era officially ends. Sinner is more than capable of lifting his fair share of trophies in SW19, as well. The world No. 1 reached the semifinals in 2023 (lost to Djokovic) and made it to the quarters this past summer before being less than 100 percent during a five-set loss to Daniil Medvedev. There is no reason why Sinner can’t go all the way this time around.
Runner-up (if on opposite side): Jack Draper
U.S. Open: Carlos Alcaraz
When Alcaraz triumphed at the U.S. Open in 2022, probably no one thought he would go two straight years without winning it for a second time. Well, he did. In fact, the current world No. 3 did not even make it back to the final in 2023 or 2024 (fatigue was definitely a factor this past season, though, in part because of the Olympics). Well, it’s time for him to win it again. The spring and summer is when Alcaraz thrives and the U.S. Open is the last event prior to his least favorite time of the year–the European swing on quick indoor courts. I’ll back a motivated Alcaraz to get the job done in New York.
Runner-up (if on opposite side): Daniil Medvedev
I’m tempted to pick Medvedev for the U.S. Open and have four different guys share the four majors. But when Sinner and Alcaraz split them at two apiece in 2023 and are presumably getting even better (which is scary!), it’s just hard to think that at least one of them won’t win at least two for a second consecutive year. Moreover, 2014 was the last time we had four different men’s singles Grand Slam champions (three different players won the three slams in 2020, but Wimbledon was cancelled). Whatever the case, we should be in store for a very interesting season–both on and off the court!
who ya got?!?!
Okay 👍