If it seems like simply the opposite week we have been all watching the ladies’s WTA Finals and the boys’s ATP Finals, properly, it nearly was: Yearly, tennis’s temporary low season appears to turn out to be much more temporary—and no matter relaxation a few its high gamers may need loved was stolen away by some undesirable drama. Each world primary Jannik Sinner and quantity two Iga Swiatek have been dogged by sophisticated accusations relating to doping—accusations that are nonetheless enjoying out in some upcoming hearings. (To make sure: Neither Sinner nor Swiatek seem to have acquired any efficiency advantages from these violations, which have already been investigated.) In any case, right here we’re, with the season’s so-called “pleasant slam,” a.ok.a. the Australian Open, upon us, the first-round matches kicking off as we speak.
Sinner, the defending champion, would appear to be the odds-on favourite to notch his third slam—he was almost unbeatable as final season rolled on—and apart from a doubtlessly tough first-round opponent in Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, his path to the finals appears nearly ridiculously unencumbered. After all, we watch the slams for surprising upsets and breakout stars, however we’re extra inclined than standard to name Sinner the one to beat right here. Clearly, Carlos Alcaraz would like to show us improper, and if he can shortly regain among the kind and extra of the mojo he appeared to lose final season (after solely taking the French Open and Wimbledon titles), he’ll be contending for the title—as will Alexander Zverev (perennially one of the best participant by no means to have received a slam) and Taylor Fritz—at fourth seed, the highest-ranked American in Melbourne, who also needs to have a slightly gilded path to the later phases.
There’s additionally all the time Novak Djokovic, arriving in Australia because the lowly seventh seed, however with a brand new coach (the lately retired Andy Murray) and armfuls of slams below his belt. Can he recapture the shape that eluded him finally 12 months’s massive tournaments (apart from the Olympics, the place he took gold) and win a document twenty fifth slam? Right here’s the place we get into bother with our predictions: Whereas we don’t fairly have it in us to wager on him, we all know far, much better than to wager in opposition to him. We’ll even be maintaining a eager eye on a few lefties in Britain’s Jack Draper and our personal Ben Shelton, each of whom are well-poised for main leaps of their careers, together with American Frances Tiafoe. Even when the latter doesn’t communicate loudly along with his recreation, his new endorsement take care of Lululemon will possible make him a colourful must-watch all by itself.
As for the ladies’s aspect (which, it must be stated, appears extra constantly filled with top-tier expertise than the boys’s, which runs a bit cold and hot): Like Sinner, defending champion (two years operating!) and world primary Aryna Sabalenka, in a rational and logical world, must be a lock to repeat but once more. Standing in her manner: American Sloane Stephens within the first spherical, together with—doubtlessly—Russia’s Mirra Andreeva (the one teenager within the high 100 and somebody to maintain a really sharp eye on) and the all the time fierce (however particularly so lately) Qinwen Zheng of China.
