The primary main event of the 12 months concluded over the weekend, with Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz successful the Australian Open singles title.
It was a spectacular comeback for Rybakina to win her second profession Grand Slam title. The 26-year-old went by some challenges on and off the courtroom after her Wimbledon win in 2022, however ended the 2025 season with a trophy on the WTA Finals. In Melbourne, she racked up a string of spectacular wins and can face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday in a rematch of the 2023 closing. Ultimately, Rybakina gained a press release 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and is now again in third place within the rankings.
As for Alcaraz, he solidified his standing as the very best participant on the planet with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Novak Djokovic on Sunday. Alcaraz gained his sixth main trophy at simply 22 years outdated, making him the youngest participant to win a profession Grand Slam. And he completed that by defeating the best participant within the historical past of the game and stopping Djokovic’s bid for a historic twenty fifth main championship title.
4 totally different ladies’s gamers gained Grand Slam trophies in 2025: Madison Keys, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka, whereas Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner cut up the boys’s singles title for the second 12 months in a row. Will the same pattern emerge in 2026? Perhaps we’ll see a first-time winner? And is there a man who can problem the large two?
There are about 4 months left till the beginning of the video games at Roland Garros. This is who would be the prime contender for the remaining majors in 2026.
french open
Might twenty fourth – June seventh, Paris
2025 Champion: Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz
Prime feminine candidates for 2026: IGA Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Alina Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina, Mila Andreeva
Regardless of shedding to Sabalenka within the semi-finals on the 2025 event, Swiatek remains to be a four-time Roland Garros champion and will stay the favourite till additional discover. Though she struggled on the bottom in 2025, failing to succeed in the finals of any clay event, no tour participant has had extra success on the clay courts in Paris, and she or he must be extra motivated than ever after final 12 months’s early exit and two disappointing outcomes on the US Open and Australian Open.
After all, Sabalenka could have no scarcity of motivation. She was devastated by her loss to Gauff within the 2025 closing (and towards Rybakina on Saturday) and is hoping for her first main victory away on a tough courtroom. She has gained the 1000-level Madrid Open 3 times, together with in 2025, and is greater than able to reaching that objective.
However Gauff might be aiming to efficiently defend her main title for the primary time. Though she has had some struggles since her victory in Paris, she has confirmed to be the most effective on the floor. She has reached the finals in each Madrid and Rome in 2025 and is nearly not possible to win if she performs at her greatest.
Australian Open semi-finalist Svitolina is off to a scorching begin to the season. The 31-year-old gained the 2026 title in Auckland, adopted by a formidable efficiency in Melbourne that included top-10 wins over Gauff and Andreeva. She has reached the quarterfinals in Paris 5 instances throughout her profession, together with final 12 months, and is a seven-time WTA champion on clay. Will this be the 12 months she lastly wins her first Grand Slam title? What a narrative!
Andreeva, an 18-year-old prodigy, can be hopeful that it is perhaps her flip to realize this milestone. She reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2024 (she gained a silver medal in doubles on the Roland Garros Olympics the identical 12 months) and recorded some high quality wins on the venue. Andreeva has stumbled at key moments and in robust circumstances, comparable to towards France’s comparatively unknown Roi-Boisson within the 2025 season, however a serious title nonetheless feels inevitable for the younger star.
Prime males’s candidates for 2026: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti
The 2025 closing between Alcaraz and Sinner was an exhilarating five-set prompt basic, making it the second longest main closing in historical past. It is arduous to totally categorical in phrases how epic this match was and the extent proven by each gamers.
That being mentioned, it is arduous to think about a state of affairs the place somebody apart from Alcaraz or Sinner’s title takes residence the trophy in 2026. World No. 1 Alcaraz is the two-time defending champion and arguably probably the most constant on the floor over the previous few years. He gained two of the three Clay Masters 1000 stage titles final season.
And Sinner, who most likely has a bit of extra to show after his early exit on the Australian Open, might be aiming for a profession Grand Slam in Paris. He has just one clay title in his profession, however final season he reached the ultimate in Rome in his first event after a three-month suspension and reached the French Open championship match.
After which there’s Zverev, the 2024 runner-up. He has reached the quarter-finals or increased in seven of the previous eight years and has all the time been sturdy on clay. He proved he was able to enjoying high-level tennis by pushing Alcaraz to an astonishing 5 units within the semi-finals in Melbourne. The French Open stays the three-time main finalist’s greatest likelihood to win the coveted Grand Slam title.
Musetti has been tormented by accidents at an inopportune time, however when wholesome he ought to undoubtedly be thought of. Though he was pressured to retire with a sore leg only one set away from reaching the semi-finals in Melbourne, Musetti confirmed he can go all the way in which to the ultimate phases of a serious event, regardless of shedding final 12 months’s French Open semi-final with the same damage. The massive query now could be how can he keep in prime situation and the way far can he go?
wimbledon
June twenty ninth – July twelfth, London
2025 Champion: Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner
Prime feminine candidates for 2026: Arina Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina
Grass stays probably the most unpredictable floor for ladies, primarily as a consequence of its extremely quick interval on the annual calendar. With solely three weeks between the top of Roland Garros and the beginning of Wimbledon, most gamers solely play one or two lead-in tournaments on grass and barely follow on the sector at different instances. It’s troublesome for many individuals and it’s troublesome to adapt from sluggish clay to a lot quicker grass.
That mentioned, after a number of seasons of below-average performances on the All England Membership, Swiatek reached his first grass closing at Unhealthy Homburg final 12 months and located a technique to crack the code by trying as dominant as anybody at Wimbledon over the subsequent two weeks. Within the closing, she wanted lower than an hour to defeat Anisimova 6-0, 6-0. After that efficiency, it will be not possible to not embody her as a favourite to win in 2026.
Sabalenka was largely thought to win on the All England Membership final season, reaching her third semi-final on the event, however misplaced to Anisimova in an exhilarating three units. Though she has by no means gained a title on grass and Wimbledon is the one main event she has but to succeed in the finals of, she stays probably the most constant participant within the majors, reaching the semifinals or higher at each main event she has performed for the reason that 2022 U.S. Open.
Few anticipated Anisimova to succeed in her first main closing in 2025, however she did after reaching the ultimate at Queen’s Membership. The event was a milestone for Anisimova, propelling her into the highest 10 for the primary time regardless of a lopsided closing. With an aggressive sport suited to grass, she has probably the most wins of any WTA participant on surfaces in 2025 (12) and might be stuffed with confidence on the All England Membership this summer time.
Talking of confidence, no lady has gained extra matches than Rybakina since Wimbledon final summer time. With such a powerful begin to 2026, the 2022 Wimbledon champion (and 2024 semi-finalist) may reclaim her title as grass courtroom queen in July.
Prime males’s candidates for 2026: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz
Sinner and Alcaraz have gained Wimbledon 3 times up to now, with Sinner defeating Alcaraz within the 2025 closing. In a spot the place expertise issues, there isn’t a doubt that they may proceed to be the boys to beat.
No participant has been extra dominant on the floor than Alcaraz over the previous three seasons. He has gained 4 titles on grass, together with two at Wimbledon and two at Queen’s Membership in 2025, and has an general report of 35-4. The loss to Sinner was his first loss in a floor closing.
And Sinner, who has reached the quarterfinals or higher in 4 of his 5 appearances at Wimbledon and is 2-0 in grass-court finals, ostensibly has a transparent understanding of his sport. There’s a excessive chance that there might be one other closing match between the 2.
Nevertheless, Djokovic has gained Wimbledon seven instances and reached the finals in 2023 and 2024. He got here shut in Melbourne, however Wimbledon could also be his greatest likelihood to win a report twenty fifth main title. It will not be simple, he is misplaced to both Sinner or Alcaraz in his final 4 majors, however turf may very well be the very best place to reverse this pattern in 2026.
There are actually larger potentialities, however do not rule out Fritz both. The American powerhouse made his first semi-final look on the All England Membership final 12 months after reaching the quarter-finals the earlier two instances. He reached the ultimate on the 2024 US Open, however grass appears to swimsuit him greatest. He’s a five-time ATP champion on the bottom, together with two titles in 2025. If anybody can win a shock run and a trophy, it is Fritz.
us open
August thirtieth – September thirteenth, New York
2025 Champion: Arina Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz
Prime feminine candidates for 2026: Arina Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Mboko, Iva Jovic
It is not possible to understand how gamers will carry out and really feel on the finish of the season, as accidents, fatigue, and burnout are sometimes contributing elements. Nevertheless, prime gamers nonetheless are inclined to advance to the second week of the event, and 2026 must be no totally different.
Sabalenka is now a two-time defending champion and thrives on the vitality, consideration and New York crowd. She missed out on a uncommon three-peat on the 2025 Australian Open, however will relish the prospect to take action on the US Open.
Gauff, the 2023 champion, wasn’t at her greatest in competitors final season. She struggled along with her serve within the final minute, and the teaching employees was changed a number of days earlier than the match. Regardless of this, she nonetheless made it to the fourth spherical and has since discovered additional success. She made it to the quarter-finals in Melbourne, and whereas she nonetheless has some susceptible moments, nobody could have extra crowd assist than Gauff in New York.
2025 runner-up Anisimova will even have the viewers on her facet. After thrilling wins over Swiatek and Osaka in final 12 months’s event, she was in a position to step up in necessary moments and can intention to take one other step ahead in September.
After double champion Osaka made a comeback within the semi-finals final season, she might be extra hungry than ever to get again to the highest. The 2026 season hasn’t gone precisely to plan to date – she suffered an sickness in the course of the United Cup and needed to withdraw earlier than the third spherical of the Australian Open as a consequence of an stomach damage – however when wholesome she stays harmful on arduous courts.
The variety of gamers anticipated to win the US Open has elevated in current seasons, however up to now there have been plenty of shocking winners, together with Emma Raducanu in 2021 and Bianca Andreescu in 2019. Will 19-year-old Mboko or 18-year-old Jovic turn out to be the newest younger stars to elevate a trophy in New York? Each gamers present unimaginable promise and are at career-high rankings, with world No. 13 Mboko successful the 2025 Canadian Open and world No. 20 Jovic reaching his first main quarter-final in Melbourne. Each gamers will acquire extra expertise by the top of the season. by no means say by no means.
Prime males’s candidates for 2026: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Lerner Tien
Alcaraz defeated Sinner within the 2025 closing, with Sinner successful the earlier 12 months. Did I point out their collective management but?
Their run to final 12 months’s championship match appeared nearly unstoppable, and Alcaraz maintained the identical stage of dominance towards a surprisingly flat Sinner within the closing. On the Australian Open, Sinner confirmed some weak point in a crushing five-set loss to Djokovic, however Alcaraz was left with little doubt. Even after spending practically 5 and a half hours on courtroom within the semifinals with accidents, vomiting and cramps, Alcaraz discovered a technique to recuperate and defeated Djokovic in crucial second two days later.
They’re nonetheless the overwhelming favorites for the ultimate main of the 12 months, though it is actually doable that others will problem them at any time on arduous courts. Surprising, we all know.
And if Djokovic, who might be 39 by then, remains to be chasing twenty fifth place, he should not be missed. He gained his final main on the 2023 US Open and, as he reminded Sinner on the Australian Open, ostensibly nonetheless has what it takes to win large.
Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner are cherished everywhere in the world, however the crowd will flip towards them in the event that they face a top-ranked, extremely entertaining showman like Shelton. Shelton will be capable of make the most of that chance as he continues to develop within the majors and in entrance of massive crowds. He has by no means overwhelmed Alcaraz and has overwhelmed Sinner as soon as in 10 tries (shedding of their most up-to-date encounter within the Australian Open quarterfinals), however he continues to enhance and may very well be the one to do it in New York.
Lastly, Tien could also be an extended shot to choose at this level, however the 20-year-old has proven he can pull off an upset (simply ask Daniil Medvedev!), reaching his first profession main quarter-final in Melbourne. He reached the ATP Finals twice on the finish of the 2025 season, his first full 12 months on tour, and in addition gained the Moselle Open. He appears to get higher and extra assured each time he enters a event.
It has been practically 23 years since an American man gained a serious singles title – can Shelton or Tien lastly finish the drought? keep tuned.
