After a very unconventional year in which Wimbledon was canceled for the first time since World War II and the French Open was played in the fall, both the ATP and WTA will hopefully be back on track for 2021.
While Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Dominic Thiem won each of the men’s 2020 Grand Slam tournaments, Sofia Kenin, Iga Swiatek, and Naomi Osaka captured trophies on the women’s side.. With Roger Federer out recovering from knee surgery and Serena Williams struggling with an Achilles injury, 2020 was wide open in both the women’s and men’s Grand Slam tournaments.. With the anticipated return of the sport’s most legendary players, will 2021 look drastically different from the COVID-ridden season, or will the up-and-coming young stars continue to take over the professional tour?
Australian Open
As the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open in Melbourne could be one of the most exciting tournaments in the event’s history. Not only will we see the best players on the court, but they’ll be well-rested and refreshed, ready to pounce on the competition.
While Federer is slated to return, Nadal’s presence is still up in the air. In addition to defending champion Novak Djokovic, other younger and equally determined players such as Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev will also be present.. On the women’s side, Australia’s own Ashleigh Barty, who is currently ranked No. 1, will return after missing most of the fall due to travel restrictions. Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka, and defending champion Sophia Kenin will show up ready to dominate.. Prediction: Djokovic will continue to dominate and capture back-to-back Australian Open championships, while Osaka will follow up her 2020 U.S. Open title with a victory in Melbourne.
French Open
At 34 years old, Rafael Nadal is still playing tennis at an extremely high level. It’s as if he and Djokovic never age. He is clearly the French Open favorite every season.
With just one French Open title under his belt, Federer will compete but may be shown the exit door by a younger player in the early rounds. At 39 years old, the Swiss Maestro would have to turn back time to win on clay.. With the French Open half a year away, it’s hard to predict which players will be healthy. Williams, who also just recently turned 29, is hit or miss. Some of the WTA’s youngest players will dominate the clay court in 2021.. Prediction: Rafael Nadal will claim his 14th career French Open title, defeating Dominic Thiem, while Sophia Kenin will exact her revenge on 2020 French Open winner Iga Swiatek.
Wimbledon
Seeing how Wimbledon 2020 was outright canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, tennis fans around the world were unable to see grass-court phenom Roger Federer compete for his 9th Wimbledon title.
We’ve yet to see how Federer will play following knee surgery. While Nadal has won the grass tournament twice, rival No. 1 ranked Djokovic has captured the title five times in his career.. On the women’s side, Williams has the most Wimbledon victories among active players but her ability to advance to the late rounds of a two-week-long tournament is questionable. Czech tennis star Petra Kvitová has won twice at Wimbledon and looks to be the favorite.. Prediction: Djokovic will outlast Federer in London to win his 6th Wimbledon title, while Kvitová will win in straight sets over one of the tournament’s much younger players.
U.S. Open
While it’s very difficult to predict what will happen next fall, here we are. A lot can happen over the course of a year, including fresh new faces that have a legitimate shot at winning a Grand Slam tournament.
Dominic Thiem had one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history at the 2020 U.S. Open. After falling two sets behind heavy hitter Alexander Zverev, Thiem won the next three sets in epic fashion.. Of course, the road to the U.S. Open finals may have looked drastically different had Djokovic not inadvertently hit a line judge with a tennis ball in frustration, resulting in his disqualification.. While Osaka played masterfully in Fleshing Meadows in 2020, she had to pull out of the French Open due to an injured hamstring. It could have been conditioning or perhaps she put it all on the line to win the U.S. Open title.. Regardless, Osaka may have a difficult time enduring to the end of the 2021 season. The final Grand Slam tournament of the year is up for grabs on the women’s side.. Prediction: Djokovic concludes an epic 2021 season with a U.S. Open title, while Simona Halep surprises everyone by winning the women’s title.