Three major tours of the 2023 season have concluded—Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open on January 29 and the French Open on June 11. Wimbledon’s classic game between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic ended in a victory for Alcaraz in an anxiety-inducing, thrilling, and thoroughly exciting gameplay.
The next grand slam tours include the last in 2023—The US Open from August 28 to September 10 and then 2024’s Australian Open and French Open.
Who Will Excel at the Grand Slams?
We always find it a good exercise to look at betting odds. It’s a good summary of a player’s performance. Reputable sportsbooks such as Bodog take into account all performance stats, form, head-to-head records, and other circumstances to arrive at these odds—Making them highly dependable.
For example, Canadian betting sites offering odds for Grand Slam matches have assigned the following odds to players, with lower numbers denoting a higher likelihood of winning:
- US Open outright: Novak Djokovic (+110), Carlos Alcaraz (+200), Daniil Medvedev (+350).
- Australian Open outright: Novak Djokovic (+125), Carlos Alcaraz (+350), Daniil Medvedev (+450), Rafael Nadal (+1200).
- French Open outright: Carlos Alcaraz (+150), Novak Djokovic (+200), Rafael Nadal (+400), Daniil Medvedev (+1000).
These are all pretty accurate as per the current form and track record of these players.
Now, it’s important to note that Rafael Nadal pulled out of the French Open with an injury while he also plans to retire next year. Later, he completely shut himself down for the rest of the 2023 tennis season, which means he won’t be playing in the US Open this year.
It’s very likely that Djoker will come out on top in the US Open later this year. But the battle between him and Carlos Alcaraz or possibly Daniil Medvedev will be an exhilarating affair.
Skill
Djokovic’s exceptional skill lies mainly in his defensive prowess and mental fortitude. He’s exceptionally versatile and always seems to know how to come back from the toughest of fights. His all-court game is accentuated by excellent movement, precise ball striking, and, most importantly, his almost-uncanny ability to return serves.
Throughout the 2023 season, he has shown excellent agility and court coverage while displaying unmatched consistency.
His biggest rival at this point is Carlos Alcaraz. Despite his young age, Alcaraz has remarkable skill and shot-making abilities that professional tennis players still don’t have after his years.
His aggressive play style with powerful groundstrokes allows him to dictate points and take control of rallies. That being said, Alcaraz remains to be a rising star. His skills are still developing, and the 2023 season was definitely his best so far.
But let’s not forget about one of the biggest threats to Djokovic—Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev’s powerful playstyle is based on a strong serve and impeccable shot selection. Further, his tactical intelligence makes him a formidable challenger to anyone.
His “flat” backhand and aggressive playstyle both make him difficult to handle—Especially on faster courts. Add to that his ability to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm and use his height as an advantage, and you have the perfect recipe for the next legendary tennis pro.
Nadal has taken a break for the rest of 2023, owing to his hip injuries. We also believed that it would be Alcaraz who took away Nadal’s crown at the French Open, but that didn’t come to pass. However, not it seems more likely than ever that he will be succeeding Rafael anytime now.
Nadal’s legendary performance on clay courts makes him virtually unbeatable, and his nickname of “The Bull” is well-earned, given his relentless fighting spirit.
Playstyle
Throughout the 2023 season, Djokovic has honed his counter-punching style and defensive skills. We expect him to become even better come next year, but the challenger in Alcaraz isn’t going to be put down with just that.
Well-known for his ability to retrieve seemingly impossible shots and redirect the pace of play, he can often be frustrating for his opponents.
Alcaraz’s aggressive shot-making bolsters his fearless approach to taking risks, and that’s what Djokovic has to fear in the US Open as well as the 2024 grand slams.
The fact that Alcaraz isn’t afraid to attack the net and likes to go for an all-out offensive game makes him all the more threatening, as he can dictate play at any moment. Even in the Wimbledon finals that concluded recently, Djokovic lost charge to him after losing the second tiebreaker.
Wrapping Up
Obviously, we’ll be looking at these four champions closely through the rest of 2023 and 2024. And we’re sure you will be too! They all bring different skills and playstyles to the table, and their accolades will not stop anytime soon (except for Nadal, who will most likely retire after finishing the 2024 season).
Let’s see who comes out at #1 when the current season ends!