Premature Grand Slam forecasts for the remainder of 2026
The first major tournament of the year concluded over the weekend, with Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz securing the singles championships at the Australian Open.
For Rybakina, this marked a remarkable resurgence as she captured her second Grand Slam title. The 26-year-old faced various challenges both on and off the court following her 2022 Wimbledon victory, but she ended the 2025 season by winning the trophy at the WTA Finals. In Melbourne, she achieved a series of notable victories before facing world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday in a rematch of the 2023 final. Ultimately, Rybakina triumphed with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, and has now climbed back to No. 3 in the rankings.
As for Alcaraz, his victory on Sunday against Novak Djokovic, with a score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, solidified his position as the top player globally. At just 22 years old, he secured his sixth major title, becoming the youngest man to achieve a career Grand Slam. He accomplished this by defeating one of the sport’s all-time greats, halting Djokovic’s pursuit of a historic 25th Slam title.
In 2025, four different women — Madison Keys, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Sabalenka — claimed Grand Slam titles, while Alcaraz and Sinner divided the men’s singles championships for the second consecutive year. Will a similar pattern emerge in 2026? Is there potential for a first-time champion? And can any male player challenge the Big Two?
With approximately four months remaining until the commencement of play at Roland Garros, here are the anticipated top contenders for the remaining majors in 2026.
French Open
May 24-June 7, Paris
2025 champions: Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz
Top women’s contenders in 2026: Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina, Mirra Andreeva
Despite her semifinal loss to Sabalenka in 2025, Swiatek remains a four-time champion at Roland Garros and is expected to stay the favorite until further notice. She encountered difficulties on the surface in 2025, failing to reach a final in any clay event, but her success on the Parisian clay is unmatched, and she should be highly motivated following last year’s early exit and two disappointing results at the US Open and the Australian Open.
Sabalenka will also have ample motivation. She was heartbroken after her defeat to Gauff in the 2025 final (and again against Rybakina on Saturday) and is eager to secure her first major title on a surface other than hard court. Having won the 1000-level Madrid Open three times on clay, including in 2025, she is certainly capable of achieving that.
Gauff, on the other hand, will aim to defend a major title successfully for the first time. Although she has faced some challenges since her victory in Paris, she has demonstrated her prowess on the surface. She reached the finals in both Madrid and Rome in 2025 and is exceptionally difficult to defeat when performing at her best.
Australian Open semifinalist Svitolina has started her season with remarkable momentum. The 31-year-old clinched the title in Auckland to kick off 2026 and followed it with an impressive performance in Melbourne, which included top-10 victories over Gauff and Andreeva. She has reached the quarterfinals in Paris five times throughout her career, including last year, and is a seven-time WTA champion on clay. Could this finally be the year she captures her first Slam title? That would be a compelling narrative.
Andreeva, the 18-year-old talent, is also hoping this could be her moment to achieve the milestone. She reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2024 (and won an Olympic silver medal in doubles at Roland Garros that same year) and has recorded notable victories at the venue. Although she has occasionally faltered in crucial moments or challenging environments, such as against French relative unknown Lois Boisson in the 2025 quarterfinals, a major title still seems inevitable for the young star.
Top men’s contenders in 2026: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti
The 2025 final between Alcaraz and Sinner was a thrilling five-set match, marking the second-longest major final in history. It is challenging to fully articulate the epic nature of the match and the level exhibited by both competitors.
Given this, it is difficult to envision a scenario where anyone other than Alcaraz or Sinner claims the trophy in 2026. Alcaraz, the world No. 1, is the two-time defending champion and has arguably been the most consistent player on the surface in recent years. He also secured two of the three clay Masters 1000 titles last season.
Sinner, perhaps with added motivation following his early exit at the Australian Open, will be aiming to complete the career Grand Slam in Paris. He has only one career clay title but reached the final in Rome last season in his first event back after a three-month suspension, and then advanced to the championship match at the French Open.
Then there is Zverev, the 2024 runner-up. He has reached the quarterfinals or better in seven of the past eight years and consistently performs well on clay. He pushed Alcaraz to five thrilling sets in the semifinals in Melbourne, demonstrating his capability to play at a high level. The French Open remains the three-time major finalist’s best opportunity to finally secure a coveted Slam title.
Although injuries have hindered him at inopportune moments, Musetti must be considered among the contenders if he is healthy. He was just a set away from reaching the semifinals in Melbourne before retiring due to leg pain — and faced a similar injury that affected him in the semifinals of last year’s French Open — but Musetti has shown he can reach the later stages of majors. The pressing questions now are: How can he maintain his best physical condition, and how far can he advance?
Wimbledon
June 29-July 12, London
2025 champions: Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner
Top women’s contenders in 2026: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina
Grass remains the most unpredictable surface for women, primarily due to its very short window on the annual calendar. With only three weeks between the conclusion of the French Open and the beginning of Wimbledon, most players participate in only one or two lead-in tournaments on grass and seldom practice on the surface outside of that period. This transition can be challenging for many, as moving from the slow clay to the significantly faster grass poses difficulties.
Nevertheless, Swiatek managed to decipher the challenge last year — after several seasons of underwhelming results at the All England Club — by reaching her first grass final in Bad Homburg and then appearing dominant at Wimbledon throughout the fortnight. In the final, she required less than an hour to defeat Anisimova 6-0, 6-0. Following that performance, it would be impossible not to include her among the favorites for 2026.
Sabalenka was largely viewed as the player to beat at the All England Club last season, reaching her third semifinal at the tournament before being shocked by Anisimova in a thrilling three-set match. Although she has yet to secure a title on grass, and Wimbledon remains the only Slam where she has not reached the final, she continues to be the most consistent player at majors, having advanced to the semifinals or better at every Slam she has participated in since the US Open in 2022.
Few anticipated Anisimova would reach the final — her first at a major — in 2025, but she did so following another final appearance at Queen’s Club leading up to it. The tournament was a breakthrough for Anisimova, and despite the lopsided final, it propelled her into the top 10 for the first time. With an aggressive playing style well-suited for grass, she recorded the most wins among WTA players on the surface (12) in 2025 and should be filled with confidence at the All England Club this summer.
Speaking of confidence, no woman has won more matches since Wimbledon last summer than Rybakina. With a strong start to 2026, the 2022 Wimbledon champion (and 2024 semifinalist) could reclaim her title as the grass-court queen by July.
Top men’s contenders in 2026: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz
Sinner and Alcaraz have claimed the last three Wimbledon titles, with Sinner defeating Alcaraz in the final in 2025. At a venue where experience is crucial, they undoubtedly remain the men to beat.
No player has been more dominant on grass over the past three seasons than Alcaraz. He has secured four titles on the surface, including two at Wimbledon and at Queen’s Club in 2025, and boasts a career record of 35-4. The loss to Sinner marked his first defeat in a final on grass.
Sinner, who has reached the quarterfinals or better in four of his five Wimbledon appearances and is 2-0 in grass-court finals, has clearly mastered his game on the surface. Another final between the two seems probable.
However, Djokovic is a seven-time Wimbledon champion and reached the finals in 2023 and 2024. While he came very close in Melbourne, Wimbledon might present his best opportunity to finally secure his record-setting 25th major title. It will not be easy, and he has lost in the previous four majors to either Sinner or Alcaraz, but grass could be the most favorable surface for him to reverse this trend in 2026.
Although he is more of a long shot, Fritz should not be overlooked. The American player made his first semifinal appearance at the All England Club last year after two previous quarterfinal runs. He reached the final at the 2024 US Open, but grass appears to suit him best, and he is a five-time ATP champion on the surface, including two titles in 2025. If anyone is capable of a surprise run — and potentially winning a trophy — it’s Fritz.
US Open
Aug. 30-Sept. 13, New York
2025 champions: Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz
Top women’s contenders in 2026: Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Mboko, Iva Jovic
It is challenging to predict how players will perform and feel so late in the season, as injuries, fatigue, and burnout can often play a role. However, the top players typically find their way to the second week of the tournament, and 2026 should be no exception.
Sabalenka is now the two-time defending champion, thriving on the energy, attention, and support of the New York crowd. She was unable to achieve the rare three-peat at the Australian Open in 2025 and would relish the opportunity to do so at the US Open.
Gauff, the 2023 champion, was not at her best during the tournament last season. She struggled with her serve leading up to it and changed her coaching staff just days before the event began. Despite this, she still reached the fourth round and has found more success since. She advanced to the quarterfinals in Melbourne, and although she still has moments of vulnerability, no player will have more crowd support than Gauff in New York.
Anisimova, the 2025 runner-up, will also enjoy the crowd’s support. After thrilling victories during last year’s tournament, including wins over Swiatek and Osaka, she has proven she can perform in crucial moments and will aim to take it one step further in September.
After her resurgent semifinal run last season, two-time champion Osaka will be more determined than ever to reclaim her top position. The 2026 season has not unfolded as planned thus far — she dealt with an illness during the United Cup and had to withdraw from the Australian Open ahead of her third-round match due to an abdominal injury — but if she is healthy, she remains a formidable opponent on hard courts.
While the US Open has seen more predictable winners in recent years, it has also crowned a number of surprising champions, such as Emma Raducanu in 2021 and Bianca Andreescu in 2019. Could 19-year-old Mboko or 18-year-old Jovic emerge as the latest young star to lift the trophy in New York? Both have displayed incredible potential and are at career-high rankings, with No. 13 Mboko winning the 2025 Canadian Open and No. 20 Jovic reaching her first major quarterfinal in Melbourne. Both will have gained more experience by the end of the season. Never say never.
Top men’s contenders in 2026: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Learner Tien
Alcaraz defeated Sinner in the final in 2025, and Sinner won it the previous year. Have we mentioned their combined dominance yet?
Both players appeared nearly unstoppable during their paths to the championship match last year, and Alcaraz maintained that same level of dominance against a surprisingly subdued Sinner in the final. At the Australian Open, Sinner showed some vulnerability in a five-set thriller against Djokovic, but Alcaraz was rarely in doubt. After nearly five-and-a-half hours on court in the semifinals, which included injury, vomiting, and cramping, Alcaraz still managed to recover and defeat Djokovic when it mattered most two days later.
While others can certainly pose a challenge on hard courts on any given day, they remain the overwhelming favorites for the year’s final major. Surprising, we know.
And if Djokovic, who will be 39 at that time, is still pursuing No. 25, he should never be underestimated. He last won a major at the US Open in 2023 and, as he reminded Sinner at the Australian Open, still possesses the ability to secure significant victories on the surface.
Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Sinner are beloved worldwide, but if any of them face a top-ranked and highly entertaining player like Shelton, they might find the crowd against them. Shelton, who thrives in major tournaments and in front of large audiences, could take advantage of that situation. He has never defeated Alcaraz and has beaten Sinner once in ten attempts (losing in their most recent encounter in the Australian Open quarterfinals), but he continues to improve and could be the one to succeed in New York.
Lastly, while selecting Tien might be somewhat of a stretch at this point, the 20-year-old has demonstrated his ability to pull off upsets (just ask Daniil Medvedev!) and advanced to the first major quarterfinal of his career in Melbourne. He reached two ATP finals at the end of the 2025 season — his first full year on tour — and even secured the Moselle Open title. He appears to be gaining confidence and improving with each tournament he participates in.
It has been nearly 23 years since an American man won a major singles title — could Shelton or Tien finally end the drought? Stay tuned.
Source: espn.com
