2026 Grand Slam Predictions: Alcaraz and Sinner, Who Will Challenge?

The 2025 Grand Slam season concluded with thrilling victories at the US Open, where Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz were crowned champions.The season of the year’s most important tournaments was memorable. Four women managed to lift titles: Madison Keys (Australian Open), Coco Gauff (Roland Garros), Iga Swiatek (Wimbledon), and Sabalenka, with an American reaching the final in each event. In the men’s division, Alcaraz (also champion at Roland Garros) and Jannik Sinner (Australian Open and Wimbledon) split the titles. Sinner reached the final in each Grand Slam, facing Alcaraz in three of them.Keys was the only champion for the first time in 2025. Alexander Zverev was the only man, apart from Alcaraz and Sinner, to reach a Grand Slam final.While Sabalenka and Alcaraz celebrate their recent achievements, and there’s still a lot of season left, with the Asian tour and the WTA and ATP Finals, it’s time to look towards 2026. There are only four months left until the Australian Open.Predicting the results of next season’s Grand Slams is a challenge, but it won’t stop us. Here are the main contenders in each of the most important tournaments in 2026.

Australian Open

Date: January 18 – February 1Headquarters: Melbourne, Australia

Defending champions: Keys and Sinner

Top female contenders: Sabalenka, Gauff, Swiatek, and Naomi Osaka

Sabalenka will seek to reclaim the title, fueled by her recent victory at the US Open. A two-time champion in Melbourne, she was close to achieving the “three-peat” before being defeated by Keys this year. She will be eager to win her fifth Grand Slam title on her favorite surface and tournament.Gauff, after a tough fourth-round loss in New York, hopes to solve her serving problems with the help of Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics expert. Gauff, one of the toughest rivals on hard court, reached the semifinals in Melbourne in 2024 and the quarterfinals this year.Swiatek also demonstrated her level with a victory in Cincinnati before the US Open and a run to the quarterfinals in New York. She is a two-time semifinalist, including in 2025, and will seek to complete the Grand Slam in Australia.And, of course, Osaka. The four-time Grand Slam champion, including twice at the Australian Open, has resurfaced this summer with a final at the Canadian Open and a semifinal in New York. Currently ranked number 14, her highest position since returning from maternity leave in early 2024, she will seek to take her comeback even further.Best chance for an unseeded Grand Slam champion: Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, Iva JovicPegula, a three-time quarterfinalist at the Australian Open, reached the final of the 2024 US Open and the semifinals in New York this year. She has already defeated the main contenders on this surface; why not in Melbourne, when the pressure is at its peak?Anisimova reached consecutive Wimbledon and US Open finals, achieving impressive victories. With these experiences, a Grand Slam title seems more a “when” than an “if”.And, although it’s less likely, would anyone be surprised to see Jovic go far, or even win the tournament, in Australia? The 17-year-old, junior champion of the 2024 Australian Open, won the first title of her career at the Guadalajara Open 500 level. She became the youngest champion on the circuit this season and is now in the top 40 of the rankings. We have seen unexpected winners in recent years.

Top male contenders: Sinner, Alcaraz, and Novak DjokovicIt is evident that Sinner and Alcaraz will be the clear favorites in each Grand Slam in the immediate future. They have won all the Grand Slam titles in the last two seasons, and it is difficult to imagine that changing soon. Djokovic, with 24 Grand Slam titles, remains the next best option, despite being 38 years old, and there is a considerable difference between him and the rest of the players. For now, at least.It’s incredible what Sinner, 24, and Alcaraz, 22, have achieved, as well as Djokovic, who reached the semifinals in each Grand Slam this year, but that doesn’t mean the predictions are interesting.Sinner is the two-time defending champion of the Australian Open. Can he become the first man since Djokovic to win three in a row? Absolutely! He is very likely to be the favorite entering the tournament.But Alcaraz, like Swiatek, will seek to complete the Grand Slam and win his first Australian Open title. He is now the world number 1 and, with titles at the US Open and Cincinnati, seems to have reduced the gap on hard court with Sinner and will almost certainly surpass his previous best result of quarter-finals.Djokovic is a ten-time champion in Australia, most recently in 2023, and will continue his quest to break the record for most Grand Slam titles. But even he admitted the challenge it will be against the new “Big Two”.Best chance for an unseeded Grand Slam champion: Ben Shelton and ZverevShelton, 22, seems to have as much chance as anyone of challenging Alcaraz and Sinner in the Grand Slams, and could certainly do so in Melbourne, on his preferred surface. The current world number 6 reached the semi-finals this season and won the Canadian Open in August. Assuming his shoulder is healthy, he could have what it takes to surprise the world.Zverev reached the 2025 final and is a three-time Grand Slam finalist. After losing to Sinner in Melbourne last year, he said he wasn’t sure if he would ever win a Grand Slam trophy. Since then, he reached the quarterfinals in Paris, lost in the first round at Wimbledon, and was eliminated in the third round at the US Open. Perhaps Melbourne is where he can turn things around.

Roland Garros

Date: May 24 – June 7Headquarters: Paris, FranceDefending champions: Gauff and AlcarazTop female contenders: Swiatek, Gauff, SabalenkaSwiatek is a four-time champion at Roland Garros and was the big favorite to win the 2025 title before being surprised by Sabalenka in the semifinals. Despite her stumble this year, or perhaps in part because of it, Swiatek will likely be the favorite again in Paris and will be determined to regain her status as “Queen of Clay”.Gauff has shown her talent on this surface. She reached the finals in Madrid and Rome before Roland Garros and will seek her first consecutive Grand Slam title.Sabalenka, who Gauff defeated in the final, also hopes to avenge her three-set defeat in the championship match and prove that she can win on natural surfaces.Best chance for an unseeded Grand Slam champion: Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, Zheng QinwenAndreeva, 18, reached the semifinals in Paris in 2024 and then the quarterfinals this season (and reached the semifinals in doubles). Champion in two 1000-level tournaments this season, she is poised for her breakthrough and a title seems inevitable. Will it be this year?Paolini, finalist at Roland Garros (and Wimbledon) in 2024, did not match her success in 2025, but won the doubles title in Paris and took the trophy at her home tournament, on clay, in Rome. She remains a dominant force on the surface, in both singles and doubles. Zheng, who won Olympic gold at Roland Garros 2024, has been out since Wimbledon due to an elbow injury and subsequent surgery, but is expected to return this month.

Top male contenders: Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic

These three again? In 2025, Alcaraz, two-time defending champion, fought for the title against Sinner in an epic final that lasted five hours and 29 minutes. Many tennis fans will probably ask for a rematch, and they could surely get it. Alcaraz has an advantage on clay, but Sinner, who had just returned from a three-month suspension in May, will probably be an even more formidable rival in 2026 on that surface, and with the added incentive of trying to complete the Grand Slam.

Djokovic is a three-time champion at Roland Garros, with his most recent title in 2023. He lost only one set on his way to the 2025 semi-finals before falling to Sinner, 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (3).Best chance for an unseeded Grand Slam champion: Lorenzo Musetti, Zverev, Holger Rune

Musetti had an impressive 2025 on clay. He reached the semifinals in Paris for the first time and even won the first set against Alcaraz before retiring due to injury in the fourth set. He also reached the final of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 level and the semifinals in Madrid and Rome. At only 23 years old, it’s hard to think that he won’t continue to improve and become an even greater force in 2026.

Zverev, finalist in 2024, won the 500-level title in Munich in April and has reached the quarterfinals or better in seven appearances at Roland Garros. It remains one of his best tournaments, and if he is going to win one, it could be there. Rune, 22, was once considered in the same category as Alcaraz and Sinner, but has not had comparable success. However, he has had some of his strongest performances on clay, including winning the title in Barcelona this year with a victory over Alcaraz in the final, and has reached the quarterfinals twice at Roland Garros.

Wimbledon

Date: June 29 – July 12

Headquarters: London, United Kingdom

Defending champions: Swiatek and SinnerTop female contenders: Swiatek, Sabalenka, Elena RybakinaWith little experience on grass due to her long clay season, few expected Swiatek to lift the trophy at the All England Club. But after her early exit from Roland Garros, Swiatek focused on the grass, and it paid off. Having played in only three main draws on that surface besides Wimbledon in previous years, Swiatek reached the final in Bad Homburg during a preparation event and then dominated at Wimbledon. She had never before advanced beyond the quarterfinals, but she won the title with an amazing performance, including a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Anisimova in the final. She confessed that she wasn’t sure she could do it again at Wimbledon after winning, but with the way her game came together on grass, she could be the favorite next year.Sabalenka, a three-time semi-finalist, was devastated by Anisimova in the semi-finals, but vowed to come back stronger. Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam in which she has not reached the final, and she will likely do everything possible to change that in 2026.Rybakina, the 2022 champion, has had an uneven path at the All England Club, and elsewhere, since her triumph. She reached the quarterfinals in 2023, the semifinals in 2024, and was surprised in the third round this year. Even so, she is always a contender on the surface and knows what it takes to win at the historic venue.Best chance for an unseeded Grand Slam champion: Anisimova, AndreevaAnisimova was masterful in her first six matches at the All England Club this year, especially during her 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 semifinal victory over Sabalenka, in which she remained calm during the most crucial points of the tense encounter. Having also reached the final at Queen’s Club in June, her first grass court final, Anisimova has shown that she has what it takes on the surface. While the final was not exactly her best performance, she should be a fan favorite in 2026 thanks to her kind speech and behavior after the defeat.Andreeva, who reached the fourth round in her Wimbledon debut in 2023, had her best result this year by reaching the quarterfinals. She fell in two tiebreaks against Belinda Bencic and failed to advance to the semifinals, but more experience in tense moments will only help her in the future.

Top male contenders: Alcaraz, Sinner, DjokovicAlcaraz won the title in 2023 and 2024, defeating Djokovic in both finals, and seemed on track to achieve the “three-peat” before Sinner spoiled the party in the final. Losing the first set, Sinner came back to win in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. It was the only set Sinner lost at the All England Club this year.Although Alcaraz left as the runner-up, he still holds a career record of 35-4 on grass and is a four-time champion on the surface, including the 2025 Queen’s Club event in June. The defeat to Sinner marked his first loss in a final on the surface.Djokovic is a seven-time Wimbledon champion. Although he lost to Sinner in straight sets in the semi-finals this year, it still seems that the tournament is his best chance to break the record, but it will be more difficult in 2026.Best chance for an unseeded Grand Slam champion: Taylor Fritz, Jack DraperFritz, the long-time American male leader and often considered his best hope to break the 22-year Grand Slam drought, has been close. He reached the final of the 2024 US Open and recorded his first semi-final appearance at the All England Club this year after two previous quarter-final runs. Fritz is a five-time champion on grass, including this year’s title in Eastbourne (his fourth at the event) and Stuttgart. While he was closest to a Grand Slam title in New York, grass could be his best surface, and he has the experience to back it up and possibly pull off a surprise win or two.And, of course, Draper, the local favorite, cannot be ruled out. There’s nothing the crowd wants to see more. He cut his 2025 season short due to an arm injury, but should be back in time for the start of 2026. While he has never advanced past the second round at Wimbledon, he reached the semi-finals at the 2024 US Open and has had some success on grass with a 2024 final appearance in Stuttgart and a semi-final run at Queen’s Club this year.

US Open

Date: August 30 – September 13

Headquarters: New York

Defending champions: Sabalenka and AlcarazTop female contenders: Sabalenka, Gauff, Swiatek, OsakaThe end of the season is always complicated, as players often battle fatigue, motivation, and injuries, but the top-ranked women should still be the favorites in the final Grand Slam of the year.Sabalenka is now the two-time defending champion and has won over the New York public. She is confident and feels comfortable in the tournament and will not let this “three-peat” opportunity pass without a serious fight.Gauff, the 2023 champion, will want to prove that her exits in the fourth round this year and last year were flukes. If her service problems are resolved, she will have as many chances as anyone else to win the title.

Of course, 2022 champion Swiatek and 2018 and 2020 champion Osaka will also seek to end their 2026 seasons with a trophy. Swiatek matched her best result since winning with a quarterfinal run this year, and it was evident that she believed she could go further. It was also evident how much it meant to 27-year-old Osaka to reach the semifinals this year, and it’s hard to think she won’t be driven by that run and that feeling next season.

Best chance for an unseeded Grand Slam champion: Anisimova, Karolina Muchova, Victoria MbokoAfter her Wimbledon run, Anisimova reached the US Open final, even avenging the quarter-final defeat against Swiatek with a resounding 6-4, 6-3 victory. She then defeated Osaka in the semi-finals in a hard-fought battle 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3. While she didn’t find the same level against Sabalenka in the final 6-3, 7-6(3), her valiant effort in the second set to force a tiebreak demonstrated her progress and mental fortitude. Winning the 2026 title would complete her definitive comeback after a break from the sport in 2023.Muchova is a two-time US Open semi-finalist and reached the quarter-finals this year. She was the runner-up at Roland Garros 2023 and is always in the mix, even when hampered by injuries or periods of inactivity. Her versatile game and great athleticism make her a contender wherever she goes.Mboko, 19, had a disappointing exit in the first round of the US Open this year, but her incredible performance at the Canadian Open, in which she won the title, made her a name to remember. She started the year outside the top 300 and is now ranked number 23, and she’s only getting better. Expect more outstanding performances for the Canadian in 2026.

Top male contenders: Alcaraz, Sinner, DjokovicBoth Alcaraz, the 2022 champion, and Sinner, the defending champion, were dominant in their respective runs up to the final in New York.Alcaraz and his constantly improving serve didn’t drop a set and only lost two service games. He beat Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the semifinals. Sinner was taken to four sets twice, but he almost never seemed to be in trouble. Alexander Bublik, the tournament’s 23rd seed, compared him to AI after losing to him 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in the fourth round.Alcaraz outplayed Sinner for much of the final, losing only one set and one service game, and took the title, which could lead to a fascinating rematch between the two in 2026.Djokovic is a four-time winner in New York. It’s difficult to predict how he will fare at this stage next year, or what he might say about his future in the sport, but one would imagine he will give it his all.Best chance for an unseeded Grand Slam champion: Shelton, Fritz, Draper, Felix Auger-AliassimeShelton, loved by the American public for his great game and even greater service and showmanship, reached the semi-finals of 2023 and many believed he could match that this season before his injury. He has shown how good he can be on hard court and how much he thrives with the public behind him, so this could be the best opportunity for someone outside the “Big Two” to win a major trophy in 2026.Fritz, who will be two years away from his appearance in the final, will also seek to achieve it in a place he knows well, as will his fellow semifinalists Draper and Auger-Aliassime, who have reached the round twice, including this year. Auger-Aliassime, a 25-year-old Canadian, struggled after losing the first set to Sinner in the semifinals and eventually fell in four sets. Winner of two titles in 2025 on the surface, Auger-Aliassime will have even more confidence in the new season and all that could help him next September in New York.