The 2025 Grand Slam season came to an end with Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz lifting the US Open trophies in New York. It was a memorable season, with four women winning titles: Madison Keys (Australian Open), Coco Gauff (Roland Garros), Iga Swiatek (Wimbledon), and Sabalenka. On the men’s side, Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner shared the titles. Now, it’s time to look ahead to 2026 and analyze the main contenders in each major.Aryna Sabalenka won two Australian Open titles, in 2023 and 2024, before losing to Madison Keys in the final this year.
Australian Open
Date: January 18 – February 1
Headquarters: Melbourne, Australia
Defending champions: Keys and Sinner
Top Female Contenders:
Sabalenka
Gauff
Swiatek
Naomi Osaka
Sabalenka will seek to regain the title, boosted by her recent victory at the US Open. Gauff, after working on her service problems, will seek to demonstrate her potential on hard court. Swiatek, a semifinalist in 2025, will try to complete the career Grand Slam. Osaka, in good form, will try to take her comeback even further.
Best opportunity for an unpublished champion:
Jessica Pegula
Amanda Anisimova
Iva Jovic
Pegula, Anisimova, and Jovic are some of the players who could surprise. Jovic, junior champion in 2024 and winner of a 500 title, could be an unexpected contender.Novak Djokovic is still seeking his 25th Grand Slam title to break the historical record.
Top Male Contenders:
Sinner
Alcaraz
Djokovic
Sinner and Alcaraz are the clear favorites. Djokovic, despite being 38 years old, is still a threat. Sinner will seek his third consecutive title, while Alcaraz will seek to complete the career Grand Slam.
Best opportunity for an unprecedented champion:
Ben Shelton
Alexander Zverev
Shelton and Zverev are the players with the most chances to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner.
Roland Garros
Date: May 24 – June 7
Headquarters: Paris, France
Defending champions: Gauff and Alcaraz
Top Female Contenders:
Swiatek
Gauff
Sabalenka
Swiatek, four-time champion at Roland Garros, will seek to reclaim her throne. Gauff, after demonstrating her talent on clay, will seek her first consecutive title. Sabalenka will try to avenge her defeat in the final.
Best opportunity for an unreleased champion:
Mirra Andreeva
Jasmine Paolini
Zheng Qinwen
Andreeva, Paolini, and Zheng could be the surprises. Andreeva, a semi-finalist in 2024, is ready for her breakthrough. Paolini, a finalist at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, remains a dominant force. Zheng, who won Olympic gold in 2024, will seek to recover from her injury.Mirra Andreeva reached the semifinals of the 2025 French Open.
Top Male Contenders:
Alcaraz
Sinner
Djokovic
Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic, the top three in the ranking, will once again be the favorites. Alcaraz will seek his third consecutive title. Sinner, who is coming off a suspension, could be an even more formidable rival. Djokovic will seek his fourth title at Roland Garros.
Best opportunity for an unprecedented champion:
Lorenzo Musetti
Zverev
Holger Rune
Musetti, Zverev, and Rune could surprise. Musetti, a semifinalist in 2025, will seek to continue improving. Zverev, a finalist in 2024, will seek his first title. Rune, who has had good results on clay, will seek a great performance.Iga Swiatek was the surprising winner of Wimbledon this year.
Swiatek, surprisingly the winner in 2025, will seek to defend her title. Sabalenka, three-time semi-finalist, will seek to reach the final. Rybakina, champion in 2022, is always a contender on grass.
Best opportunity for an unreleased champion:
Anisimova
Andreeva
Anisimova and Andreeva could surprise. Anisimova, finalist at Queen’s Club, has shown her potential on grass. Andreeva, quarterfinalist in 2025, will seek more experience in crucial moments.
Top Male Contenders:
Alcaraz
Sinner
Djokovic
Alcaraz and Sinner, the top two in the ranking, are the favorites. Djokovic, seven-time champion, will seek to break the Grand Slam title record.
Best opportunity for an unprecedented champion:
Taylor Fritz
Jack Draper
Fritz and Draper could surprise. Fritz, finalist of the US Open in 2024, could find his best surface on the grass. Draper, the local favorite, will seek his first major title.Naomi Osaka reached the semi-finals of the 2025 US Open, her best result since returning from maternity leave.
US Open
Date: August 30 – September 13
Headquarters: New York
Defending champions: Sabalenka and Alcaraz
Top Female Contenders:
Sabalenka
Gauff
Swiatek
Osaka
Sabalenka will seek her third consecutive title. Gauff, Swiatek, and Osaka will also be contenders.
Best opportunity for an unreleased champion:
Anisimova
Karolina Muchova
Victoria Mboko
Anisimova, Muchova, and Mboko could surprise. Anisimova, after her great performance at Wimbledon, will seek to move forward. Muchova, a semi-finalist at the US Open, is always a contender. Mboko, with her great performance at the Canadian Open, is a player to watch.This year, Ben Shelton withdrew from the US Open due to injury, but in 2023, he reached the semifinals.
Top Male Contenders:
Alcaraz
Sinner
Djokovic
Alcaraz and Sinner, the top two in the ranking, are the favorites. Djokovic will seek his fifth title in New York.
Best opportunity for an unprecedented champion:
Shelton
Fritz
Draper
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Shelton, Fritz, Draper, and Auger-Aliassime could surprise. Shelton, with his game and charisma, could be the contender. Fritz will also seek to stand out. Draper and Auger-Aliassime will also seek to stand out.
