The season’s opening major, Australian Open 2026, is done and dusted, which gives us a chance to look into the crystal ball to predict what could unfold through the rest of the year.
Here’s 10 fearless predictions as to what happens from here.
Sinner to recapture US Open crown
Jannik Sinner’s hopes of becoming the first three-peat men’s champion at Melbourne Park since Novak Djokovic were dashed by none other than the Serbian great himself in a four-hour-plus semifinal.
Having stumbled just short of becoming the first player to beat the 24-time major winner six times in a row, the world No.2 departed with added motivation for the remainder of 2026.
While he fell a mere point shy of a first Roland Garros title before his maiden Wimbledon crown a month later in 2025, the Italian is at his most potent on hard courts.
The US Open presents his strongest chance of adding a fifth Grand Slam trophy to his swag this season.
Big Three in women’s to raise the bar
The new Queen of Melbourne Park, Elena Rybakina, is nigh on unbeatable after sweeping 20 of her past 21 matches dating back to last year’s Asian swing.
Three years since her last Grand Slam final, the Kazakhstani finally put a challenging period of health, form and off-court issues behind her to return to the major winner’s circle, on a run that included wins over the top two, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.
While her two acclaimed rivals have dominated the Slams in recent years, if Rybakina remains healthy throughout this season, expect the trio to set the benchmark as the so-called women’s Big Three.
Alcaraz to secure Davis Cup for Spain
While the career Grand Slam is already in the bag at just 22 years old, Carlos Alcaraz has wasted no time laying bare his next big-ticket items on the bucket list, none bigger than a Davis Cup for Spain.
Each member of the Big Three and his contemporary, Sinner, have all helped their respective nations share in team glory, yet Alcaraz – who played alongside Rafael Nadal in the Spanish great’s final event two years ago – has yet to triumph.
The Spaniards managed to reach the final last year in Bologna without their top dog, so at full strength this year, it is likely their time to shine.
Sabalenka to secure year-end No.1 for third straight year
Despite the heartache of a second straight three-set Australian Open final defeat – this time to Elena Rybakina – Aryna Sabalenka left Melbourne Park more upbeat than a year ago when she fell to Madison Keys.
The 27-year-old’s search for consecutive Grand Slam titles endures, but her acceptance of the setback and determination to bounce back after joking she’ll give her team some space while she’s “not really healthy to be around right now” bodes well for the rest of 2026.
Sabalenka remains the leading player across all surfaces and, given her commanding lead atop the rankings, expect her to become the first woman since Ash Barty to finish as year-end No.1 for three straight seasons.
Swiatek to switch Grand Slam trophies
The dream of a career Grand Slam at AO 2026 fell short in the quarterfinals, but world No.2 Iga Swiatek vowed she would immediately consider changing up her schedule to allow time to iron out kinks in her game.
The silver lining to Aryna Sabalenka ending the Pole’s four-year Roland Garros reign last year was more time to prepare on grass ahead of her maiden Wimbledon triumph a month later.
Back at her most dominant Slam in Paris, Swiatek will live up to title favouritism and recapture the crown. Defending her Wimbledon title to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to complete the Channel Slam will prove a bridge too far in 2026.
Mensik to reach first Slam quarterfinal
Jakub Mensik, the youngest man in the top 20, started the season with a bang by winning his second career title in Auckland.
The 20-year-old Czech had already sounded his big-match credentials with victory in last year’s Miami Masters final over Novak Djokovic before being robbed of a rematch in the fourth round at Melbourne Park of AO 2026 due to an abdominal injury.
Back to full fitness and with his campaign to defend Miami in the rear-vision mirror, Mensik will be well placed to reach the second week at the majors again in 2026 and has the game to push beyond to a maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Andreeva to rebound at Roland Garros
Three straight fourth rounds at Melbourne Park would be a run most 18-year-olds could only dream of, but for the tour’s preeminent teen the bar is higher.
Having made her top-10 debut a year ago, Mirra Andreeva’s eyes are fixed firmly on a breakthrough major trophy.
Roland Garros is quickly shaping as her most consistent Slam since reaching her maiden Slam semifinal there two years ago and the quarterfinals last year. A semifinal or beyond in the City of Lights is firmly on her radar this year.
Jovic to reach second major quarterfinal on grass
The breakout teenager of this year’s Australian Open, Iva Jovic certainly exceeded expectations at her first major as a seeded player. The 18-year-old did not drop a set en route to her maiden Slam quarterfinal, including beating seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, to make her top-20 debut.
The American should realistically expect to secure a top-16 seeding in time for Roland Garros and a second Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon – on a surface on which she has already had success – is on the cards.
Last year, Jovic quietly notched an eight-match winning streak on grass with her first WTA 125 title in Ilkley before qualifying for Wimbledon.
Machac to return to top 20
A glowing endorsement from world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in 2024 hailed Tomas Machac as top-five material when firing on all cylinders. Following a challenging last season in which injuries and results dragged him out of the top 30, the Czech gave an indication he was back nearing his best in Australia this month.
A second career title in Adelaide preceded his third-round showing at Melbourne Park, where he saw off Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas before falling in five sets to fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti in one of the matches of the men’s draw.
With minimal points to defend on the clay and grass, expect the 25-year-old to muscle his way back inside the top 20.
Mboko to become second teen in top 10
Blessed with a big, all-court game and explosive movement to match it with anyone on her day, Canadian Victoria Mboko gave Melbourne crowds a glimpse of the future with her dash to her maiden Grand Slam fourth round.
Last year, the 19-year-old was busy winning lowly ITF events in the Caribbean before her meteoric ascent into the top 20, following a surprise WTA 1000 title on home soil in Montreal.
It laid the foundations for an impressive Australian Open campaign, in which she gave Aryna Sabalenka an almighty second-set scare, and set her up to make a push to join Mirra Andreeva as the second teenager in the top 10.