The year’s first major came to a close over the weekend, with Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz claiming the singles titles at the Australian Open.
For Rybakina, it was a stunning return to form to claim her second career Grand Slam title. The 26-year-old, who experienced some challenges on and off the court following her victory at Wimbledon in 2022, finished the 2025 season with the trophy at the WTA Finals. In Melbourne, she rattled off a series of impressive wins before battling world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday in a rematch of the 2023 final. Ultimately, Rybakina earned a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 statement win and is now back up to No. 3 in the rankings.
As for Alcaraz, Sunday’s 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Novak Djokovic cemented his status as the best player in the world. Collecting his sixth major trophy at just 22 years old, Alcaraz is now the youngest man to earn the career Grand Slam. And he accomplished it by defeating the sport’s greatest of all time, stopping Djokovic’s bid for a historic 25th Slam title.
Four different women — Madison Keys, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka — captured the Grand Slam trophies in 2025, with Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner splitting the men’s singles titles for the second straight year. Will a similar trend emerge in 2026? Could there be a first-time champ? And can any man challenge the Big Two?
There are about four months to go before the start of play at Roland Garros. Here’s who should be the top contenders at the rest of the 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 falling in the semifinals to Sabalenka in 2025, Swiatek is still a four-time champion at Roland Garros and should remain the favorite until further notice. She struggled on the surface in 2025 — failing to reach a final at any clay event — but there is no one on tour with more success on the Parisian clay, and she should be more motivated than ever after last year’s early exit and two disappointing results at the US Open and the Australian Open.
Of course, Sabalenka will also have no shortage of motivation. She was devastated after losing to Gauff in the 2025 final (and again on Saturday against Rybakina) and would love to win her first major away from a hard court. Having won the 1000-level Madrid Open three times on the surface, including in 2025, she is more than capable of doing that.
Gauff, however, will be looking to successfully defend a major title for the first time. Although she has had some struggles since her triumph in Paris, she has proved to be one of the best on the surface. She reached the 2025 finals in both Madrid and Rome and is nearly impossible to beat when playing her best.
Australian Open semifinalist Svitolina has had a red-hot start to her season. The 31-year-old won the title in Auckland to open 2026 and followed it up with an impressive showing in Melbourne that 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 wins her first Slam title? What a story that would be.
Andreeva, the 18-year-old prodigy, is also hoping this might be her turn to achieve the milestone. She reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2024 (and won an Olympic silver medal at Roland Garros in doubles that same year) and has recorded some quality wins at the venue. Andreeva has sometimes faltered in big moments or in tough environments, such as against French relative unknown Lois Boisson in the 2025 quarters, but a major title still feels 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 instant classic and the second-longest major final in history. It’s hard to fully put into words how epic the match was and the level displayed by both players.
So, with that said, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where anyone not named Alcaraz or Sinner takes home the trophy in 2026. Alcaraz, the world No. 1, is the two-time defending champion and has arguably been the most consistent on the surface over the past few years. He also won two of the three clay Masters 1000-level titles last season.
And Sinner, perhaps with a little something extra to prove after his early exit at the Australian Open, will be looking 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 following a three-month suspension, and then advanced to the French Open championship match.
Then there’s Zverev, the 2024 runner-up. He has made the quarterfinals or better in seven of the past eight years and is regularly strong on clay. He pushed Alcaraz to five incredible sets in the semifinals in Melbourne and showed he can play high-level tennis. The French Open remains the three-time major finalist’s best shot at finally winning a coveted Slam title.
Although injuries have plagued him at inopportune times, Musetti certainly needs to be considered among the contenders if healthy. Just a set away from reaching the semifinals in Melbourne before having to retire with leg pain — and having had a similar injury derail him in the semifinals of last year’s French Open — Musetti has shown he can get to the late stages of majors. Now the big questions are: How can he stay in his best shape, and how far can he go?
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 the women, largely because of its incredibly short window on the annual calendar. With just three weeks separating the end of the French Open and the start of Wimbledon, most players play in only one or two lead-in tournaments on grass and rarely practice on the surface outside of that time. It can be tricky for many, and the adjustment from the slow clay to the much faster grass is a challenge.
That said, Swiatek found a way to crack the code last year — after several seasons of subpar results at the All England Club — by reaching her first grass final in Bad Homburg and then looking as dominant as anyone at Wimbledon throughout the fortnight. In the final, she needed less than an hour to defeat Anisimova 6-0, 6-0. After that performance, it would be impossible not to include her among the favorites in 2026.
Sabalenka had largely been considered the one to beat at the All England Club last season, and she reached her third semifinals at the tournament before being stunned by Anisimova in a three-set thriller. Although she has never won a title on grass, and Wimbledon remains the only Slam where she is yet to reach the final, she remains the most consistent player at majors and has advanced to the semifinals or better at every Slam she has played since the US Open in 2022.
Few predicted Anisimova would reach the final — her first at a major — in 2025, but boy, did she ever, following another final appearance at Queen’s Club leading in. The tournament was a breakthrough for Anisimova and, despite the lopsided final, propelled her into the top 10 for the first time. With an aggressive game well-suited for grass, she recorded the most wins among WTA players on the surface (12) in 2025 and should be brimming 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 such a strong start to 2026, the 2022 Wimbledon champ (and 2024 semifinalist) could reclaim her status as the grass-court queen come July.
Top men’s contenders in 2026: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz
Sinner and Alcaraz have won the past three Wimbledon titles, with Sinner defeating Alcaraz in the final in 2025. At a place where experience matters, they certainly remain the men to beat.
No one has been more dominant on the surface over the past three seasons than Alcaraz. He has won four titles on grass, including twice at Wimbledon and at Queen’s Club in 2025, and owns a 35-4 career record. The loss to Sinner was his first loss in a final on the surface.
And Sinner, who has reached the quarterfinals or better in four of his five appearances at Wimbledon and is 2-0 in grass-court finals, has clearly figured out his game on the surface. Another final between the two seems likely.
But Djokovic is a seven-time Wimbledon champion and reached the finals in 2023 and 2024. While he came oh-so-close in Melbourne, Wimbledon might be his best chance to finally win his record-setting 25th major title. It won’t be easy, and he has now lost in the previous four majors to Sinner or Alcaraz, but grass could be the most favorable place to reverse the trend in 2026.
Although certainly more of a long shot, don’t count out Fritz either. The American stalwart 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 seems 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 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’s impossible to know how players will be performing and feeling so late in the season, as injuries, fatigue and burnout often can be factors. But the top players still tend to find their way to the second week of the tournament, and 2026 should be no different.
Sabalenka is now the two-time defending champion, and she thrives on the energy, the attention and the New York crowd. She was unable to complete the rare three-peat at the Australian Open in 2025 and would relish the chance to do it at the US Open.
Gauff, the 2023 champion, was not at her best at the tournament last season. She struggled with her serve leading up to it and changed her coaching staff just days before play got underway. Despite that, she still reached the fourth round and has found more success since. She reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne, and although she still has moments of vulnerability, no one will have more crowd support than Gauff in New York.
Anisimova, the 2025 runner-up, will also have the crowd on her side. After thrilling wins during last year’s tournament, including over Swiatek and Osaka, she can step up in the big moments and will look to take it one step further in September.
After two-time champ Osaka’s resurgent semifinal run last season, she will be hungrier than ever to get back on top. The 2026 season hasn’t exactly gone to plan so far — she was dealing 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 healthy, she remains dangerous on the hard court.
Although the US Open has seen more expected winners over the past few seasons, it previously had crowned a slew of surprising victors, such as Emma Raducanu in 2021 and Bianca Andreescu in 2019. Could 19-year-old Mboko or 18-year-old Jovic be the latest young star to hoist the trophy in New York? Both have shown flashes of incredible promise 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 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. Did we mention their collective dominance yet?
Each looked virtually unstoppable during their runs to the championship match last year, and Alcaraz continued that same level of dominance against a surprisingly flat Sinner in the final. At the Australian Open, Sinner showed some vulnerability in a five-set blockbuster loss 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 found a way to recover and defeat Djokovic when it mattered most two days later.
Although others can certainly challenge them on the hard court on any given day — they remain the overwhelming favorites for the year’s final major. Shocking, we know.
And if Djokovic, who will then be 39, is still chasing No. 25, he should never be overlooked. He won his last major at the US Open in 2023 and, as he reminded Sinner at the Australian Open, still has what it takes for big wins on the surface.
Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner are beloved around the globe, but if any are playing a top-ranked and highly entertaining showman like Shelton, they would likely find the crowd against them. Shelton, who thrives at majors and in front of giant crowds, could capitalize on that opportunity. He never has beaten Alcaraz and has beaten Sinner once in 10 tries (losing in their most recent clash in the Australian Open quarterfinals), but he continues to improve and could be the one to get it done in New York.
Finally, although picking Tien might be more than a little reach at this point, the 20-year-old has shown he can pull off an upset (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 won the Moselle Open. He seems to be getting better and more confident with every tournament he plays.
It’s been almost 23 years since an American man won a major singles title — could Shelton or Tien finally end the drought? Stay tuned.
