In just a few weeks, Grand Slam tennis will reclaim centre stage of the sporting world at Melbourne Park. A tournament which is always the subject of excitement, speculation and anticipation will dazzle in the Aussie sunshine for fifteen straight days, as 128 men and women battle it out for Normes Brooke trophy and the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at the end.
Yet, in many ways, it is so much more than just the first major of the year. It’s the period that serves as an onus to the rest of the season. The Winter block is the only real window that the professionals have to make major technical changes. Just where everyone will be on the 12th of January fascinates.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn the first of four season preview articles, we focus on the men’s tour. With storylines and rivalries aplenty, here is what to look out for in the coming season:
The Battle For Number One
Mitigating injury, it’s a pretty safe bet to say that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will be battling it out for the biggest prizes. For two seasons, they have been untouchable, winning four grand slams each from the eight available. Last season, world number three Alexander Zverev was the only other man to reach a final, which he would ultimately lose to the Italian in straight sets.
Make no mistake, both have had adversity to overcome.
Despite missing three months of the season due to a doping suspension, Sinner still finished just fifty points behind Alcaraz in the race for number one. After the heartbreak of losing the Roland Garros final after leading by two sets to one in one of the greatest finals the sport has ever seen, the Italian avenged this defeat at Wimbledon by beating the then-back-to-back champion Alcaraz.
Later on, after losing in four sets to Alcaraz at the Us Open, Sinner cited the need for move variety in his game. “During this tournament, I didn’t make one serve-volley, didn’t use a lot of drop shots, and then you arrive to a point where you play against Carlos where you have to go out of the comfort zone.
So I’m going to aim to, you know, maybe even losing some matches from now on, but trying to do some changes, trying to be a bit more unpredictable as a player, because I think that’s what I have to do, trying to become a better tennis player.“
It will be interesting to see if this is something that he develops over the pre-season.
When Carlos Alcaraz exited the Miami Open at the first stage back in March, questions were being asked. 2025 had not started well for his lofty expectations. An ATP 500 title in Rotterdam proved the exception, with another early exit, this time in Doha, and a quarter-final loss at the Australian Open. This was paired with an underwhelming post Wimbledon slump.
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win his third career grand slam, Alcaraz began a run of frustrating results. While there was a Beijing title and an Olympic silver medal, he also lost to Botic Van de Zandschulp in straight sets in the US Open second round. At Shanghai, Thomas Machac defeated him in straight sets, Ugo Humbert saw him off in Paris a few weeks later and at the Nitto ATP Finals, he won just one group game while losing to Casper Ruud and Zverev in straight sets. By the time the Spaniard headed to Monte-Carlo, it had been nine months since he last won a tournament greater than an ATP 500.
Yet, it would prove to be the beginning of something special. He would play ten more tournaments, winning five of them and making four other finals.
The tennis world was taken by storm when Carlos Alcaraz announced earlier this month that he would be splitting up with long term coaching partner Juan Carlos Ferrero, with very few details provided. Questions arise about how this will affect his game.
Either way, a blockbuster year awaits with these two titans at the forefront.
The Chasing Pack
As easy as it could be to forget at times, there are others behind, vying to take their places.
Embed from Getty ImagesLast season, Novak Djokovic came the closest on the Grand Slam stage. He was the only other man outside of them to make the semi-final stage at all four slams. In his 22nd year on tour, the dream will be to add Grand Slam number 25 to the locker and sail off into the sunset. Yet, while he remains the third-best player in the world, his ability to compete with the new big two over five sets is wavering. In order to add to that major haul, he would likely need to beat both.
Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev sit just behind in the pecking order.
At 28 years old, Zverev has had a tennis career that 99% of players would bite your hand off for. He has racked up two ATP Finals titles, an Olympic gold medal, made three Grand Slam Finals and won twenty-four tour titles overall, seven of them masters events. The Grand Slam title though, remains elusive.
Moreover, he has twice been a set away from breaking the duck against Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open and Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 French Open. With a monstrous serve, one of the best backhands on tour and world-class movement, the two main fallbacks have been his forehand and mentality. His long takeback forces him to stay further behind the baseline for timing and makes being aggressive considerably more difficult than the snappier motion of Sinner or the straight arm twitch of Alcaraz.
Embed from Getty ImagesMentality is not something you can fault Fritz for. Respectfully, the American is not one of the five most talented players in the world. Yet, over the past eighteen months, his tactical know-how and performance under pressure have comfortably slotted him into that company. His serve is massive, which allows him to set up his big hitting ground strokes. Apart from Alcaraz and Sinner, no one is more deadly when in their hitting zone. Yet, at the top level, his movement can get exposed. The likes of Alcaraz, Sinner and Djokovic can remove him from that comfort zone and his lack of counterpunching abilities are exposed.
He loves the Zverev head-to-head, as the German’s passive style plays into his hands. Yet, against the previously mentioned three, his career head-to-head stands at 2-20. It’s for this reason that you find it hard to see where a major comes from.
Embed from Getty ImagesOnes To Watch
While Zverev and Fritz were the most consistent performers outside Alcaraz, Sinner and Djokovic last year, with both at 28 years old, they have likely reached their peak. Their grand slam window may have passed. Therefore, in the bid for a third challenger, we may have to look elsewhere.
Ben Shelton. If there was an award for the most improved player of the season, he would have to have been right up there. This time last year, his game just felt a little unreliable. His massive serve and powerful forehand meant that when he was on, very few could cope with him. However, these spells of brilliance rarely lasted. Moreover, he could be easily penned into the backhand wing without a way of counter-attacking.
A big-hitting game can often go hand in hand with lower rally tolerance and those who find the balance are the very best in the sport. Over the course of 2025, Shelton developed a highly effective backhand slice, which allowed him to better neutralise rallies and bring his forehand into play. Before getting injured during the US Open, he had won his first masters title in Toronto and only lost at Grand Slams to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. If he can find himself in a similar situation next year, you wonder just how far he can go in New York, a place where he has already excelled in his young career.
Embed from Getty Images2025 proved to be a year indicative of Jack Draper’s career to date. For a large chunk of the season, he was one of the very best. He reached the Qatar Final before winning his first Masters title with a ruthless 6-2, 6-2 win over Holger Rune at Indian Wells. He also enjoyed the high altitude conditions of Madrid, making the final but losing to Casper Ruud. His baseline game is incredibly solid, with an extreme top spin forehand, aggressive flatter backhand and mammoth serve.
Yet, in line with his career to date, injuries and fitness issues continued to plague his season. His Australian Open campaign was curtailed two sets into a fourth round tie with Carlos Alcaraz due to a hip injury. It was likely not helped by three previous five-setters. Since withdrawing from the US Open, Draper hasn’t played a competitive match and to compound matters, has withdrawn from this year’s Australian Open. The raw talent is there, but unless he can solve the injury record, he won’t be the factor in tennis he deserves to be.
Embed from Getty ImagesJoao Fonseca took the tennis world by storm at the Australian Open last year. Despite only making the second round, his straight-sets win against Andrey Rublev was enough to signpost his name into the future prospects realm. Fresh off Next Gen Finals glory, Fonseca started his preparation for 2025 by entering the 2025 Canberra Tennis International challenger. Defeating Ethan Quinn in the final, he lifted his second Challenger title to date. A month later, he entered the Argentina Open, where he lifted his first of two ATP 500 titles.
After the Australian display, many may have expected more. Yet ultimately, he still sits at world number 24 at the age of just 19. The raw pace of his ground strokes is a sight to behold, although at times they can escape him. The ceiling amazes but the floor must rise. You would expect this to happen with time though and with another year on tour, he will continue to grow.
Embed from Getty ImagesCeiling Breakers?
Felix Auger Aliassime was one of the revival stories of 2025. The past couple of years had been a tough watch at times. Trying to return to the heights of 2021-2022, he often started well in matches but failed to close them out.
He started the season inconsistently, winning two ATP 250 titles in Adelaide and Montpellier and reaching the final in Dubai while winning just two matches in the Sunshine Double and first two Grand Slams combined. The clay court season, in particular was a disaster, as the Canadian exited the first round on five occasions.
There was a renewed sense of optimism heading into Wimbledon, with two semi-finals in the build up but he would exit at the second round. A first round loss at the Montreal open followed by a 6-0, 6-2 defeat to Jannik Sinner in Cincinnati was less than ideal preparation for the Us Open. Yet, it was there where he would begin a run of form which makes him world number five heading into the new season.
A semi final there, plus a final at Paris and a semi-final at the ATP Finals means he will be one of the contenders come Australia. The question is whether he can maintain this level for another season. Furthermore, can he go even higher and break the Grand Slam ceiling? His game is so fundamentally solid. Both wings are reliable, his net-skills are apt and his point construction is up there with the very best. It remains to be seen whether he can develop a weapon which will allow him to take the next step.
Embed from Getty ImagesAlex De Minaur enjoyed an excellent season, all things considered. He reached another two Grand Slam quarter finals and picked up his third ATP 500 title. Overall, though, this was another year when the Aussie maximised his attributes and performed to a really consistent level.
Some players aren’t born with the physical attributes to dominate from the baseline and have to win in different ways with speed, sharpness and consistency. This deserves just as much credit as the greatness we have seen from the likes of an Alcaraz. Both are maximising the tools they were dealt with. It’s for this reason, though, that you wonder how the Aussie could take that next step. He has a knack for constantly increasing the bar, though.
Embed from Getty ImagesLorenzo Musetti is an altogether different style of player. In terms of technical ability, there is very few who can match him. Whether it’s the pleasing on the eye single-handed backhand, perfectly weighted drop shots or angled passing winners, he can do as he wishes with a tennis ball.
Against the creme de la creme, though, he is unable to bring this style of game to the forefront. The Carlos Alcaraz match up will always be an issue; to put it simply, the Spaniard does Musetti’s strengths at a better level. Against his fellow countryman Jannik Sinner, he lacks the power to compete. Ultimately, he sees his creativity bulldozed. Just how he tries to overcome this will fascinate.
Embed from Getty ImagesRevival Stories?
Stefanos Tsitsipas’s continued falling in the tennis pecking order has been a sad watch. Once a vibrant youngster, defeating Roger Federer at the Australian Open, before reaching two Grand Slam Finals and winning an ATP finals, he looks so far off that level.
The backhand wing has always been a liability; however, it seems more exposed than ever and rarely makes a good connection.
After switching rackets at the ATP 500 Dubai Open, the Greek lifted his first title in nearly a year but it proved to be a flash in the pan, with more disappointing results to follow. The coaching situation remains a strange one, with father Apostolos Tsitsipas continuing to be the main voice after brief exits during which his son criticised his methods.
It’s all rather confusing for a confusing player whose head-scratching demise continues to sadden. Maybe 2026 can be the year he gets back on track, although I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile Tsitipas’s demise has been gradual, the sudden downturn in form of Daniil Medvedev remains a shocking tale in the 2025 season. 2024 was disappointing for the former world number one but just how bad things would get, no one could have predicted. The Russian dropped as low as 18 in the world, while he won just one Grand Slam match all year.
He’s never been a power player. His counterpunching tendencies got him to world number one, six Grand Slam finals, and delivered the 2021 US Open title. So, as to why this gameplan looked so outdated and ineffective still baffles. At 29 years old, there is surely some great tennis left in him.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Unknowns
As with every year, there will be the unknowns. The youngsters who appear from nowhere and the injuries that change the tennis stratosphere. Will Learner Tien build on a great 2025? Will the Next Gen runner-up Alexander Blockx make a tour breakthrough? How will a returning Arthur Fils fare?
Either way, if it’s anything like last year, it will be well worth tuning into.
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