Way-Too-Early Grand Slam predictions for 2026

The 2025 major season came to a close last week in New York, as Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz claimed the US Open trophies.

It was a memorable season at the year's Slams. Four women took home the titles -- Madison Keys (Australian Open), Coco Gauff (French Open), Iga Swiatek (Wimbledon) and Sabalenka, and an American woman reached the final at each. On the men's side, things were more straightforward, as Alcaraz (who also won at the French Open) and Jannik Sinner (Australian Open and Wimbledon) split the titles. Sinner reached the final at every Slam, and he played against Alcaraz in three of them.

Keys was the only first-time champion in 2025. Alexander Zverev was the lone man not named Alcaraz or Sinner to reach a major final.

But while Sabalenka and Alcaraz might still be celebrating the latest hardware in their growing collections, and there remains a lot of tennis to be played this year during the Asian swing and at the WTA and ATP Finals, it's time we start looking ahead to 2026. Believe it or not, there's only four short months before the start of the main draw at the Australian Open.

It is a daunting task to make predictions about next season's Slams -- but that won't stop us from trying. Here's who should be the top contenders at each of the majors in 2026.

Australian Open

When: Jan. 18 - Feb. 1

Where: Melbourne, Australia

Defending champions: Keys and Sinner

Top women's contenders: Sabalenka, Gauff, Swiatek and Naomi Osaka

Sabalenka will arrive in Melbourne looking to reclaim the trophy and will be buoyed by her latest US Open title. A two-time champion at the event, Sabalenka came oh-so-close to the elusive three-peat before being defeated by Keys in the final this year. She'll be more than eager to win her fifth Slam title on her favorite surface and at one of her favorite tournaments.

After a tough fourth-round loss in New York as she struggled to fix her recent serving woes, Gauff should enter the new year with those issues hopefully behind her after some dedicated time working with Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics expert hired to do just that. One of the toughest to beat on the hard court when she's at her best, Gauff reached the 2024 semifinals in Melbourne and the quarterfinals this year.

Swiatek also reminded everyone how good she can be on that surface this year with a victory in Cincinnati ahead of the US Open and a quarterfinal run in New York. She is a two-time semifinalist, including in 2025, and will be looking to complete the career Grand Slam in Australia.

And of course, there's Osaka. The four-time major champion, including twice at the Australian Open, has been resurgent this summer with a final run at the Canadian Open and a semifinal appearance in New York. She's back up to No. 14 in the rankings -- her highest showing since returning from maternity leave at the start of 2024 -- and will try to take her comeback even further Down Under.

Best chance for a first-time Slam champion: Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, Iva Jovic

A three-time Australian Open quarterfinalist, Pegula reached the 2024 US Open final and had a semifinal run in New York this year. She has beaten the top contenders on the surface before -- why not in Melbourne when the stakes are highest?

Anisimova reached back-to-back major finals at Wimbledon and the US Open and recorded some staggeringly impressive wins along the way. Now that she has these experiences under her belt, a Slam title feels more like a "when" than an "if."

And, while certainly more of a long shot, would anyone be completely shocked to see Jovic make a deep run -- or even run the table -- in Australia? The 17-year-old, who was the 2024 Australian Open junior champion, won the first title of her career on Sunday at the 500-level Guadalajara Open. She became the youngest champion on tour this season and is now into the top 40 in the rankings. We've certainly seen more unexpected winners in recent years.

Top men's contenders: Sinner, Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic

Okay, before we jump in here, we need to state the obvious: Sinner and Alcaraz will be the clear favorites at every major going forward in the immediate future. The two have combined to win every Slam title over the past two seasons and it's hard to see that changing anytime soon. Djokovic, the 24-time major champion, remains the next best hope, despite being 38 years old, and there is a considerable gap between him and the rest of the field. For now, anyway.

It's incredibly impressive what the 24-year-old Sinner and 22-year-old Alcaraz have done, as well as Djokovic, who reached the semifinals at every major this year, but it might not make for the most interesting of predictions.

Sinner is the two-time defending Australian Open champion. Can he become the first man since Djokovic to win three in a row? Sure! He definitely could and will likely be the favorite entering the tournament.

But Alcaraz, like Swiatek, will be looking to complete the career Grand Slam and win his first Australian Open title. He's now the world No. 1 and with the titles at the US Open and Cincinnati, he has seemingly closed the hard-court gap with Sinner and will almost definitely surpass his previous best result of the quarterfinals.

Djokovic is a 10-time champion in Australia, having won most recently in 2023, and will continue his quest to break the all-time record for most major titles. But even he admitted what a challenge that will be against the new Big Two.

Best chance for a first-time Slam champion: Ben Shelton and Zverev

The 22-year-old Shelton seems to have as good a chance as anyone to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner at majors, and he certainly could do that in Melbourne on his preferred surface. The current world No. 6 reached the semifinals this season and won the Canadian Open in August. Assuming his shoulder is healthy -- he had to retire from his third-round match at the US Open -- he might have what it takes to stun the world.

Zverev reached the 2025 final and is a three-time major finalist. After he fell to Sinner last year in Melbourne, he said he wasn't sure if he would ever win a Slam trophy. Since then, he reached the quarters in Paris, lost in the first round at Wimbledon and was sent packing in the third round at the US Open. Perhaps Melbourne can be where he turns it all around.

French Open

When: May 24 - June 7

Where: Paris, France

Defending champions: Gauff and Alcaraz

Top women's contenders: Swiatek, Gauff, Sabalenka

Swiatek is a four-time champion at Roland Garros and had been the overwhelming favorite to win the 2025 title before she was stunned by Sabalenka in the semifinals. Despite this year's stumble, or perhaps in part because of it, Swiatek will likely be the favorite yet again in Paris and she'll be determined to return to her "Queen of Clay" status.

Gauff, however, has certainly proven how talented she can be on the surface. She reached the finals in both Madrid and Rome leading into the French Open and will be looking for her first back-to-back major title.

Sabalenka, whom Gauff defeated in the final, will also be hoping to avenge her three-set loss in the championship match and show she can win on the natural surfaces.

Best chance for a first-time Slam champion: Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, Zheng Qinwen

The 18-year-old Andreeva reached the 2024 semifinals in Paris and followed it up with a quarterfinal appearance this season (and reached the semifinals in doubles). The champion at two 1000-level tournaments this season, she's poised for her major breakthrough and a title feels inevitable. Will it be this year?

Paolini, a 2024 French Open (and Wimbledon) finalist, didn't quite match her success in 2025 but she did win the doubles title in Paris, and walked away with the trophy at her home tournament, on clay, in Rome. She remains a dominant force on the surface, in both singles and doubles. And, Zheng, who claimed 2024 Olympic gold at Roland Garros, has been sidelined since Wimbledon with an elbow injury and subsequent surgery, but is expected to make her return later this month.

Top men's contenders: Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic

These three again? These three again. In 2025, Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion, battled back for the title against Sinner in an instant classic of a final that lasted five hours and 29 minutes. Many tennis fans will likely be clamoring for a rematch -- and they certainly could get it. Alcaraz has the edge on clay, but as Sinner had just returned from a three-month suspension in May, he will likely be even more of a formidable foe in 2026 on that surface, and with the extra incentive of trying to complete the career Grand Slam.

Djokovic is a three-time champion at Roland Garros, with his most recent title coming in 2023. He lost just one set en route to the 2025 semifinals before falling to Sinner, 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (3).

Best chance for a first-time Slam champion: Lorenzo Musetti, Zverev, Holger Rune

It was an impressive 2025 for Musetti on clay. He reached the semifinals in Paris for the first time and even won the opening set against Alcaraz before retiring with injury in the fourth set. He also reached the final at the 1000-level Monte Carlo Masters event, and the semifinals in both Madrid and Rome. Only 23, it's hard to think he won't continue to improve and become even more of a force in 2026.

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

Wimbledon

When: June 29 - July 12

Where: London, United Kingdom

Defending champions: Swiatek and Sinner

Top women's contenders: Swiatek, Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina

With limited experience on grass due to her typically lengthy clay season, few expected Swiatek to hoist the trophy at the All England Club. But after her slightly early exit at Roland Garros, Swiatek turned her sights to the grass -- and it paid off. Having played in just three main draws on the surface aside from Wimbledon in the years prior, Swiatek reached the final at Bad Homburg during a lead-in event and then was dominant at Wimbledon. She had never previously advanced past the quarters, but won the title with a staggering performance, including a 6-0, 6-0 win over Anisimova in the final. She confessed she wasn't ever sure she could do it again at Wimbledon after winning, but with the way her game came together on grass, she might be the favorite next year.

Sabalenka, a three-time semifinalist, was devastated by Anisimova in the semis but vowed she would come back stronger. Wimbledon remains the only major in which she hasn't reached the final and she will likely do everything she can to change that in 2026.

Rybakina, the 2022 champion, has had an up-and-down journey at the All England Club -- and elsewhere -- since her triumph. She reached the 2023 quarterfinals, the 2024 semifinals and was upset in the third round this year. Still, she is always a contender on the surface and knows what it takes to win at the storied venue.

Best chance for a first-time Slam champion: Anisimova, Andreeva

Anisimova 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 convincingly held her nerve 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 displayed that she has what it takes on the surface. While the final wasn't exactly her best, she should be a fan favorite in 2026 thanks to her gracious speech and demeanor after the lopsided loss.

Andreeva, who reached the fourth round in her debut at Wimbledon in 2023, had her best result this year by reaching the quarterfinals. She fell in two tiebreaks against Belinda Bencic and missed out on advancing to the semifinals, but more experience in tight moments will only help her down the road.

Top men's contenders: Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic

Alcaraz won the title in 2023 and 2024 -- beating Djokovic in both finals -- and looked well on his way to the three-peat before Sinner played spoiler in the final. Losing the first set, Sinner stormed 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.

While Alcaraz walked away as the runner-up, he still owns a ridiculous 35-4 career record on grass and he's a four-time champion on the surface, including at the 2025 Queen's Club event in June. The loss to Sinner marked his first defeat in a final on the surface.

Djokovic is a seven-time Wimbledon champion. While he lost to Sinner in straight sets in the semifinals this year, it still feels as if the tournament remains his best chance to break the record -- but it's only going to be tougher in 2026.

Best chance for a first-time Slam champion: Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper

The longtime leader of the American men and often considered its best hope to snap the now 22-year major drought, Fritz has come close. He reached the 2024 US Open final and recorded his first semifinal appearance at the All England Club this year after two previous quarterfinal runs. Fritz is a five-time champion on grass, including claiming the titles this year at Eastbourne (his fourth at the event) and Stuttgart. While he came closest to a major title in New York, grass might be his best surface -- and he has the experience to back it up and possibly pull off a surprise victory or two.

And of course, don't count out Draper, the home favorite. There's nothing the crowd would like to see more. He shut his 2025 season down early 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 made the semifinals at the 2024 US Open and has had some success on grass with a 2024 final appearance in Stuttgart and a semifinal run at Queen's Club this year.

US Open

When: Aug. 30 - Sept. 13

Where: New York

Defending champions: Sabalenka and Alcaraz

Top women's contenders: Sabalenka, Gauff, Swiatek, Osaka

The end of the season is always tricky, as players are often fighting fatigue, motivation and injuries, but the top-ranked women should remain the favorites at the year's final Slam.

Sabalenka is now the two-time defending champion and has won over the New York crowd. She is confident and comfortable at the tournament and won't let this three-peat opportunity go without a serious fight.

Gauff, the 2023 champion, will want to prove her fourth-round exit this year and last year were flukes. If her serving struggles are behind her, she will have as good a chance as any to win the title.

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

Best chance for a first-time Slam champion: Anisimova, Karolina Muchova, Victoria Mboko

After her run at Wimbledon, Anisimova followed it up by reaching the final at the US Open -- and even avenged the loss to Swiatek in the quarters in commanding fashion, 6-4, 6-3. She then beat Osaka in the semifinals in a hard-fought 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3 battle. While she didn't find the same level against Sabalenka in the 6-3, 7-6(3) final, her valiant effort in the second set to force a tiebreak showed her progress and mental fortitude. Winning the 2026 title would complete her ultimate comeback after a break from the sport in 2023.

Muchova is a two-time US Open semifinalist and reached the quarters this year. She was the 2023 French Open runner-up and is always in the mix, even when hampered by injuries or periods of inactivity. Her versatile game and sheer athleticism make her a contender wherever she goes.

The 19-year-old Mboko had a disappointing first-round exit at 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 ranked outside of the top 300 and is now No. 23 -- and is only getting better. Expect more breakthrough performances for the Canadian in 2026.

Top men's contenders: Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic

Both Alcaraz, the 2022 champion, and Sinner, the defending champion, were dominant in their respective runs to the final in New York.

Alcaraz and his ever-improving serve didn't drop a set, and he lost just two service games. He defeated Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the semifinals. Sinner was pushed to four sets twice but hardly ever looked to be in trouble. Alexander Bublik, the tournament's No. 23 seed, compared him to A.I. after losing to him 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in the fourth round.

Alcaraz overpowered Sinner for much of the final, losing just one set and one service game, and claimed the title -- leading to what could be a fascinating rematch between the two in 2026.

Djokovic is a four-time victor in New York. It's hard to predict how he will fare at this stage next year, or what he might say about his future in the sport, but one will imagine he will give it all he's got.

Best chance for a first-time Slam champion: Shelton, Fritz, Draper, Felix Auger-Aliassime

Beloved by the American crowd for his big game and even bigger serve and showmanship, Shelton reached the 2023 semifinals and many believed he could match that this season before his injury. He has proven how good he can be on the hard court, and how much he thrives with the crowd behind him, so this might just be the best chance for anyone outside of the Big Two to win a major trophy in 2026.

Fritz, who will be two years removed from his final appearance, will also be looking to get it done at a place in which he knows well, as will fellow former semifinalists Draper and Auger-Aliassime, who has twice reached the round, including this year. Auger-Aliassime, a 25-year-old Canadian, fought back after losing the first set to Sinner in the semis and ultimately fell in four sets. The winner of two 2025 titles on the surface, Auger-Aliassime will have even more confidence in the new season and all of that might help him next September in New York.