Tennis - 7 players who could be Grand slam winners over the next five years

Tennis: 7 Players who could be Grand Slam winners over the next five years… and the big three of course

As long as the Big three (Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic) are still around, it's always safe to back them in a Grand Slam. Between them, they have won 56 Grand Slam titles, with only three outliers (Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, and Marin Cilic) managing to claim a title over the past decade. 

Moreover, no player outside the Big three has managed to win a Grand Slam for three years in a row - it has been total domination from the legends.

Over the next 5 years, what can we expect? Will there be any big changes?

As long as the GOAT race is still fuelling the Big three and the motivation is still there, I think they will be primed to keep winning.

The big question mark in regard to these three is whether their bodies can stay healthy enough to clinch these bigger tournaments. Keep in mind that Grand Slam events do not have a by-round for a seeded player, meaning that each finalist (unless they’re a qualifier) will play exactly 7 matches.

In addition, each match is a best-of-5 set match, making it much more gruelling than most of the ATP-level tournaments out there.

Also a factor is the looming threat from "NextGen" stars, who finally seem to be overcoming their awe and respect of the Big three, and are fed up with their monopoly over the big titles.

The general consensus in the tennis world seems to be that the NextGen players'  breakthrough in a Grand Slam tournament is imminent.

With that in mind, there's a good chance these following players will win a Grand Slam in the next 5 years:

Roger Federer

The Swiss currently holds the record for most Grand Slams with 20. However, at the age of 38 (he turns 39 in August), it is unclear if he is physically fit enough to endure the trials of a Grand Slam. 

Federer has recently undergone knee surgery, and has also been dealing with back issues off and on the past few years. At his age, his body will take longer to heal, and he seems to be slowing down.

It's also not clear whether the break from tennis due to the pandemic will help or hurt his chances. T

ime off is good, but too much time off and he may lose his competitive edge. Having said that, Federer was able to revitalise his game after his prior knee surgery in 2016, so who says he won't do it again?

I believe Federer will win one more Grand Slam at his favourite tournament Wimbledon before he retires. Wishful thinking? Maybe.

Rafael Nadal

Rafa is poised to match Roger's Grand Slam tally, as he is tantalisingly one championship point away.

Unfortunately, his best chance at this year's French Open was delayed due to the pandemic, and it's uncertain at the moment whether he will have the opportunity to make history this year. 

The Spanish "King of Clay" has an incredible 12 French Open titles, with a win-loss record of 86-2. Whenever the next French Open is, Nadal will surely be the favourite.

Nadal is currently 33 years old, and probably has 2 or 3 healthy years ahead of him. It should be interesting to see what an ageing Nadal is capable of achieving.

I think Nadal will at least win two more French Open titles at Roland Garros. Beyond that is anyone's guess.

Nadal is the best left-handed player of all time, and maybe the best player full stop.

Novak Djokovic

Novak hasn't had an easy career in FEDAL's shadow, but at 32 and still seemingly in his prime, Djokovic is now just three titles shy of tying Federer's record. Save some unfortunate stroke of bad luck, it looks like the Serbinator will be able to achieve the record of all-time Grand Slams.

Djokovic has the shots, consistency, fitness, and mental strength to win against any opponent on any surface, as he has shown numerous times in the past. 

Bottom line: Novak definitely can win at least 5 more Grand Slams.

Dominic Thiem

Dominic Thiem seems ready to be the first of the NexGen players to turn Grand Slam champion. 

Early in his career, Thiem was known as a clay court specialist, but has now fully-developed into an all-court player who can win on every surface. He has also ventured deep into Grand Slams, twice becoming French Open runner-up and most recently the Australian Open runner-up, losing to Nadal and Djokovic respectively. 

Both of these losses have been great learning experiences for Thiem, and will serve him well in his next final. At last year's French Open, Thiem was able to take a set from Nadal (some improvement from the year before), and was just one set away from beating Djokovic in Melbourne.

For these reasons, it seems plausible that Thiem is on the cusp of winning his first Grand Slam. I'm not sure that moment will mark the end of the Big 3, but it may dispel some of the aura of invincibility that currently surrounds them.

Daniil Medvedev

The 24 year old had an amazing run at the end of 2019, winning two Masters 1000's titles and making 6 finals in a row, including a runner-up performance at the 2019 US Open after taking Nadal to 5 sets.

Medvedev's consistent ground strokes, mental fortitude, and versatile game lead me to believe that he can be the first male Russian since Marat Safin to win a Grand Slam.

Stefanos Tsitsipas

The Greek has had his ups and downs, but at the ripe young age of 21, he has also managed to have some huge breakthroughs.

He has beaten Federer on the biggest of stages at the 2018 Australian Open, and has taken down Nadal on his favourite surface at last year's Madrid Open.

Tsitsipas ended 2019 on a very promising note, defeating Thiem in the ATP Finals event in London last year, which is the biggest tournament of the year outside of the Grand Slam events.

Tsitsipas' talent and athleticism speak for itself, possessing a huge one-handed backhand, powerful forehand, and reflexive net play.

Having had success on such big stages throughout his youthful career, it seems highly likely that Tsitsipas will become a Grand Slam champion in the next five years.

 Alexander Zverev

I have conflicting feelings about Zverev. The lanky German has been in the spotlight for quite some time now as the future world number one of tennis, but this has yet to materialise.

With Zverev, it may be a case of having turned pro too soon, and having let the media hype distract him, leading to his anticlimactic results at Grand Slam tournaments.

Until this year's Australian Open, Zverev failed to make a semifinal appearance, routinely crashing out early in these big tournaments and struggling to keep up with the physicality of the game. Zverev has yet to make a quarterfinal appearance in both Wimbledon and the US Open.

However, let's not forget that it took a while for Federer to get his act together early in his career. It was around the same age that Federer made his Grand Slam break through and climbed to the world #1 ranking.

Of note, Zverev also has 3 Masters 1000s titles and a year-end ATP Final Championship trophy, achievements that definitely set him apart from the rest of his NextGen peers.

If the start of 2020 was any indication, the tides seem to be turning for Zverev. He seems to finally be coping with the mental pressure on the big stage, which is a good sign for his Grand Slam aspirations. 

Nick Kyrgios

The wild Nick Kyrgios, known for his antics and meltdowns on court and in the press room, as well as for his showy tennis, may be making a turning point in his career.

As with Zverev, this year's Aussie Open seemed to be a turning point for Kyrgios, where he displayed great maturity and social responsibility in his support for victims of the Australian bush fires.

Kyrgios has had some success in Grand Slams, upsetting Nadal at Wimbledon early in his professional career to reach the quarterfinals, and has sporadically claimed ATP titles over the past several years.

However, since that legendary Wimbledon win over Rafa, Kyrgios' Grand Slam campaign has fallen to the wayside. For the majority of his career so far, Kyrgios has dwelled in a kind of Henry IV-like limbo state (Shakespeare). 

This career derailment likely stems from emotional immaturity. Struggling to handle the media spotlight at such a young age has left some permanent scars, causing Nick to lash out at the media and reject his ethical role as a professional sportsman.

Time heals all wounds, and I'm hopeful that we will start seeing some positive strides in Nick's career. A Grand Slam win would be a huge "rising of the phoenix" moment for Kyrgios, and would make for a great sports narrative. My fingers are crossed!

Juan Martin Del Potro

Speaking of great narratives, the honorable mention here has to be Juan Martin Del Potro, who has been side-lined the latter half of last year with a knee fracture. 

The giant Argentinian, who has proved himself at Grand Slams in the past, overcoming both Nadal and Federer to win the 2009 US Open, has already undergone several surgeries on a serious knee injury that has delayed his return indefinitely.

The tennis world is anxiously hoping for the return of DelPo after the sport resumes action, as his missile-of-a-forehand is sorely missed. 

When and if he does return, expect him to make one last run at his favourite tournament, the US Open.

 Andy Murray

Last but not least, former world #1 and three time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray has to be part of the discussion.

Struggling with injuries late in 2016, he eventually gave up the fight and retired from the sport early in 2019 - albeit prematurely. 

He has recently made a comeback, playing in some lower-ranked 250 tournaments (even winning one) and playing doubles matches at Grand Slams.

The consensus seems to be that Murray is preparing for a Grand Slam comeback, but his results remain far from certain. Given that his game hinges on defensive play and lateral movement, it is unlikely that he will be able to maintain his highest form throughout an entire tournament.

The big question, for me, is whether he will be able to adapt his style so that it is less physically demanding, as Federer did in his 30's by employing more serve & volley tactics, and by playing with more aggression and initiative. If so, then maybe Murray will prove me wrong.

Find more tennis articles in our tennis blog!