Following my popular article last year, I will once again be giving my WTA predictions for the upcoming 2023 season. In this article, I shall be giving my predictions on the biggest tournaments of the year (the Grand Slams and WTA Finals). So without further ado, here are my predictions. What do you think will happen?
Australian Open
2022 Final: (1) Ashleigh Barty d. (27) Danielle Collins 6–3, 7–6(7–2)
Predicted Champion: Iga Swiatek
Given that the 2022 final was (shockingly) the final match of Ash Barty’s career, we know that there will not be a successful title defense in 2023. I also don’t see Danielle Collins, last year’s runner-up, putting up much of a threat either as she has unfortunately not been able to build on the momentum from that tournament.
Therefore, I am going with the World No.1 Iga Swiatek to win her first Australian Open (and fourth Grand Slam singles title overall). The Pole reached the semi-finals last year and she is a different player now than she was 12 months ago so it seems set for her to win a third major in the last four tournaments. If Swiatek was to lose, I believe the tournament will be wide open and WTA carnage would prevail.
French Open
2022 Final: (1) Iga Swiatek d. (18) Coco Gauff 6–1, 6–3
Predicted Champion: Ons Jabeur
Many have Iga Swiatek nailed on to win the French Open in 2023 but I have my doubts. Firstly, no woman has successfully defended the French Open since 2007. In addition, if Swiatek were to win the Australian Open, winning the French Open would mean she would have reached three consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals–this is something Swiatek has yet to do in her career and a feat that hasn’t occurred in a few years on the WTA Tour. In addition, no woman has won consecutive Grand Slams within the same calendar year since 2015–another reason why I don’t see Swiatek winning the French Open, if she is indeed successful at the Australian Open.
Last year’s runner-up Gauff has an outside chance but only if she improves her game considerably. Her run to the French Open final was a result of not having to play a Top 30 player en route and when she had to play World No.1 Swiatek in the final, the weaknesses in her game were easily exposed. Therefore, I am looking to Ons Jabeur to be victorious in Paris. The Tunisian had a shock 1st Round exit in 2022 (after an impressive clay-court swing), but this can be attributed to her being distracted from finding out that she was going to play doubles with Serena Williams (in Eastbourne) shortly before the French Open started. With no pressure of having points to defend and a former winner of the junior title, it seems logical to me to predict Jabeur to win her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 French Open.
Wimbledon
2022 Final: (17) Elena Rybakina d. (3) Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
Predicted Champion: Iga Swiatek
The last time the women’s Wimbledon title was successfully defended was in 2016. Given that Rybakina has really not pushed on since her Wimbledon triumph (with only a 12-9 match record), I don’t see her changing that stat next year. I would’ve had Jabeur amongst the top contenders but assuming she wins the French Open, I do not see her winning Wimbledon. When playing the next Grand Slam within the same calendar year straight after winning one, no woman has advanced past the quarter-final since 2015.
Therefore, I have gone with the World No.1 Iga Swiatek to win Wimbledon and complete the Career Grand Slam in the process. People claim the Pole is not comfortable on the grass and will use her third round exit at the 2022 tournament to evidence that. However, she entered the tournament on a 37-match win streak and six of the 10 longest WTA win streaks have ended in Grand Slams. As a former junior Wimbledon champion, Swiatek will be more experienced in 2023 and so I predict her to win Wimbledon. If she doesn’t, the draw will be like a typical recent WTA draw: chaotic.
US Open
2022 Final: (1) Iga Swiatek d. (5) Ons Jabeur 6–2, 7–6(7–5)
Predicted Champion: Caroline Garcia
The last time the women’s US Open title was successfully defended was in 2014 and as I previously mentioned when playing the next Grand Slam within the same calendar year straight after winning one, no woman has advanced past the quarter-final since 2015. Given that I am predicting Swiatek to win Wimbledon, if that does come to fruition I do not see her winning the US Open as a result.
I have gone with Garcia to win the US Open. The Frenchwoman reached the semifinals in 2022 and was arguably playing better tennis than anyone until that round (having won 18 of her last 19 matches). It seemed that the pressure of a first Grand Slam semifinal got to her and she put in a subpar performance. Now that she has that experience, I think she will be more comfortable if she were to reach another semifinal. Despite, being criticised for her mental fragility throughout her career, Garcia has actually won all her big singles finals (three finals at WTA 1000 level one at the WTA Finals) in her career. Therefore, if she were to make the final, I believe Garcia would have a good chance of winning. If Garcia does not win the US Open, I think 2022 runner-up Jabeur will emerge victorious (assuming she does not win one of the other Grand Slams).
WTA Finals
2022 Final: (6) Caroline Garcia d. (7) Aryna Sabalenka 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Predicted Champion: Iga Swiatek
Swiatek is the dominant No.1 the WTA has been crying out for and as a result she is my pick to win the 2023 WTA Finals. In 2022, she reached the semifinals of this event, which was an improvement on her round robin stage elimination in 2021. Given her current trajectory, this suggests she will improve on her previous WTA Finals appearances and reach the final. And since she has won 11 of her last 12 finals, there would be a high probability she emerges with the champion’s trophy.
Given that the WTA Finals have not been successfully defended since 2014, I don’t think Garcia will be champion in 2023 even if Swiatek were to falter. Therefore, if the Pole was not to win the WTA Finals in 2023, I would predict last year’s runner-up Sabalenka (if she is able to be in the Top 8) or another player who has not won the title before to capitalize.
What are your predictions? Let me know in the comments!
Main Photo from Getty.
