The tennis season is certainly up and running, with the first Major concluded as January expired. Every season comes with a fresh set of questions. The players have expectations and demands of themselves, and neither the journalists nor the fans are left out. So far, we’ve had about a month’s worth of quality tennis. While some things have been put into perspective, for example, the answer to the recurring question of whether Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will continue to dominate the Slams looks like a resounding yes. We’ve also learned a few things along the way; however, some questions are still not clear, or we don’t have enough evidence or enough tennis to guess either way. Here, we look at 5 of these things;
What We Didn’t Learn In January
1. Can Alexander Zverev Finally win a Slam?
Based on his showing in Melbourne, cynics will argue that he doesn’t, pointing to his inability to dispatch an ailing Alcaraz in the semis, despite being given a glorious opportunity back into the match he looked certain to lose early on.
However, believers will cite that he was one service hold away from making the final, where he would have faced an aging Djokovic, which, on the evidence of Sunday and by Djokovic’s own admission of a lack of energy during the finals, would have probably finally clinched that elusive Grand Slam. They’d also add that he only needs some of the luck that allowed Djokovic to find himself in the semis in the first place. Whether he finally wins that elusive Slam this year still feels unlikely, but the good thing from his point of view is that he keeps finding himself in the latter stages of these Slams, and hopefully, anything can happen.
2. Can Naomi Osaka Return to her Very Best?
Another Slam where Osaka has been unable to make a deep run, this time due to injury. She certainly made headlines, but it wasn’t for her tennis. Breaking onto the scene in late 2018 through to 2021, she was expected to do many great things. Once tipped to be Serena Williams’s successor, the plan has not really materialized. Instead, we’ve been treated to flashes of her brilliance, but ultimately, they’ve been too short-lived.
It’s worth noting, though, that since then she has long breaks in tennis, having had a child and battles with mental health. Returning to the Tour, it’s mostly been a mixed bag, and unfortunately, her exploits this new season have not been enough to make a suggestion either way. The hope is that she can return to the court soon and, fingers crossed, build some real momentum.
