Welcome to Tennis Elbow, the column that looks back on the week that was in the world of tennis. This week, Charles Blouin-Gascon previews the 2020 tennis season.
Welcome back for yet another tennis season, and yet another instalment of us looking foolish as we try to predict things for said season.
In the very same way we’ve done at the beginning of every season for the past handful of years, we’re using this first column of 2020 to dip our toes in the proverbial water and guess how the next 12 months of tennis will unfold. We’ll undoubtedly be wrong on most, if not all, counts—we went 6 of 19 a year ago LOL—but it doesn’t mean we can’t have fun on the way there.
There’s probably a pun to make about it being 2020 and hindsight. We’ll leave that up to you.
What is the ATP Cup?
Sorry but, like, what exactly is the ATP Cup? We’re still not entirely sure.
The Australian Open starts on time.
This would presumably mean that the current wildfires that are ravaging the country have been controlled, which is the outcome we should all hope for. At this time, tennis truly doesn’t matter.
Novak Djokovic does equal Maria Sharapova’s donation to fight the Australian wildfires.
The Russian took to social media to pledge a donation toward the relief efforts underway in Australia and asked Novak Djokovic to match the sum she is giving. Let’s hope for the best and say that the Serb will match it, if only because we love happy endings.
The month of January in Australia has been my ? for the past 15 years. Watching the fires destroy the lands, it’s beautiful families and communities of animals is deeply?. I would like to begin my donation at 25K. @DjokerNole, would you match my donation??? #letsallcometogether
— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) January 5, 2020
Four players divide the 8 Grand Slams between them.
This is about as bold as we’ll ever get if we’re being honest.
Unless it’s 8 different players who each win one Grand Slam each in 2020.
One of our favourite recurring predictions, although we’ve never ever been right about it.
Serena Williams gets major No. 24.
With a 24th major title, Serena Williams would move into a tie for first place in history.
…But not major No. 25.
Folks, this is what you call hedging your bets.
So she comes back for the 2021 season.
There’s really truly only one thing left for Serena Williams to accomplish before retiring. So long as she doesn’t accomplish it, then we’ll keep saying she’ll come back for another season.
Bianca Andreescu gets to world No. 1.
Oh we’re definitely feeling patriotic, you’re absolutely right.
Simona Halep makes all four Grand Slam finals.
Maybe it’s time we finally give the future Hall of Famer her roses while she can still smell them, wouldn’t you say?
Ashleigh Barty successfully builds upon a dream 2019 season.
By which we mean that the Australian will end the 2020 season as the year-end No. 1 player in the world. Again.
Aryna Sabalenka crashes the WTA Party.
We are running this one back from a year ago; in 2019 we said we had “no doubt about it.” We’re full of doubt about it this year, but whatever.
Alexander Zverev drops out of the Top 10.
Alexander Zverev is somehow, against all odds, still only 22 years old? We can’t believe it.
Andy Murray is toast, actually retires this time.
We’ll deserve no credit for being right on this one, none: Andy Murray has literally announced his retirement a year ago.
Novak Djokovic starts the new decade with another year-end No. 1 ranking.
We love being positive in this space and want nothing but the absolute best for our one true king.
Daniil Medvedev becomes a legend.
“Hmmm sure, but what do you really mean?
-Oh, you want us to be specific?”
Daniil Medvedev wins a Grand Slam.
How is that for a specific prediction?
Roger Federer falls out of the top 10.
Oh, the Federer fans will absolutely loathe us for this one.
Rafael Nadal catches Roger Federer on the Grand Slam list.
MORE FIRE, MORE!!!
We’ll forget the old Davis Cup format ever existed.
If the powers that be do this properly, we should forget before long about the old Davis Cup that no one watched all that much anyway.
Follow Charles Blouin-Gascon on Twitter @RealCBG
