There’s no longer a Big Four in men’s tennis. There’s Novak Djokovic, and everyone else is playing catch-up.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion finally claimed the career Grand Slam with a victory over Andy Murray at the French Open earlier this month, and another victory at Wimbledon would put him one win away from a calendar year one, too. The No. 1 player is the odds-on favorite to win, and there’s really no argument to be made otherwise.
However, favorites don’t always win. It was almost a year ago when Serena Williams’ shot at the calendar Grand Slam came to a stunning end at the U.S. Open, and a stacked field and draw could lead to a similar fate for Djokovic.
Will Djokovic continue his quest for calendar Grand Slam?
One thing Djokovic does have working against him is he didn’t play in any grass tournaments before Wimbledon, while other top men’s players such as Roger Federer and Murray did. But when you’ve dominated the tennis world as Djokovic has, taking a little time off shouldn’t sound any alarms.
Djokovic has made the Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles final four times, including three trips in a row. He topped Federer for the title the past two years and Rafael Nadal in his other win, and his only final loss came in 2013 against Murray.
And while a Murray-Djokovic final rematch might take place, Murray arguably has the easier path. If the seeds hold, Djokovic will face David Ferrer in the fourth round, Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals and Federer in the semifinals. But while that seems like a daunting path, if anyone can navigate it, Djokovic (and his 44-3 record this year) can.
Can Murray repeat Wimbledon magic?
The man seemingly with the best chance to dethrone Djokovic is Murray, and history has shown he can do just that at Wimbledon.
Murray’s second Grand Slam singles title came in 2013, when he beat Djokovic in a thrilling three-set match. But that has been one of the few highlights for Murray, who is 10-24 lifetime against Djokovic, including 2-5 in finals after the French Open.
But Murray has been on top of his game this year. The No. 2 player in the world has a 33-6 record and two titles in 2016, including the Aegon Championships, which is one of the top grass events prior to Wimbledon.
Can a healthy Federer contend?
It’s hard to ever call Federer a dark horse, but the 34-year-old might as well be.
Federer, whose 17 Grand Slam singles titles are the most in men’s history, hasn’t won one of the big four events since Wimbledon in 2012, and time likely is running out for him to add No. 18 to his résumé. In addition, Federer sat out the French Open with back and knee injuries, so his health is a big question mark.
Federer has played in two grass events since the injury, and he made the semifinals in both tournaments. However, the grind of a Grand Slam is a whole different story. But if there’s any place Federer would have a chance to surprise a few people and win another Grand Slam, it would be at Wimbledon, where he has won seven times.
Dark-horse candidates
There’s bound to be a few upsets along the way, especially in Stan Wawrinka’s wide-open quarter of the draw. Dominic Thiem, fresh off a semifinal appearance at the French Open, Tomas Berdych and Bernard Tomic all could make some noise in Wawrinka’s quarter, and you shouldn’t be surprised if either Thiem or Berdych make the semis.
Other names to watch out for are Richard Gasquet, Kevin Anderson and Nick Kyrgios. If you’re looking for an American who could make a deep run, John Isner still presents the U.S. with the best chance, although he could be the underdog as early as the third round against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Prediction
Djokovic. Look, we hate to be boring and pick chalk, but it wouldn’t be wise to bet against Djokovic on his quest for history.
Thumbnail photo via Susan Mullane/USA TODAY Sports Images
