With now Federer out of the Grand Slam chase picture, it is up to Djokovic (21 Grand Slams) and Nadal (22 Grand Slams) to keep this race going. Both men are nearing the twilight of their careers – one would think! However, they keep turning back the clock every time they step onto a court.

2023 will be very interesting. For one, the Grand Slams may not have a vaccination requirement, which means that Djokovic will be able to compete in all four slams. He’ll be the favorite at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon, while Nadal will be again the favorite at the French Open. The US Open is the one tournament that seems to favor youngsters as of late.

It is entirely possible that Djokovic ends the year with 23 Grand Slams as it is entirely possible that Nadal ends with 23 Grand Slams as well. If that’s the case, it would be fitting that the two men go into 2024 tied in the race for Grand Slam supremacy.

It is also entirely possible that neither Djokovic nor Nadal win a Grand Slam in 2023. The field of talent just keeps getting deeper and with the rise of players like Alcaraz, Ruud, and Auger Aliassime, and veteran players like Medvedev, Tsitsipas and Zverev, it is going to be even more difficult to notch more Grand Slam titles.

So, what’s more likely? I think what’s likely is that either Djokovic or Nadal pick up one Grand Slam, while the rest of the field split the rest of the Grand Slam tournaments. Djokovic turns 36 in May while Nadal turns 37 in June. Going into 2024 they will be 36 and 37 respectively. Let’s not forget that Federer had a massive resurgence around this time, picking up two Australian Opens and one Wimbledon title.

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