Before the spectacular starting shot at the Australian Open: The ten pressing questions about the new tennis year

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Since his stunning victory at Wimbledon last July, Carlos Alcaraz (20) has not won a title and has lost twice to rival Novak Djokovic (36). After his steep climb, the mighty Spaniard had to go through a longer, more difficult phase for the first time – the Australian Open is now a real test for the world number two.

This is what Günthardt says: “Alcaraz has been definitively decrypted. But that doesn’t mean it helps his opponents. Because the game of Björn Borg, Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal was and is known. Yet not everyone has the resources to actually beat the top shots. The problem with Alcaraz is that he has used up a lot of energy during his rise. He now plays under different circumstances and has to get used to them. Moreover, due to the defeats in the fall, he lost his aura of invincibility. He has to earn that again. But one thing remains: his potential is enormous thanks to his talent and athleticism.”

‘I just enjoy what I do. If you are still passionate about something, don’t change it. Of course, I’m old, but I feel good.’ That’s what Stan Wawrinka said last summer at the US Open. He will be 39 years old in March. But this does not change the drive of the oldest player in the world’s top 100 (currently ATP 56).

This is what Günthardt says: “The Australian Ken Rosewall (89) once reached the Wimbledon final at the age of 40. He was also – like Stan – a gifted backhand player. He was called ‘Muscle’, while Stan has a no less powerful nickname: ‘The Man’. These parallels give us Swiss hope. His level is still high. Wawrinka dreams of one last title on the tour? Why not! Last year he was already in a final in Umag. And as for his departure, he will leave when it feels right for him.”

Holger Rune (21) gave himself a present shortly before Christmas. After former Djokovic coach Boris Becker (56), he also brought former Roger Federer coach Severin Lüthi (48) on board. Concentrated Grand Slam know-how.

This is what Günthardt says: «The new entourage with this vast knowledge can certainly give Rune the wind in his sails to win a major title. Nevertheless, for me he is in the second row of contenders. The distance to Djokovic, Alcaraz or Daniil Medvedev (27) is (still) too great. Consistency is lacking so far. A coup would require a lot to come together. But the start of the year with the Brisbane final was promising.”

Belinda Bencic (26), the top-ranked Swiss woman (WTA 19), is missing from the tour. It remains to be seen when the woman from eastern Switzerland will return from her baby break. The due date is in the spring. The only Swiss woman in the top 100 is Viktorija Golubic (31), number 90 in the world. Jil Teichmann (26) has to rebuild the field from 130th after a difficult year. Céline Naef (18/WTA 137) dreams of crossing the 100 mark for the first time.

This is what Günthardt says: “In terms of ranking we are already in a better position, there is nothing to soften. But the good thing is: Golubic (main field), Teichmann, Naef and Simona Waltert (23, WTA 166/each in qualifying) are all there in Melbourne. And everyone has already proven that they can compete at the highest level.”

He has 24 Grand Slams, 407 weeks as number one and seven ATP Finals titles to his name. Record man Novak Djokovic impressively showed with three major victories last year that there is still no way around him. In 2024 he could complete his Palmarès with the calendar Grand Slam and Olympic gold.

This is what Günthardt says: «What tickles him despite all his successes are the emotions. Winning big titles in front of a big audience is the best thing there is. That doesn’t change, even after countless tournament victories. Moreover, he is and remains insatiable; that’s part of his secret to success. As long as he feels physically equal, he will remain the benchmark. He still looks as fresh as when he was young.”

Dominic Stricker (21) is mainly missing from the first Grand Slam tournament, where he would not have to qualify. A back injury prevented him from participating in the Australian Open – and put an end to his steep climb for the time being. The Bernese broke through in 2023, made his Grand Slam debut and reached the top 100 (currently ATP 90). After his sensational round of 16 at the US Open, he stormed through to the quarter-finals in Basel. In between, however, he found it very difficult in smaller Challenger tournaments – because “one or two percent was missing in his head”, as he admitted.

This is what Günthardt says: ‘Better this way than the other way around. There are many players who are great on small stages, but then struggle in big tournaments. Stricker works differently. He likes to be behaved by the audience. He plays so attractively that fans want to support him. This is a good opportunity, especially at the beginning of a career. It is bitter that he will now miss the Australian Open. What worries me is his injury proneness. Even in his breakthrough year, he repeatedly struggled with injuries. This is a brake on his development. I am convinced that if he could play a year without injuries after his comeback, he would take another big step forward.”

While Bencic and Petra Kvitova (33) took their baby break, two ambitious top players, Naomi Osaka (26) and Angelique Kerber (35), returned.

This is what Günthardt says: «Osaka has everything it needs to quickly become one of the best in the world again. Her game is extremely dangerous: she gives her opponents no rhythm. Under certain circumstances you won’t see anything against her, i.e. once she gets going again, it will also be difficult for Iga Swiatek (22) or Coco Gauff (19) to slow her down. Kerber’s starting position is different: she is older, less aggressive and cannot simply push her opponents away. A smaller title? Yes. A big? Doubtful, but not impossible.”

In Brisbane (quarter-finals), Rafael Nadal (37) initially made a promising comeback, but then withdrew from Melbourne due to an injury. The many question marks behind the 22-time Grand Slam winner have not diminished.

This is what Günthardt says: “If Rafa is healthy, he can win any title. But whether his body actually cooperates is simply impossible to answer. In Brisbane he moved well and played great tennis. But then he injured himself again during the first real sporting test against Jordan Thompson (7:5, 6:7, 3:6). Will this happen again next time? How many more attempts does he make? At some point there will come a point where his body refuses – because it is protecting itself in the long run. With every injury, Nadal now has to wonder whether it is actually worth returning. Is the short-term, emotional rush on the field worth it? Or should he adapt his body for the time after his career?”

Beijing, Vienna, Davis Cup: Jannik Sinner (22) won an incredible series of titles in the autumn and caused enormous enthusiasm in Italy. The hopes are now high that the South Tyrolean can be the man to finally win the first Grand Slam title for Italy since 1976 (Adriano Panatta in Paris).

This is what Günthardt says: “No one has better timing than Sinner. Watching him is just amazing. The match with Alcaraz at the 2022 US Open, which the Spaniard won, was one of the best I have ever seen. His basic level is just as good as that of the Grand Slam winners. For me, Sinner is a step further than Rune. He is extremely dangerous for Djokovic and Co..”

The man is polarizing: some love Nick Kyrgios (28) for his spectacular play, others are annoyed by his noisy attitude on the field (or on social media). The fact is: he played only one match in 2023 – at the grass tournament in Stuttgart. Injuries continued to set him back and the Australian Open is still too early. Although he doesn’t really feel like it anymore, he will continue to play for “a year or two”, he recently announced.

This is what Günthardt says: “One Kyrgio is good for tennis, two would be too much. Every fan watches him when he plays. Some because they love him, some because they love to hate him. With him it is not possible to be impartial. He touches the audience. And we can all only hope that he returns soon.”

Source : Blick