Novak Djokovic's class, a women's 'Big 3' and more: Early impressions for 2023 at the end of first quarter
Three months into the 2023 season, Novak Djokovic is the World No. 1, while a fast-emerging 'Big 3' — comprising three big winners, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina — find themselves atop the women's game.
But those aren't the only noteworthy developments from an unbelievably busy first quarter of the tennis season. Exciting new rivalries, career renaissances, and endearing wins have all kept fans invested and excited for the sport.
Now, as we head into the European clay swing, it makes for the perfect opportunity to talk early impressions based on what went down in the WTA and ATP Tours in the last three months:
Novak Djokovic a class apart still
Novak Djokovic has played three tournaments in 2023, won two, and quite extraordinarily, that has been enough to reinstate him atop the men's ranking.
The win at the Australian Open — a record-extending 10th — was the high point for Djokovic, who braved a host of big names, including Daniil Medvedev, in the finals to return to World No. 1. He has been locked in a back-and-forth for the position with Carlos Alcaraz, but a victory in Adelaide and the subsequent semifinals in Dubai was enough to keep him just ahead.
Djokovic has lost only one match this season to Medvedev in the Dubai last-four. It goes on to show that in a post-Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal world, simply holding a tennis racquet sets the Serb a class apart from the rest of the field.
A 'Big 3' in women's tennis?
Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina — these three players have captured all but one of the season's biggest titles (Grand Slam and WTA 1000) so far and have ensured participation in all four finals.
Sabalenka and Rybakina made a quick start to 2023, reaching the Australian Open final. The Belarusian lifted her first Slam trophy Down Under, only for Rybakina to avenge the loss in the Indian Wells final.
Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, dominated the Middle East after lifting the trophy in Doha and reaching the summit clash in Dubai before losing to Barbora Krejcikova.
The trio has managed double-figure win streaks of their own this season. The same makes for an incredible stat as we're only three months into the season. While the likes of Krejcikova, Jessica Pegula, and Petra Kvitova have posted multiple wins each over the trio in 2023, a fast-emerging 'Big-3' in the women's game cannot be completely ruled out just yet.
A new, exciting rivalry
Set off in the second half of the 2022 season, the on-court rivalry between Carlos Alacraz and Jannik Sinner is shaping up nicely in the new year. The duo split their two Grand Slam meetings last year, with Sinner triumphing at Wimbledon and Alcaraz returning the favor en-route to his maiden Slam title in New York.
The story of the first three months of the new season has been quite similar. Alcaraz, however, took the upper hand first. The Spaniard beat Sinner in the Indian Wells semifinal before lifting the trophy. A fortnight later, the Italian was just as easily able to turn the match-up upside down again.
All of the duo's recent meetings have been highly-competitive affairs, but it the ease with which they can flip the script on each other in a matter of days. With the two already being tipped as the future of tennis, was the prospect of such an exciting rivalry ever in doubt though?
Daniil Medvedev's renaissance
Multiple titles in 2023, check. The only player to score a win over Novak Djokovic, check. The top spot in the Race to the ATP Finals rankings, check. Daniil Medvedev is having a quietly successful season.
The Russian, who never really took the next step after capturing his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open, has already witnessed a bit of a renaissance in 2023 after a somewhat medicore — by his lofty standards — last year.
Medvedev has already posted 29 match wins this year, the most by any player. His title wins have come against the best of the best — Djokovic, Sinner, and Andy Murray. He is exuding confidence heading into his least favorite part of the year, the European clay swing.
All of these factors combined should leave little doubt in the minds of fans and fellow players about Medvedev's chances of once again rising to the top of the men's game.