RICKY’S MEN’S TENNIS PICKS FOR A YEAR OF SLAMS? BRAVE MAN! HERE THEY ARE STARTING WITH THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Written by: Staff on 2nd January 2016

RICKY'S MEN'S TENNIS PICKS FOR A YEAR OF SLAMS? BRAVE MAN! HERE THEY ARE STARTING WITH THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

epa05044811 Britain's Andy Murray in action against Belgium's Ruben Bemelmans during the second match of the Davis Cup World Group Final between Belgium and Britain in Gent, Belgium, 27 November 2015. EPA/LAURENT DUBRULE |

Ricky’s Picks For The 2016 Grand Slams On The Men’s Side

By Ricky Dimon

Novak Djokovic is not quite dominant enough to make predictions for the 2016 Grand Slams uninteresting. As Roger Federer–and a few others; but mainly Federer–proved in 2015, Djokovic can be tested on a consistent basis and beaten on occasion.

So how many majors will Djokovic win this upcoming season? Who will share the spoils. With 2016 upon us and the Australian Open beginning in only two weeks, it’s time to make some picks.

Australian Open – Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has won this event five times, including four of the last five installments. His only blemish during this stretch is a 9-7 in the fifth set loss to Stan Wawrinka in the 2014 quarterfinals. Not including one retirement, Djokovic has not lost prior to a fifth set Down Under since 2007. Based on the world No. 1’s dominant 2015 campaign, there is no reason to think anything will change at the season’s first major this time around. He won his last five tournaments of the previous year, going 25-1 overall in the process. A one-month “offseason” will not stop Djokovic’s momentum.

Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Andy Murray. Murray has big momentum from Great Britain’s Davis Cup title and almost always fares well in Melbourne (except when he has to face Djokovic).

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French Open – Rafael Nadal. The shocking part of Nadal’s failure to win at Roland Garros this past season was that it wasn’t shocking. Nadal struggled just about from start to finish throughout 2015—even on his beloved clay. But another setback in Paris, if the Spaniard is 100 percent healthy when the tournament rolls around, would be far more surprising and alarming. Nadal raised his level in the fall, especially at the World Tour Finals, so there is some reason for optimism in 2016. Also, the last time two consecutive French Opens were won by players other than Nadal was 2003 and 2004—when he was 17 and 18 and did not participate!

Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Quentin Halys of France during their first round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 26 May 2015. EPA/YOAN VALAT

Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Novak Djokovic. Djokovic clearly has the potential to win a French Open, if not multiple. But 2015 may have presented him with his best chance, as Nadal was probably not the Nadal that will be on display this year.

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Wimbledon – Andy Murray. Will a Davis Cup title the preceding year do for Murray what it did for Djokovic in 2011? Maybe not entirely, but it can only help the Scot’s confidence and inspiration for more success. While other top players may be more focused on the Rio Olympics this summer, Murray’s eyes should be on another Wimbledon prize. After all, that is basically the world No. 2’s home tournament and he already has a gold medal in his back pocket (at the All-England Club, coincidentally, in 2012). Djokovic’s back-to-back Wimbledon triumphs notwithstanding, Murray has a better chance against him on grass than on hard courts.

Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Roger Federer. Federer can clearly contend at majors even at age 34. Wimbledon gives him his best chance, because the Swiss is a grass-court masters who can keep points relatively short on the slick stuff.

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U.S. Open – Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is going to win multiple slams again in 2016. How could he not? The question is which ones. Backing him to win three, just as he did last year, may be the overriding trend. Heck, more than few folks in the tennis world are probably expecting a calendar-year Grand Slam. That is unlikely, but it is not hard to see Djokovic maintaining relative dominance—especially on hards. He lost a total of six sets at the two hard-court majors in 2015, three at each event. The Serb has triumphed at the U.S. Open twice in his career, both within the last five years, and he has been to the final on four of the last five occasions.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return to Roger Federer of Switzerland during the men’s final on the fourteenth day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 13 September 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Runner-up (if on opposite side) – Rafael Nadal. The world No. 5 is an underrated hard-court player who has won the U.S. Open twice. He caught fire during the American summer in 2010 and 2013 and he may do so once again.