In 2023, the tennis world witnessed unprecedented triumphs, as Novak Djokovic solidified his status as one of the greatest players of all time. Not only did he redefine excellence this year, but he also raised the bar extremely high for all those who come after.
We also saw the rise of emerging artists like Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner in this year. The tennis season of 2023 saw a few memorable moments thanks to their skill.
Now, let’s examine five players that had a significant impact on the 2023 campaign:
- Novak Djokovic
In 2023, Novak Djokovic had a remarkable season. At the French Open, he achieved his 23rd Grand Slam, setting a new record in the men’s singles division and making him the oldest winner of this tournament at 36 years old.
In addition, Djokovic achieved his 24th major singles championship in the US Open, matching Margaret Court’s record for the most Grand Slam singles victories.
At 36 years and 111 days, he became the oldest men’s singles winner in the Open Era with his victory at the US Open. Along with these victories, Djokovic achieved an unprecedented seventh ATP year-end No. 1 ranking.
- Iga Swiatek
After winning WTA Player of the Year for the second straight year, Iga Swiatek joined an exclusive club of athletes that include Serena Williams and Steffi Graf.
Six victories, including her maiden WTA Finals trophy and her second Roland Garros gold, were among Swiatek’s highlights from the 2023 season. She also won the WTA 500 in Stuttgart and Qatar, as well as the China Open.
Additionally, Swiatek won her maiden championship on home soil in the BNP Paribas Warsaw Open. She became even more of a powerhouse in women’s tennis after her unblemished performance at the WTA Finals in Cancun, where she won the year-end No. 1 singles ranking for the second consecutive year.
- Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz’s triumph in Buenos Aires early in the season set the standard for an outstanding year. Alcaraz’s victory in a tense five-set match against Novak Djokovic to win the Wimbledon championship was the highlight of his incredible year. In the Indian Wells Masters 1000, he also declared victory, defeating his rivals without dropping a set.
- Jannik Sinner
Four tour-level championships were won by Jannik Sinner, including his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 victory in Toronto. His remarkable 64-15 win-loss record during the season was a reflection of his consistency.
Sinner achieved another historic first at the Vienna Open, breaking a decades-old national record and became the first Italian man to win 55 matches in a single season in the Open Era.
Sinner was a major factor in Italy winning their first Davis Cup since 1976. He became the first Italian player to finish a season in the Top 5 as he concluded the 2023 campaign at a career-high No. 4 in the ATP Rankings. At the 2023 ATP Awards, Sinner was also selected as the fans’ favorite singles player.
- Daniil Medvedev
A string of outstanding wins throughout Daniil Medvedev’s 2023 season cemented his position as one of the best players. He defeated Jannik Sinner in an incredible comeback to win the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam to start the year on a positive note. Medvedev won the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships back-to-back, extending his winning run.