Top 10 most memorable moments in 2023 tennis season

Novak Djokovic’s win at US Open marked his 24th Grand Slam.

The year 2023 was a thrilling one for tennis lovers, as they witnessed many exciting and dramatic events on and off the court. The season has come to an end, but the anticipation for 2024 is already high. One of the most shocking stories was Rafael Nadal’s absence from the tour due to a knee injury. The Spanish legend missed the entire season, leaving his fans and rivals wondering about his future.

Other memorable moments of 2023 included Novak Djokovic’s 24th Major title, and the emergence of new stars like Jannik Sinner, Matteo Arnaldi, and Leylah Fernandez.

Here is our top 10 compilation for the most memorable moments this season

Novak Djokovic’s 24th major title

Despite being 36 years old, Novak Djokovic remains a formidable force in tennis. He has fended off the challenge of younger rivals and maintained his dominance as the world no.1. He made it to the final of every Grand Slam tournament this year, losing only at Wimbledon. He claimed his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open, where he defeated Daniil Medvedev in three sets.

With this triumph at Flushing Meadows, he has matched Margaret Court’s record for the most singles titles in Grand Slam history. The only major accolade missing from Nole’s resume is the Olympic gold.

Coco Gauff’s maiden Grand Slam title

At 15 years old, Coco Gauff had already created history by becoming the youngest qualifier for the Wimbledon main draw in the Open Era, which started in 1968. She stunned her idol, Venus Williams, in the first round of the slam. Four years on, she beat Aryna Sabalenka in the final to clinch the US Open title and her first major.

Gauff became the youngest American to win the US Open since Serena Williams in 1999 with her victory at Flushing Meadows. Her breakthrough slam and her titles at Cincinnati and Washington catapulted the young star to World No. 3.

Marketa Vondrousova’s run at Wimbledon

In a stunning upset, Marketa Vondrousova became the first unseeded woman to lift the Wimbledon trophy when she beat Ons Jabeur in two sets, 6-4, 6-4. Jabeur, who was ranked 6th, reached her second Wimbledon final in a row. Vondrousova, who was a runner-up at the 2019 French Open, had to overcome several injuries and undergo surgery to make a comeback to the court.

Vondrousova rose from World No.99 at the start of the year to end it strongly at No.7. The last time an unseeded woman reached the Wimbledon finals was Billie Jean King in 1963.

New mom Elina Svitolina returns

Elina Svitolina, who became a mother in 2022, had a successful year after taking a break due to pregnancy. She bounced back from her loss in Charleston by winning the title in Strasbourg. She also made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon, where she beat Iga Swiatek in the last eight. She fell to the eventual winner, Marketa Vondrousova, in the semis. Svitolina, who was once World No. 3, is now ranked 25th in the WTA.

Caroline Wozniacki comes out of retirement

Caroline Wozniacki, the former World No. 1, announced her comeback to the WTA tour after a three-year retirement from professional tennis. The Danish player has 30 titles to her name, including the 2018 Australian Open and 2017 WTA Finals. Wozniacki also reached the US Open final twice in 2009 and 2014. She is the first woman from Scandinavia to end the year as World No. 1 for two years in a row, having stayed at the top for 71 weeks.

Italy lift the 2023 Davis Cup – their first since 1976

The Davis Cup was finally lifted by Italy after almost 50 years of waiting. Jannik Sinner and Matteo Arnaldi were the heroes who beat Australia in the final round. The Italians secured the trophy by winning two consecutive matches, making the third one unnecessary.

Arnaldi started strong for Italy by defeating Alexei Popyrin 7-5 2-6 6-4. Sinner continued his impressive form from the semifinal win over Novak Djokovic and crushed world No. 12 Alex de Minaur 6-3 6-0. Both Italians received a warm and festive reception from their countrymen who celebrated their triumph.

Carlos Alcaraz wins Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz, who enjoyed a breakout in 2022, moved up one notch, winning six ATP titles this year compared to five in 2022. One of those was Wimbledon, where the Spaniard played a marathon five-setter against Novak Djokovic to win in five sets. In doing so, Alcaraz denied Djokovic a shot at a calendar slam as well as his fifth straight Wimbledon title.

Alcaraz took over the No. 1 spot on the ATP rankings after the winner-takes-all showdown. The Spaniard relinquished the top spot following his early exit at the US Open two months later, handing the World No. 1 ranking back to the Serb. 

Andy Murray’s comeback

Andy Murray showed his comeback skills when he beat Matteo Berrettini in the first round of the Grand Slam season. The Scot spent four hours and 49 minutes to win the match, which showed his ability to endure long battles. Murray won the first two sets easily, but Berrettini fought back and won the next two, saving two match points.

Murray dominated the final tie-break and secured his first win over a Top 20 player at a major event since 2017. Murray also played five sets against Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round. Murray’s run in the 2023 Australian Open ended in the third round, losing to Roberto Bautista of Spain in four sets.

Rohan Bopanna the oldest man to reach the US Open Final

Rohan Bopanna became the oldest man in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam doubles finals at 43 years and 188 days. He reached the finals in the company of his Australian partner Matthew Ebden but fell in the summit clash. Despite winning the first set to take an early lead, the duo ran out of steam in the next two sets, allowing the defending champions, Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, to clinch their third Flushing Meadows win in a row.Previously, the oldest man to reach a Grand Slam final was Canadian tennis player Daniel Nestor when he played the 2016 Australian Open final at 43 years and 4 months.

Djokovic passes Steffi Graf’s 377 weeks as No. 1

Novak Djokovic passed the legendary German Steffi Graf for most weeks as World No. 1 when he entered his 378th week on top of the ATP table in February this year. Steffi Graf was World No.1 for a total of 377 weeks when she retired in 1999. The next three on the list are Martina Navratilova (332), followed by Serena Williams (319) and Roger Federer (310).

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