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"I would love to see Andy challenging Cam and Dan for the number one spot" - Laura Robson's predictions for the 2022 season
Former British No.1, Laura Robson
A new year means a new season for the world’s best tennis stars and 2022 is off to a bang with the ATP Cup, the Australian summer swing and of course – the Australian Open starting this week.
We caught up with former British No.1 and Olympic silver medallist Laura Robson to get her thoughts and predictions on the 2022 season ahead.
Who are you backing for Grand Slam glory this year – singles and doubles?
I’m backing (Paula) Badosa and (Alexander) Zverev to win their first Grand Slam titles this year.
I’d also love to see Joe Salisbury and Jamie Murray get another slam each in doubles as well – albeit with their own partners!
Who are your young players to watch for 2022?
On the men’s side it would definitely have to be (Carlos) Alcaraz.
The women’s side, on the other hand, is very open with a couple of young players already in finals and winning slams – so there’s plenty of exciting talent across the tour.
What are your expectations for the Brits?
Hopefully all of them can stay healthy and consistent throughout the year.
I would love to see Andy back challenging Cam and Dan Evans for the number one spot again!
Who will be the biggest surprise?
I’m hoping that some of the younger guys in the top 20 will start challenging (Novak) Djokovic, (Rafael) Nadal and (Daniil) Medvedev in the slams.
Who will end the year as World No.1?
I don’t see anyone overtaking Djokovic as number one on the men’s side.
On the women’s side, (Ashleigh) Barty is still looking like a very solid number one but I could see (Barbora) Krejickova challenging her for the top spot.
Who will riser the highest in the rankings?
I think the biggest jump will be players like Sebastian Korda who are transitioning to a full ATP schedule. Along with players like Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez who have hardly anything to defend until the later stages of the season.
Which event are you most looking forward to this year?
I always look forward to Wimbledon the most. It’s like Christmas when you wake up on day one of the tournament and I have so many great memories there.
Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup champions?
Hopefully Great Britain!! The Czech team for Billie Jean King Cup is always so strong so they will have a bit of a tough ask.
What will be the biggest change in tennis this year?
I’m hoping that we will start to see a bit of a changing of the guard on the men’s side.
What’s your wildcard prediction for the 2022 season?
Maybe Alcaraz to win a slam – it’s very far-fetched, but I’d love to see it happen!