Tennis is a popular sport for betting. And, of course, the most significant tournaments attract maximum attention. You will find them on any platform. If you prefer betting on the tennis with 1xBet, you know that the central event in tennis is the Grand Slam tournament. This article will tell you everything you need to know about these competitions.
Overview of Grand Slam Tournaments
First, it is worth telling what these prestigious tournaments are.
The Four Majors
The four Grand Slam tournaments, or majors, are the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.
These tournaments award the largest number of ranking points. The winners of the Grand Slams in singles receive 2,000 points, which is twice as much as the champions of the top tournaments of the Masters series for men and the Premier category for women. Players who are eliminated during the competition also receive a good ranking jackpot.
History and Significance
The group of four tournaments was formed in 1924. Before it, the International Lawn Tennis Federation (which would later lose the letter L and become the modern ITF) recognized three tournaments as the most important in the calendar: Wimbledon and two other world championships that appeared in 1912-1913. Later, the Australian Championship joined them.
Format and Structure
The main draw for both men’s and women’s singles consists of 128 players. A qualifier is usually held a week before the main tournaments. The qualifier usually has 128 players, with 16 players (qualifier winners) gaining entry into the main draw.
The Grand Slam tournaments are played over a full two weeks (three with qualifiers), compared to the usual six to seven days of regular ATP and WTA tournaments.
To win the Grand Slam, you need to play and win seven matches, compared to the usual six to four matches at other tournaments.
Prize Money and Points
For winning a Grand Slam tournament, a player receives 2000 points. This is the highest score. No other competition can give you that much. At the same time, the prize money is also relatively high. Of course, it depends on the year of the competition and on the competition itself. However, it significantly exceeds the winnings in other competitions.
Key Records and Milestones
The tournaments have gone through several stages of development. Until about the 1960s, professionalization and the establishment of rules took place. In 1968, the tournaments were opened to amateurs, which significantly increased their popularity. In the 21st century, thanks to the introduction of new technologies, the Grand Slam has become an even more significant and reliable tournament.
Recent Grand Slam Winners
It is obvious that a tournament in this class attracts the best tennis players. However, only a selected few win.
Men’s Singles Champions
| Year | US Open | Wimbledon | Roland Garros | Australian Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Novak Djokovic | Carlos Alcaraz | Carlos Alcaraz | Jannik Sinner |
| 2023 | Novak Djokovic | Carlos Alcaraz | Novak Djokovic | Novak Djokovic |
| 2022 | Carlos Alcaraz | Novak Djokovic | Rafael Nadal | Rafael Nadal |
| 2021 | Daniil Medvedev | Novak Djokovic | Novak Djokovic | Novak Djokovic |
| 2020 | Dominic Thiem | Cancelled | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic |
Women’s Singles Champions
| Year | US Open | Wimbledon | Roland Garros | Australian Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Coco Gauff | Barbora Krejčíková | Iga Świątek | Aryna Sabalenka |
| 2023 | Coco Gauff | Markéta Vondroušová | Iga Świątek | Aryna Sabalenka |
| 2022 | Iga Świątek | Elena Rybakina | Iga Świątek | Ashleigh Barty |
| 2021 | Emma Raducanu | Ashleigh Barty | Barbora Krejčíková | Naomi Osaka |
| 2020 | Naomi Osaka | Cancelled | Iga Świątek | Sofia Kenin |
Iconic Grand Slam Matches
It is at such tournaments that both the most incredible victories and the most significant disappointments happen. We will tell you about both kinds of catchy finals.
Memorable Finals
Let’s start, perhaps, with the most incredible finals that tennis fans will remember forever.
Australian Open 2012
Before the match, Nadal was carrying heavy psychological baggage in the form of six consecutive losses to Djokovic. However, Djokovic had played a semi-final against Andy Murray that lasted 4 hours and 50 minutes, and should have been tired.
After Nadal had clawed his way back from 0:40 on his serve with tenacious, aggressive play, he perked up. He pulled, pulled, pulled again, and still won a hard-fought tie-break. His joy was visible to everyone when he fell to his knees – and there was still a fifth set to go.
And in this fifth set, despite the fact that the match had already lasted more than five hours, the rallies still lasted 30 shots. It seemed that Djokovic was out of breath – but only seemed so.
Wimbledon 2008
Nadal has also experienced the joy of winning a marathon. Who can forget his epic duel with Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final?
The match started late and dragged on incredibly long. If the game had gone on any longer, it would have had to be continued on Monday due to poor light. The two giants made 149 winners between them, almost twice as many unforced errors. Federer served beautifully at the right moments, especially in the third and fourth sets and early in the fifth. Nadal ended Federer’s five-year grass-court dominance and 65-match winning streak on grass. He silenced his critics by winning the Grand Slam, not on clay.
Roland Garros 1999
By 1999, few believed that the world’s 13th-ranked Agassi would be able to win Roland Garros and collect his own Career Slam. He had injured his shoulder a week before and had already lost two finals before that, one of them to Courier. But Agassi was apparently destined to win. He escaped defeat in matches with the reigning champion Carlos Moya and the Frenchman Arnaud Clement, and then in the final against his friend Medvedev, he came back from a 0:2 score in sets. Ironically, it was Agassi who talked Medvedev out of ending his career during the clay court season. Agassi became only the fifth player at that time to collect a Career Grand Slam.
Historic Upsets
Of course, there were also some devastating failures, which fans will also remember for a long time.
Serena Williams vs. Virginie Razzano: Roland Garros 2012
Serena Williams suffered one of the biggest disappointments of her career at her 47th Grand Slam. She had never lost in her first match at the four majors before, even early in her career. But losing in the first round of Roland Garros 2012 was not the worst thing; what was worse was that Serena, who has always been known for her strong character, gave up a match she had almost won.
Georges Bastle vs. Pete Sampras: Wimbledon 2002
Sampras’ career was almost over in 2002, but for the seven-time Wimbledon champion, there was no surface closer to home than grass. In 2001, Pete failed to win the tournament for the first time in four years, losing to Roger Federer in the fourth round. Having barely made it through the qualifying round, he suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Georges Bastle.
Julie Quan vs. Ana Ivanovic: US Open 2008
After a tough win, Ana Ivanovic faced Julie Kuan, the world No. 188, who was playing in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career. Ana had misplayed in the first match, but she was not herself against Kuan, making many mistakes and being very nervous. Ivanovic has not been able to regain her level to this day, but for Julie, this victory was significant – according to her, a few weeks before the US Open, she was thinking about changing her profession.
The Rise of New Champions
Grand Slam tournaments are a place where a new star can always emerge. Due to the hard rivalry, only true champions are able to make a name for themselves.
Breakthrough Performances
Given the incredibly high level of tournaments, new names do not appear very often. However, a victory immediately creates world fame. This year, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz showed excellent characteristics. Moreover, experts say that Carlos Alcaraz has not yet revealed his full potential.
Young Players Making an Impact
Due to the rise of the class of tennis players and the level of tournaments, the times when young people could easily win are gone. The last tennis player to win a Grand Slam before the age of 20 was Rafael Nadal. Nowadays, young players are considered to be around 21–23 years old. It takes several years of hard training and participation in other competitions to reach the level necessary to win. However, despite the increase in the age of the winners, young players are still gradually replacing the stars and showing a completely new tennis.
Challenges and Controversies
Over the centuries-long history of these tournaments, they have faced many difficulties. Let’s talk about the main challenges of the Grand Slam.
COVID-19 Impact on the Grand Slams
Due to the pandemic, Wimbledon was completely canceled in 2020. Other tournaments were held, but the introduction of safety measures significantly complicated the situation. Spectators could not attend significant matches and watched online broadcasts.
Controversial Moments in Recent History
While the quality of tennis is very good, social trends often create a reason for scandals. For example, in the 2018 US Open final, Serena Williams said that the referee made an incorrect decision and unfairly fined her. She explained this by his biased attitude.
Scandals related to unfair play also arise quite often. Tennis players are often caught on coaching tips. In addition, doping is also not uncommon.
Predictions for Upcoming Grand Slams
Regular fans and bettors always look at the predictions. Everyone wants to know in advance who will win the main tournament.
Players to Watch
However, let’s not get ahead and talk about new tournaments. At the moment, the fans’ attention is focused on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. These are fairly new names in big tennis, but they are both promising athletes who will still show excellent play.
Expert Forecasts
This year’s Grand Slam tournaments are over. Experts have not published detailed predictions for the next year yet. As always, they will appear just before the competitions. However, it is unlikely that we will hear new names.
The Future of Grand Slam Tennis
A tournament with such a long history simply cannot exist in its original state. It must evolve and adapt to new trends.
Potential Changes and Innovations
Changes are inevitable, of course. The idea of creating a new tennis “premium tour” with at least fourteen tournaments—four Grand Slams and ten Masters 1000s—is currently under consideration. One of these could be a new tournament in Saudi Arabia.
Among the reasons for their move is the difficulty fans have in understanding the current system, the hundreds of millions of dollars in lost potential revenue, and a punishing calendar that wears down athletes, causes injuries, and shortens careers. These factors have made tennis a sport that could be threatened by the same developments that have taken place in golf over the past two years.
The Role of Technology in Tournaments
The Grand Slam tournaments continue to adapt to the changing world, adopting new technologies and responding to modern challenges. They play a central role in the world of professional tennis, and their future seems bright, although full of potential changes. For example, introducing the Hawk-Eye system and electronic referee lines has helped improve the accuracy of refereeing and reduce disputes. Modern player facilities, such as improved locker rooms and medical services, make tournaments more attractive to participants.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
The Grand Slam tournaments are a vital part of the tennis world and sports in general. They are the arena where new talents meet veterans, where history is made before the eyes of the world, and where sportsmanship reaches its peak.
Influence on Global Tennis
These tournaments are a living testament to the evolution of tennis, reflecting its historical roots and modern achievements. The competitions support the professional development of players by offering them a world stage to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level. With a global audience and players from all over the world, the Grand Slam tournaments help bring people together through a shared passion for tennis.
Grand Slams as Cultural Events
The Grand Slam tournaments will continue to inspire players, spectators, and future generations of athletes, maintaining their place at the heart of the global sporting community. They are a living reminder of how great sports can be and how they can unite people of different cultures and nationalities around a shared love of competition and achieving greatness.