What Nadal’s Early Exit Means for the Australian Open Contenders

With the 22-time Grand Slam champion out of the draw, a new champion could be crowned at this year’s tournament.

Could a first-time men’s Grand Slam champion be crowned at this year’s Australian Open?

This is a question asked four times a year at every major event, but with the No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal officially out after the second round, one less tennis giant is in the draw, which gives the up-and-coming men’s players less to worry about.

“The Big Three”—Nadal, Novak Djokovic and recently retired Roger Federer—have won every Grand Slam tournament since Wimbledon 2003 apart from 14 titles won by other competitors. Nadal holds the men’s record with 22 titles, Djokovic has 21 and Federer has 20. So, in the last nearly two decades, there hasn’t been much of a chance for other men’s players to capture a major title.

Only one member of “the Big Three” remains in the Australian Open draw: Djokovic. Other than Djokovic, the only two Grand Slam champions left in the men’s draw are Andy Murray, who has won three titles, and Daniil Medvedev, who has one title. All three remain strong contenders and favorites to win the tournament.

Additionally, with World No. 1 and 2022 U.S. Open winner Carlos Alcaraz out of the tournament with a right leg injury, this gives the other contenders a better chance to capture their first major title.

So, will a new name be added to the long list of men’s Grand Slam champions this year? Here’s four players to look out for during the remainder of the Australian Open.

Taylor Fritz

The top ranked American men’s player has been patient for his first Grand Slam title. His 2022 season was the best in his career, starting with his Indian Wells final win over Nadal. He later lost to Nadal in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, so now without the Spaniard in the draw, it might be more hopeful for Fritz to reach the Australian Open final.

However, one contender will prove tough competition for the 25-year-old: Djokovic. Fritz lost to Djokovic in the semifinals at November’s ATP Finals, losing the two sets in close tiebreaks. If Fritz and Djokovic continue advancing, the two competitors would meet in the semifinals.

Right now, Fritz has the third best odds to win the Australian Open title, behind Djokovic and Medvedev, according to SI Sportsbook.

Stefanos Tsitsipas

The third-ranked player in the Australian Open draw, Stefanos Tsitsipas, has reached four Grand Slam semifinals in his career, with three of those being at the Australian Open. But, he has yet to reach a major final. 

Tsitsipas would have met Nadal in the semifinals if the two had continued advancing, so now the Greek star is the top ranked player in his section of the bracket. But, as Nadal proved on Wednesday, rankings don’t always mean a guaranteed win. Tsitsipas will have a fair share of tough competitors to face in the journey to the final, including potentially playing young Italian star Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals..

Frances Tiafoe

As one of the top American men’s players in the world, Frances Tiafoe will benefit from Nadal’s early exit as he was placed in the same corner of the bracket as the Spaniard. The 24-year-old reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open last year, losing to the eventual champion Alcaraz. On his path there, Tiafoe took down Nadal in the fourth round to put his name on the map.

While No. 16 Tiafoe has mostly cruised through his first two rounds, just dropping one set so far, his third round match will prove the most difficult for him so far. He will face No. 18 Karen Khachanov, who was also a semifinalist in the U.S. Open last year.

Casper Ruud

Two-time Grand Slam finalist in 2022, Casper Ruud, is now the highest ranked player at the Australian Open, sitting at No. 2 in the draw. After reaching those two finals in ’22, with the most recent being the U.S. Open, the 24-year-old is ready for a title of his own.

Ruud also reached the final match of ATP Finals, losing to Djokovic. He could potentially meet the Serbian in the semifinals at the Australian Open, and if Ruud could beat him this time, it could finally be his chance to hold the winner’s trophy at the end of the tournament.