Rumble down under

The Aussie open is as good a sports season opener as any. It's a two horse race with the old dog trying to taste that winning feeling that was his for granted only a couple of years ago (pardon my equine/canine equivalence). Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are so odds on favorites to see each other on the opposite side on the famed net on Rod Laver arena that a Novak victory would be considered an upset (speaking of nets, the red lights there to call the ball out are cute). It's a thing both of the beauty and incredibility of sport. If the Serb does not land his 25th this year, it might well be his last hurrah at the courts where he has found the most success. He starts in the same half as Sinner and of the two young guns, he seems more likely to beat the Spaniard than the Italian. He will likely need to beat both of them to lift the Norman Brookes Challenge cup for an unprecedented eleventh time. The shoe is on the other foot now compared to the times where an aspirant to the throne needed to get past two of the fab three to be crowned champion. Carlitos has a slightly higher motivation to be the last man standing on the third Sunday as he would complete his career grand slam and be the youngest ever to do so at under 23 years. It would be an achievement that few 22 year olds in the world of sport can boast of. Jannik has already won the title twice but that will certainly not dim his intensity one bit. If there is someone who can match Djokovic's consistency and power of yore, its him. 

While the men's game predictions are easier to make, there is one wildcard that deserves mention. Joao Fonseca is a 19 year old tyro coming into his own and if he can make past the first couple of rounds, i can see him challenging the usual suspects. Not since the lovable "Guga" Kuerten burnt through the red dirt in Paris has a Brazilian generated such interest. A win for him will certainly make the top of men's tennis more intriguing.

Stan Wawrinka will bid good bye to tennis at the end of this season. He will leave his second to none backhand down the line one hander for the connoisseurs as his lasting memory. Stan won three grand slams when the big trio were at their peak. To me, he should have been spoken in the same vein as Andy with the same number of slams but his silent grace went under the radar. That he was Swiss and in the shadow of a lone start didn't help his cause/ He delighted with his precise power when in full flow and getting a wild card to the tourney he won in 2014 is a fitting tribute to a player who could blow the best off the court on his day. Here's wishing one last deep run for "Stan the man".

The women's draw is always a bit more difficult to predict but with Aryna Sabalenka, there is always a strong favorite. She will look forward to strike out the loss in last year's final and the only thing really standing in her way is her propensity to have nervous break downs towards the business end of big matches. Swiatek typically started in the Pole position before the Belarussian strode onto the scene and if she finds her accuracy, it could be an interesting battle. There are always a few wild cards on the women's side that tear up the script and land an unlikely slam. Would Mirra Andreeva be the one to shine this year? Onto two weeks of hard court fun in the land of oz.

'26 and counting

While most people have resolutions for the new year, i tend to make a list of sports events that would come my way over the next twelve months. Some of these are annual rituals ( tennis grand slams) while others have a biennial or quadrennial cadence. Tennis continues to be at the top of the "look forward to" list while cricket has taken a back seat with the game becoming more politicized than ever ( not just cricket for me). Chess on the other hand has moved up with faster time controls and "chess 960" coming into the spot light. Football will also take center stage this year with the big one coming around. The European leagues continue to have their place in the sun, especially if the title races go down to the wire. Badminton has gained a bit with regular telecasts and some interesting rivalries building ( India has lost its way a bit though with only Chirag and Satwik providing something to root about). F1 used to be high on the count but is no longer in the race as new faces haven't yet been able to match the big names of yore. Here goes the list ( in order of preference) that i will not relinquish the remote for my telly.

1) FIFA World Cup : The last dance for two of the most decorated footballers in history. One already has the trophy while the other needs a minor miracle to finish on a high. US, Mexico and Canada do the honors for an extended world cup. With 48 teams ( including names like Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan making their debuts), the spectacle may have a lopsided tinge to a few games. The usual suspects in Argentina, Brasil, Spain, Germany and France would be the favorites to lift the most sought after trophy on the planet but with one more knock out game compared to the last edition, odds for an upset are higher. Is this the time for England to add a name in the same league as Geoff Hurst? Or does one of the African nations add their names to the legend. Mid year can't come any sooner.

2) The tennis grand slams : When Roger retired, i didn't think i would be able to root for another tennis player so quickly. Carlitos has blazed his way through in quick time to take that spot though. If only he had a one handed backhand (sigh..).  The last eight grand slams have been shared between him and the indomitable ginger head Italian. The big three have been replaced by the big two and the race to greatness is well and truly under way. Being talked about in the same vein as the Roger, Rafa and Novak before they have turned twenty five is testament enough to the Sincaraz rivalry and all one can hope for is that they remain injury free to regale us with more tennis majesty. Novak hasn't put in the towel yet and his beloved Rod Laver arena might be the best chance for getting to that elusive quarter century. Will he sill be here when 2027 comes around? That's a Serb and volley not many have an answer to.

3) The chess world candidates and world championship match : Classical chess isn't one to vie for eye-balls but the world championship still holds a certain attraction. The candidate list looks a little thin with no Alireza, Arjun or Nodirbek in the running but that's the beauty of sport. Its what you do over the board that counts and not your name. The two Americans start as the favorites but its Fabi over Hikaru for me if i had to bet on a clear winner. Gukesh will defend his crown that seems to sit heavy on his young head but don't count the fighter in him out yet. He is known to love a good scrap and will certainly start a favorite against a challenger who fights for the championship for the first time.

4) Athletic meets : While there is no big event scheduled for the year, i will keep an eye out for how the pole vault world record progresses with Mondo showing no signs of slowing down. Would Neeraj Chopra be able to cross 90m again? Would we see Gout Gout take the next step? How does Femke Bol manage the 800 m? Would Sydney Mclaughlin better one of the most controversial and long stand world records for the women's 400 m? Do we see anyone get close to the great Bolt's records in 100 and 200 m? A few intriguing stories will start to  develop as we move past the half way mark to LA-2028.