Predicting Which Active Tennis Players Will Win Grand Slam Titles

Recently, men's tennis Grand Slam tournaments have been dominated by a few names: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. In the following list, I will predict which active male players will finish their career with a Grand Slam title.

Some of these players have already won majors, and are past their prime to win another. Others have won some, but are still in line to win more. There's also a third group that has yet to win any, but I see a few in the near future.

Some of my predictions aren't that bold, but others are; youngsters, who at their best will win Grand Slam Championships.

Without further ado, here are the active players who will end their career with Slam titles to their credit.

Enjoy!

Juan Carlos Ferrero

Current Grand Slam Titles: 1

Current ATP Ranking: 106

Total Grand Slam Titles: 1

The Spaniard Ferrero had a great year in 2003, winning the French Open, finishing runner-up to Andy Roddick at the US Open, and becoming the No. 1 player in the world.

Since then, he has not made a Slam final, yet has continued to play at a high level on clay. In 2010, he won three titles on the surface, and despite many injuries this year, he has come back strong to win in Stuttgart last month.

However, since about mid-2004, Ferrero has never been considered a true threat at any major.

It is definitely safe to say that Juan Carlos Ferrero time passed a long time ago.

Andy Roddick

Current Grand Slam Titles: 1

Current ATP Ranking: 15

Total Grand Slam Titles: 1

In 2003, when a 19-year-old Andy Roddick captured his first Slam at the US Open, journalists and players alike thought it was one of many to come.

And, to be fair, Roddick built a relatively solid resume, appearing in four other major finals, but he never took another crown home.

In 2009, a rejuvenated Roddick blew his final chance in a major final. Up a set, and 6-2 in the second set breaker, Roddick fell apart by losing six consecutive points, the set, and after much fighting, the match, 16-14 in the fifth set.

Never since has the American looked so young, so healthy, or so primed to win a major.

This season has been the final straw, since Roddick's win in Memphis, he has only amassed a 9-7 record, with only a single appearance in a semifinal.

Although this may not be Roddick's last year on tour, he is surely out of time to win another major championship.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Current Grand Slam Titles: 0

Current ATP Ranking: 10

Total Grand Slam Titles: 1

The ultra-talented Frenchman Tsonga is seemingly hitting his stride in the past few months. In both Wimbledon and the Montreal Masters, he topped Swiss superstar Roger Federer, before bowing out to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Many times before, it seemed that Jo-Willy would breakout including his stunning run to the Australian Open final in 2008, and making it back to the semis two years later.

With Tsonga's grass-court game becoming an absolute force, I expect him to win at least one Wimbledon. He might even win titles in Melbourne—the sight of his two great Grand Slam performances—and Paris (although he is not a great clay-courter, it is his homeland, and all the fans there love him.)

I know that I said he would win just a single major, but if Djokovic's super-run comes to an end with Tsonga still playing at such a high level, it is a very high possibility that many more Slams come his way.

Lleyton Hewitt

Current Grand Slam Titles: 2

Current ATP Ranking: 165

Total Grand Slam Titles: 2

Lleyton Hewitt had the talent to become one of the greatest players ever to play the game of tennis.

Then Roger Federer happened. In 2003, in the prime of Lleyton Hewitt's career, a player with as much, if not more talent, and no anger issues, burst onto the scene.

Hewitt had totaled two Slams up to that point, but once Federer came, he would win no more.

His temper issues and injuries derailed his career, and by the age of 30 has plummeted to a ranking of No. 165.

Most tennis players don't win majors after the age of 30, but for Hewitt, it is clear that he will be be a serious threat at a Grand Slam ever again.

The Australian was unfortunate that injuries and the fact the GOAT's prime collided with his limited his number to two, although it could have been much, much bigger.

Andy Murray

Current Grand Slam Titles: 0

Current ATP Ranking: 4

Total Grand Slam Titles: 2

Andy Murray is considered by many to be the greatest player ever without a Grand Slam title. At the age of 24, he has appeared in three finals, but has yet to win one. 

The Brit is gifted with immense talent, but he also has an inability to close out matches, or tournaments.

Eventually, Murray will break out of this slump, he has to. No player has had his talent but never won a major, and keep in mind that both Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi came up empty in their first three major finals.

I think Murray should finally win his first in 2012. He has made the past two finals in Melbourne, and, as they say, third time the charm, right?

As far as Slams are going this year, the Brit is having quite the season, making one final and a pair of Semis. If he can get that mental block out of his head, the next step is not far off.

Milos Raonic

Current Grand Slam Titles: 0

Current ATP Ranking: 28

Total Grand Slam Titles: 2

The young Canadian Raonic made his splash at the Australian Open this year, reaching the quarterfinals.  

Although he has struggled a bit since the early-season US swing, Raonic is still young, and his serve is considered one of the best in the game.

His movement on clay can be greatly enhanced, so up to now, I cannot picture the Canadian capturing a tournament of any kind on that surface.

However, on a quicker surface, where such a big serve serves more purpose, Raonic should become a threat as early as next year.

With a refined game at the net, the tall Raonic will eventually have no problem playing serve-and-volley tennis at Wimbledon, which I would expect him to win sometime over the course of his career.

His great run in Melbourne proves that he can also win on hard courts, and he should be considered a major dark-horse contender for the upcoming US Open.

When this current era passes, and all the smoke clears out, Raonic will be one of the top players standing, and at least two Slams should come his way.

Bernard Tomic

Current Grand Slam Titles: 0

Current ATP Ranking: 61

Total Grand Slam Titles: 3

Bernard Tomic has never won a singles title in his career, but his recent performance at Wimbledon shows that the now No. 1 ranked Australian player will do some damage when he reaches his full prime.

The 18-year-old Tomic is one of only two teenagers in the ATP Top 100, a feat he accomplished with an impressive run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals last July. That run included a victory over world No. 5 Robin Soderling.

Their are two particular tournaments that Tomic has his best chance at.

1. Wimbledon

Tomic is best suited to win on grass courts; his quick, yet big groundstrokes, as well as his liking towards the net fit perfectly with a Wimbledon champion. His quarterfinal appearance this year was just proof that Tomic knows how to win on grass.

2. Australian Open

Many players who can't seem to win Slams get their wins in their homeland. Tomic will always play well in front of the many supporters he is sure to have when he plays in Australia. He also played well there this past January, pushing Rafael Nadal to four sets.

Tomic is probably the teenager with the best hope, and he, like Raonic, will be a prohibitive favorite when today's top players are out of it.

Juan Martin Del Potro

Current Grand Slam Titles: 1

Current ATP Ranking: 19

Total Grand Slam Titles: 3

In 2009 at the US Open, Juan Martin Del Potro put together an astounding run, shellacking Rafael Nadal in the semis, and outlasting Roger Federer in a tough five-setter in the final.

He continued his runs at majors by taking a two-sets-to-one lead in Australian Open quarterfinals before a wrist injury collapsed him to a tough five-set loss.

The injury turned out more serious than expected, as Del Potro missed basically the entire season, and his ranking plummeted to No. 384.

He has had a very successful comeback, climbing back to the No. 19 player in the world.

The 6'6'' Agentine will be a true contender as soon as the US Open, which is a couple of weeks.

If not for the injured wrist that could hinder him for a long time, he could collect a huge amount of Slams.

However, with his forehand being completely wrist-oriented, his career could come to a relatively premature end.

Del Potro has already proved that he can win a major title with this same field, so at 100 percent, a few more cannot be too far off.

Novak Djokovic

Current Grand Slam Titles: 3

Current ATP Ranking: 1

Total Grand Slam Titles: 8

Novak Djokovic is in the midst of one of the greatest seasons the world of tennis has ever seen. He has amassed 53 wins and has only lost once.

His nine titles include five Masters, 1000 shields, and two Grand Slam championships. After his win at Wimbledon, Djokovic became the 25th player in history to be ranked No. 1.

Of course, should this legendary streak continue for some time, Djokovic could rack up double-digit Slams.

However, no human can play tennis that well for so long, and his streak is bound to come to an end sometime soon.

Since he peaked a bit later than rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, it would be tough for Novak to get as many Slams as those two.

However, winning between 6-10 majors is where I would expect the his total Slam number to end up at.

He is the clear favorite at the upcoming US Open, and is far and away the top hard-court player in the game today.

If he can somehow leapfrog Nadal on clay at the French and keep up his great play at Wimbledon, where he has been inconsistent throughout the years, that total will jump.

Even though Djokovic probably won't continue his outstanding track record, this proves that he can play consistently at an extraordinarily high level.

At one point, it was thought that Djokovic might be a "one-slam wonder". He clearly proved that notion wrong, and now he's taking aim at a much bigger goal.

Rafael Nadal

Current Grand Slam Titles: 10

Current ATP Ranking: 2

Total Grand Slam Titles: 13

Early in the year, many people, myself included, thought Rafael Nadal had a great chance to win more Grand Slams than Roger Federer, who has 16 titles to his name. However, Novak Djokovic came out with an unbelievable season, limiting Nadal to only one of the first three majors.

If Nadal is able to rediscover the magic that he had last year when he won three Slams, he still has a solid chance of racking up the number necessary to topple Federer.

In the hard-court events, Nadal plays the second straw to Djokovic, who is already quickly catching up to the Spaniard on clay courts.

Nadal may only have it in him to win Roland Garros, which he will have a shot at for a good 3-5 more years. Rafa could easily win many more than 13 titles, but with the way Djokovic has been playing and a new crop of youngsters eager to start winning, the road will only get tougher for the Spaniard.

Roger Federer

Current Grand Slam Titles: 16

Current ATP Ranking: 3

Total Grand Slam Titles: 16

For many years, it was a forgone conclusion that Roger Federer would win more than one major, and finish the year either No. 1 or 2 in the rankings.

This year, however, Federer is in danger of suffering his first slam-less year since 2002, and it is almost impossible for him to catch Nadal and finish in the top two slots.

Federer has struggled mightily, as he has appeared in only one of the past six Slam finals, at this year's French Open, and lost to archrival Nadal in four hard-fought sets.

In his prime, Federer turned the sport of tennis into his own one-man show, winning 12 majors in five years, and taking three in a single season on three different occasions.

He made 23 straight semifinals, and it always seemed that he would be the last one standing.

Those days are over now, as Federer is playing in the shadow of Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Although Federer still has many chances at winning a 17th major crown, it is clear that his best chances are past him. He has lost prematurely (before semis) in three tournaments out of the last six, and with Djokovic and Nadal playing such good tennis, it will be tough for him.

Federer's best chance at a major is probably Wimbledon, but the six-time winner has bowed out the quarters each of the past two years.

Once again, by no means is this legendary Swiss star done, but with other players quickly rising, it is getting tougher and tougher for me to see Federer winning another Grand Slam.

 

Wildcards

The following six players have potential, but for one reason or another, they aren't assured of winning any Grand Slams. (Ranking in parentheses)

Robin Soderling (5)

Soderling has proven himself as a great clay-court player, but with the opposition so strong, he will have a tough time winning the French. At Wimbledon and the hard-court tournaments, Soderling has yet to prove himself. For the time being, I don't think he will win a major until he makes himself more of a complete player.

Gael Monfils (8)

The ridiculously athletic Frenchman will be their late in Slams, but until he tries harder off the court by putting in more work, he won't have enough in him to win a major.

Mardy Fish (7)

If Fish were younger, I would pencil him down for numerous Slams. However, at 29, Fish peaked a bit too late, so it will tough for him to win while he still has enough gas in his tank.

Ryan Harrison (78)

Harrison is still very, very young, so I can't say how good he'll be. However, during this US Open Series, he's been great. In the future, with a bit more development, he'll be force. Currently, he's not at that level.

Alexandr Dolgopolov (22)

'The Dog" raised many people's hopes with his run at the Australian Open, but since, especially on clay (his favorite surface), he has been a relative disappointment. His lack of consistency is an immense concern, because to win seven matches one has to be consistent. If Dolgopolov can fix that issue, a few Slams could be in his future.

Grigor Dimitrov (56)

Dimitrov is one of the most talented players in the world of tennis, but has yet to have a great run at any tournament. The Bulgarian has been labeled "the next Federer" many times, but until he proves himself at a high level, he can't be assured a major title. The high praise for him lead many to believe that he has a bright future ahead of him, and a Grand Slam should come his way. First, however, he must show that he can compete with the best.