Chris Boline
2022 is drawing to a close and it’s time to forecast the upcoming 2023 year. This is especially advantageous to tennis bettors because a host of futures wagers are available, including who finishes 2023 ranked No. 1 in the world — both among men and women. We’re covering that bet right here so stick with us to get our expert picks on both outcomes!
Men’s Singles: Betting Pick To Be No. 1 By End of 2023
The No. 1 ranking is currently held by Carlos Alcaraz. He became the youngest tennis player to finish the year in the top spot at the ripe age of 19. However, he’s not the favorite to stay in the position a year from now. Take a gander at the current odds for men’s No. 1 ranking by the end of 2023. There’s a familiar name ahead of Alcaraz:
| Player |  |  |
| Novak Djokovic | -125 | -125 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | +200 | +200 |
| Daniil Medvedev | +500 | +500 |
| Rafael Nadal | +1200 | +1200 |
| Nick Kyrgios | +1800 | +1800 |
| Alexander Zverev | +2000 | +2000 |
That’s right Djokovic is a favorite at top tennis betting sites. Recently, he was cleared to participate in the Australian Open this coming January. At last, it feels like Djokovic’s off-court issues that marred his 2022 campaign are behind him. By that, we mean his unvaccinated status, that now appears to be a non-issue.
If there’s a storyline to look out for in 2023 as a whole, it’s the new guard vs. the old guard. Of course, Djokovic is part of the latter group, along with Rafael Nadal. The two all-timers are the last remaining of the “Big Three” after Roger Federer retired. The trio has dominated the sport for the past 15 years. However, Alcaraz — along with the likes of Taylor Fitz and Nick Kyrgios — are primed to succeed them. Their time will come, but we’re not sure 2023 will be it.
Our instinct on this bet remains with either Nadal or Djokovic. Retirement rumors are hanging large over Nadal, which might explain why his betting line is so long at +1200. We’re not ready to say he’s done, not after he won a pair of Grand Slams in 2022, including his 14th French Open. Nadal’s bigger question mark will be health. That slowed him down in the second half of 2022 and yes, he’s not getting any younger.
Djokovic, admittedly, has fewer question marks. One might say playing rust since he was barred from playing so many events in 2022, but that appears to be a non-issue based on the 2022 ATP Finals. In the season-ending event, Djokovic dominated the field en route to a victory. Perhaps the perfect slingshot into the Australian Open, which he knows all too well as a nine-time winner.
Our money is going on Djokovic. More than anything else, we just feel the events of 2022 have lit a fire under him. Here we had one of the sport’s greatest-ever get robbed of a year of playing time at his peak. Because of that, Nadal separated himself from Djokovic for most Grand Slams ever. A motivated Djokovic will be in catch-up mode in 2023, which should vault him back to No. 1 by year’s end.
Women’s Singles: Betting Pick To Be No. 1 By End of 2023
One thing that immediately stands out about the 2023 women’s No. 1 ranking bet, as opposed to the men’s, is just how lopsided it is. Current No. 1 Iga Swiatek is the runaway betting favorite to keep the spot next year. Here are the current betting odds for the women’s wager:
| Player | | |
| Iga Swiatek | -300 | -300 |
| Ons Jabeur | +1000 | +1000 |
| Aryna Sabalenka | +1200 | +1200 |
| Cori Gauff | +1400 | +1400 |
| Jessica Pegula | +1400 | +1400 |
| Caroline Garcia | +1600 | +1600 |
It’s tough to argue against Swiatek. We tried to play devil’s advocate for the sake of it but came up mostly empty. She had a historically good 2022 campaign and at 21 years old, there’s reason to believe Swiatek is just getting started. To put Swiatek’s 2022 dominance in perspective, we found a very telling stat: her WTA ranking points (11,085) is the second-most from a year-end No. 1 in history. The only person that fared better? Serena Williams, who notched 13,260 in 2013.
Swiatek is the safe bet to make here — but not necessarily the right pick. What do we mean by that? Welp, her odds are a staggering -300. Even if you throw money on Swiatek and she remains No. 1, you won’t be cashing out all that much. That’s why we’ve decided to bet on another player in this spot based on betting value.
That player is none other than Ons Jabeur. As it stands, Jabeur is ranked No. 2 in the world. If she is to surpass Swiatek, she’ll likely need multiple Grand Slam wins. That’s plausible given that Jabeur made it to two Grand Slam finals this year, but came up empty both times. Even gradual improvement from Jabeur (or regression from Swiatek) could help vault her to No. 1. That’s a scenario worth wagering on, especially since Jabeur’s +1000 betting line is so rich in value.
How To Bet On 2023 Tennis Futures?
Tennis futures bets for 2023 are the perfect fill-in during this downtime in both the ATP and WTA schedules. To jump in on these bets, hit one of the trusted online sportsbooks listed underneath. Not only will you find a deep tennis betting menu at these sites, but also lucrative sportsbook bonuses that can fund your wagers for free. See the table for details on getting started!
