2. Contract issues will be much discussed at the end of 2026, as many contracts run out. Because of the expiration of contracts, 2026 will be the last year on tour for a number of players. New faces will dominate 2027.

3. Hayden Patriquin is legitimately in the discussion as the No. 1 player by the end of 2026.

4. The breakthrough player on the men’s side in 2026 will be Will MacKinnon (if he plays enough events).

5. If there is a new female player who is a breakout star in 2026, she will be someone who comes over from Asia, India or Australia.

6. The number of players winning medals in doubles will continue to shrink or be relatively small. Winning medals is very difficult.

 

7. Ben Johns will stop playing singles.

8. Chris Haworth will be the No. 1 singles player on the men’s side.

9. There were no Triple Crowns on the men’s side in 2025. That will be true again in 2026. The only chance of a triple is in a tournament with an unusually small field.

10. Rafa Lenhard will continue to rise up the singles leaderboard and will be top 10 by the end of 2026 (he ended 2025 as No. 27).

11. Kiora Kunimoto ended 2025 as No. 39 in women’s singles. She will finish 2026 in the top 15, if she plays enough tournaments.

12. Anna Leigh Waters did not lose a singles match in 2025. I think it is 50-50 whether she will lose one in 2026. If she does lose, I like Brooke Buckner to be the one to do it.

 

Check back in December 2026 to see how we did with these 12 predictions.

 

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