Izuchukwu OkosiThe Grand Slam Winners 2023 are the champions of the four major annual tennis tournaments: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open in the outgoing year.
There were records broken and created in this year’s competitions and there was a a particular final that broke the hearts of the African continent.
Prime Business Africa recalls the tennis stars that made us enjoy the sport in the year under review.
Australian Open (Men’s category)
The Australian Open is usually the first grand Slam event of the calendar year. The 2022 edition started on January 9 and ended January 29.
The men’s edition of the tournament was won by Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final, 6–3, 7–6, 7–6 to win the men’s singles tennis title.
The feat was his record-extending tenth Australian Open title and 22nd major title overall, tying Rafael Nadal for the all-time record of most Grand Slam men’s singles titles won.
Australian Open (Women’s category)
Aryna Sabalenka emerged winner of the women’s category in the 2023 Australian Open.
Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina in the final, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 to win the women’s singles tennis title at the 2023 Australian Open. It was her first major singles title.
French Open (Men’s final)
The Roland Garros final pit the dominant force in the women’s tennis game against one of its most unpredictable.
Novak Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud in the final, 7–6, 6–3, 7–5 to win the men’s singles tennis title at the 2023 French Open.
The grudge game on July 16th was Djokovic’s third French Open title and his record-breaking 23rd men’s singles major title overall, surpassing the record he previously held jointly with Rafael Nadal.
French Open (Women’s final)
Defending champion Iga Świątek defeated Karolína Muchová in the final, 6–2, 5–7, 6–4 to win the women’s singles tennis title at the 2023 French Open on 11th June 2023.
It was her fourth major grand Slam title in the history of the competition.
Wimbledon Open (Men’s final)
The 2023 Wimbledon Championships Men’s Singles final was a battle of the first and second ranked stars in the ATP rankings.
First seed Carlos Alcaraz defeated second seed Novak Djokovic in five sets to win the title 1–6, 7–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4.
Wimbledon Open (Women’s final)
The women’s final of the 2023 Wimbledon Open got the attention of the African and Arab nations.
Born of Tunisian parents, Ons Jabeur had millions rooting for her as it ephod have been the first time an African – man or woman – would win the prize but it was ultimately not to be.
Markéta Vondroušová defeated Jabeur in the final, 6–4, 6–4 to win the ladies’ singles tennis title at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.
It was her first major singles title and her first title overall in six years.
2023 US Open (Men’s final)
The 2023 US Open was the 143rd edition of tennis’ US Open and the fourth and final Grand Slam event of the year.
Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in the men’s final, 6–3, 7–6(7–5), 6–3 to win the men’s singles tennis title at the 2023 US Open.
The win in the summer was his fourth US Open title and record-extending 24th men’s singles major title overall.
Djokovic became the oldest US Open men’s singles champion in the Open Era, at 36 years and 111 days, as well as the first man to capture the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open in a season since Mats Wilander in 1988.
The Men’s doubles in the competition was won by United States’ duo of Rajeev Ram and United Kingdom’s Joe Salisbury.
Gabriella Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe were double winners of the women’s category in the summer.
2023 US Open (Women’s final)
USA youngster Coco Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final, 2–6, 6–3, 6–2 to win the women’s singles tennis title at the 2023 US Open.
The triumph was her first major singles title and thus she became the first American teenager to win the title since Serena Williams in 1999, and one of three teenagers to win the title within five years, following Bianca Andreescu in 2019 and Emma Raducanu in 2021.
Sabalenka became the first woman since Williams in 2016 to reach at least the semifinals of all four majors in a season.
The Prize money for the competition was $65,000,000.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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