“He was up against Big 3…,” Tim Henman predicts two players from ATP and WTA will lift Grand Slam title for the first time

Tim Henman believes two Grand Slam finalists from 2024 will finally add the coveted titles to their trophy cabinet in 2025.

“He was up against Big 3…,” Tim Henman predicts two players from ATP and WTA will lift Grand Slam title for the first time

Tim Henman(Image via The Herald)

Tim Henman has predicted that the tennis world will see two new Grand Slam champions in 2025. He thinks Alexander Zverev and Qinwen Zheng will add a Grand Slam title to their trophy cabinet.

The 27-year-old German, who turned professional when the Big 3 that is Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic were still dominating on courts, is now facing challenges from the two rising stars, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, both of who clinched the four Majors in 2024.

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But Zverev, who came close to winning his first Major in 2020 by reaching the US Open final (lost to Dominic Thiem), was on the verge of winning the 2024 French Open but Alcaraz prevailed over him in five sets in the final.

In the context of his journey, for quite some time he was up against Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic and as they moved out of the game he might have felt… now it’s my time. But it’s not as Sinner and Alcaraz have overtaken him and that is the new benchmark, that is his new challenge.

Tim Henman told Sky Sports Tennis

Zheng on the other hand, advanced to her first Grand Slam final at the 2024 Australian Open, won the Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympics after beating heavy favorite Iga Swiatek in the semifinal, and also reached the summit clash of the 2024 WTA Finals. This is why the Chinese and Zverev are tipped to win their first Major in this season.

Zverev to win a Slam and Zheng to win a Slam.

Tim Henman added

Alexander Zverev and Qinwen Zheng withdraw from United Cup

Qinwen Zheng was part of the Chinese team for the ongoing United Cup. But she withdrew from the tournament because she needed a ‘few extra weeks of rest, recovery and good training’ to prepare for the 2025 season. In the last edition of the mixed-gender team event, Zheng helped China reach the quarterfinals.

Qinwen Zheng, Alexander Zverev
Qinwen Zheng, Alexander Zverev (Images via X)

Alexander Zverev on the other hand, withdrew from the United Cup on Wednesday because of a biceps strain. He won the first two singles matches he played in the tournament and Germany, without him, lost their quarterfinal tie to Kazakhstan.

Both Zverev and Zheng will now prepare for the Australian Open which starts on January 12. While Zheng reached the final in Melbourne last season, Zverev suffered a five-set defeat to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal.