 Welcome back to Tennis Talk, my name's Caen Williams and it's time to go through the top 10 predictions for next year for 2022 on the ATP. We've gone through the WTA rankings predictions and we'll see how we go with the predictions because it's really tough to do those predictions especially for the WTA. This time we're focusing on the men, let's start with number 10 in my predictions. So the end of the 2022 season, I think that it's going to be Matteo Barattini at number 10, currently ranked at number 7 in the world and had a pretty good season this year. A lot of us probably thought that he wasn't going to be in the top 10 by the end of 2021 and he has some points that he can make up next year. He can make points up at the Master 1000 events in Monte Carlo, Miami and Canada. And we do know that he is an all-court player, he's played well at every single slam, of course making the Wimbledon final, but that's where he has points to lose. At the Wimbledon final, that's his biggest points loss, also made the Madrid final on the clay and also won the Queens Club events. So three big events there in the middle of the season where he'll have to defend a lot of points, but there is some upside for Barattini. I just think that Wimbledon, he was going to lose a lot of points. I don't think he can back up that result. He might make the semi-final, maybe the quarter-final, but he's going to lose a lot of points there. So that's why I've got him down at number 10. Matteo Barattini got him down at number 10. I feel like that little grass court season between Queens Club and the Wimbledon final, I think that's where he's going to lose a lot of these points. So I've got him down at number 10. I still think he can stay in the top 10 based on his results on every surface, but the grass court season, I feel like he might lose some points. Let's go check out who I have at number nine. So at number nine, this one might be a little bit interesting and a little bit controversial for you guys, but I'm going to go with Denyshapovalov. Now, we all know that Shapo is super inconsistent, and that's his biggest problem. But I feel like he's best, and he showed his best at parts this season, that he can be in the top 10 and solidify his spot at number nine. He has a lot of points up for grabs. He can make points at Cincinnati. Also, the French Open, he didn't play this year, and the Paris Indoor is a tournament that he's done well at in the past. So I feel like there's a lot of potential for Shapo at those three tournaments, especially the French Open. He could easily make a quarterfinal, semifinal there, in my opinion, but the points he has to lose. He's obviously got the semifinal of Wimbledon that he's got to defend. Also, the Rome Open semifinal, and the Miami Open from 2019, he has to defend those points. So a lot of semifinals he has to defend, but I reckon next year, he's starting to piece it all together. He just beat Rafa Nadal in an exhibition event. I know that's an exhibition, and Rafa's coming back, but I believe Shapo is going to make a big step next year and improve on his results from this year. So Shapovalov, he is at number nine in the rankings. Maybe one of the more controversial picks for you guys, because a lot of people probably don't believe in Shapovalov as much as I do. But I think Shapovalov can make the next step and be a bit more consistent next year. All right, let's go check out who I have at number eight. So at number eight, another one that's a little bit interesting. I've got Andrei Rublev at number eight. I think he's going to drop down a little bit in the rankings. Currently number five in the world. He's at a career high ranking. I just feel like he's going to lose a few points next year and drop down the ranks a bit. He's got points to gain, though, at Indian Wells, Paris, and in Shanghai, the Asian swing. So he does have some points to make up on the hard courts, which is probably his preferred surface. But he has points to lose at both the Monte Carlo and Cincinnati Finals that he made this year and the Rotterdam event that he won this year. So I feel like those three tournaments are big for him and it's going to be tough for him to replicate the form. This year overall wasn't a great year for Rublev, even though he is still in the top five or he did make the top five. Just didn't play well compared to 2020. So we'll see what he does. I just, I don't know. I just have a feeling that Rublev is going to be one of the guys that drops down the rankings. Stay in the top 10, but I think he'll drop down. So Andre Rublev, I've got him at number eight. Again, just dropping down the rankings a fair bit. I just don't know if he can replicate the sort of intensity. And I feel like he's a bit of a one-trick pony and people are starting to figure out how to beat him. And that's what's going to be dangerous. He needs to get a bit more variety in his game going forward. All right, let's go have a look at who I've got at number seven. Number seven, this one might be a little bit interesting as well. And again, it seems to be a common theme. It's the young kids that are coming up. And I've got Yannick Sinner at number seven. I feel like this year, a lot of credit to him getting in the top 10. He finished at number 10 in the world, played the ATB Finals, played very, very well at the ATB Finals. And I feel like he's starting to figure out how to beat those guys at the top of the game. Maybe not the goats. Those guys at the top of the game like the Medvedevs, the Zverevs, he's starting to get a little bit closer to those guys. He's got points to gain as well at Wimbledon, the Paris Indors, and of course the Asian Swing at the Shanghai Open that he hadn't played because it wasn't on this year. And if it's on next year, he's got a lot of points up for grabs there. But he does have points to lose at some key events. The Miami Open at the start of next year, he did make the final at the Miami Open this year. Also Washington, he won that tournament. 500 points there and the Antwerp Open as well. He's got 250 points there. But if he can ever break out of a slam or if he can do really well at one of those Masters 1000 tournaments, maybe even win one of them, I just feel like he can go up the rankings and I feel like he can only go up from here. I feel like he's just starting to reach his true potential making the top 10. I didn't think he'd be in top 10 by this year by the end of this year, but he's proven me wrong and I'm going to give him some credit and think that he's going to go up a little bit higher. So Yannick's dinner at number seven. A lot of people might think he's going to be at number three, but I'm going to be a little bit more conservative and put him at number seven. Let's go have a check at who I have at number six. So number six in the world, this might be one of my wildest predictions so far, especially with recent news in the last couple of days. But I've got Dominic team at number six. Now let me explain. So Dominic team, we all know that he's probably going to be outside the top 40 because of his withdrawal from the Australian Open where he's going to lose a lot of points. But I do think he can make a big comeback. Now he has points to gain at places like Wimbledon, Indian Wells, the US Open didn't play those events this year, of course with the injury that he had. He's currently ranked 15 in the world, by the way, and he does have points to lose. Unfortunately, at the Australian Open, which he will be losing those points, 100% losing those points, which means he'll be dropping down the ranks even further than he is or some Madrid and Barcelona two events that he has to back up. But once he loses all those points, he can only go up from there and he's only going to be able to improve his results. There's nothing really to worry about after losing the Australian Open finals points. And I believe a healthy Dominic team can still beat anybody in the world. So Dominic team, I put a lot of faith in team this year to make a massive comeback. Now, of course, at the end of January, a lot of you are probably looking at these rankings going, well, he's number 40. This is no chance. He's going to be way down the ranks, but I still believe that team, if he has a good clay court season, can rock it up the rank. Let's have a look at who I have a number five for next season. So number five, this one might not be as big a shock, but I've got Stephanos City Pass at number five. Currently ranked number four, but I've got him down at number five. Probably have a similar season to what he did this year, I believe. The US Open is where he could gain some points. Also Wimbledon and the ATB finals, if he does make it. So he has a lot of upside on those tournaments. Not great at Wimbledon. We've seen that over the last few years. But you know, the US Open and the ATB finals, he's done well there before. We could see him do something there. But he has a lot of points to lose, especially at the clay court season and in the first six months of the year. French Open final, the Monte Carlo Masters, and also the Australian Open semifinals. A lot of points are up in the air for City Pass in that first half of the season. So very important that he has a good clay court season. So I don't think he's going to go any higher than he is. Maybe drop a spot because I've added some extra players in the top four, but I think City Pass, where he is right now is about perfect. Stephanos City Pass at number five. And like I said, I feel like the clay court season is going to be crucial. If he doesn't get to the final of the French Open, maybe he can make up some points at the US Open and the American hard court season and of course the ATB finals. All right, let's go have a look at who I have at number four in the rankings for this time next year. All right, having a look at number four and I've got the goat of clay, Rafa Nadal. Now he is currently number six in the world. So I've got him in number four, but he has so many points that he can make up. He can make up points in Indian Wells. He can make points up at the US Open and of course the ATB finals will be qualified. He can do something there. So a lot of points up for Grafs Rafa in the second half of the year and of course Indian Wells in March, but it's going to have to get through the clay court season doing well. He has a lot of points up to lose in that part of the season. Of course, the French Open in 2020, he has a thousand points to lose there. So half the points, which is what the rule was, half the points from two years ago or in 2020. The Rome Open, he won that last year and the Canadian Open back in 2019. I feel like he's got a big upside wrapper, especially on the hard courts. If he can do what he does every year on clay and just play well, I believe in Rafa and I think he's going to be number four. The Rafa Nadal at number four, like I said, depends on the injury when he comes back. We'll see how he looks. Does he still look like the old wrapper? Because sometimes when you have a foot or a leg injury and you come back, especially when you rely on your movement, you don't always do as well as you used to be able to do because movement's a big thing for Rafa and if he can't move well, he won't be able to play well. We'll see what happens, but I believe Rafa will come back strong and I think that he'll get to number four. All right, let's go to the top three now. Number three might surprise a few of you. So we're into the top three now and the number three player in the world this time next year, I believe, is going to be Novak Djokovic. I think Nolay is going to drop down the ranks. Now he's obviously number one in the world right now and he has points to gain, which is kind of scary because he didn't play that many Masters 1000 events. Indian Wells, Cincinnati and Shanghai, which is tournaments that he's done very well in the past. All of those points are up for grabs for Novak because he hasn't played them over the last few seasons but the points to lose, the three big ones. Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, he has 6,000 combined points to lose at those events. Now, the reason why I've got him at number three and not at number two or one is because we don't know if he's playing the Australian Open. If he doesn't play the Australian Open, 2,000 points disappear like that. Feel like that Australian Open is crucial. If he plays, he could stay at number one. If he doesn't play, he might drop down to number two or three. All right, so Novak Djokovic at number three and I know a few of the comments already are probably thinking that I'm crazy but like I said, if he doesn't play the Australian Summer, that's where he has a lot of points. 2,000 points from the Australian Open. He has points from the ATP Cup as well that he has to defend. Feel like Novak's not going to have it as well on the clay court season either. But hey, he's proven me wrong many a times in his career so we'll see what happens this time next year. All right, let's go have a look at who I have at number two in the world for this time next year. All right, so the number two player at the end of the 2022 season I think is going to be Alexander Zverev. Now, currently number three in the world, he has points to gain at places like Monte Carlo, Miami and in Shanghai. Now, he hasn't played those tournaments over the last few years or he hasn't done well there in the last few years but he can play on all surfaces, can Zverev. So that's why I believe that he can do well, especially at Shanghai where he made the final a few years ago, Miami Open and the Monte Carlo Masters. I feel like he can do well there but he has a lot of points to save at some big events. He had to be finals, obviously won that last year. Got a lot of points up for grabs there. If he does not play well there, he will lose a lot of points. Madrid and Cincinnati where he won both those tournaments this year. So a lot of points there. I've got him at number two. I think he leapfrogs Djokovic based on Djokovic not playing the Australian Open but you could definitely switch the two up with Zverev and Djokovic. But I believe Zverev wins the slam next year and he gets number two in the world. So Alexander Zverev at number two he's a little bit higher than Djokovic but I think that you could easily change those two around depending on who plays the Australian Open. We don't know if Novak's going to play and I think if he doesn't play Zverev can leapfrog him. All right, let's go have a look at who I have at number one in the world for this time next year. Okay, so for the number one in the world for the end of the 2022 season I have Daniel Medvedev. Now he has a lot of points that he can actually gain which is kind of scary because he played pretty well last year and he still almost took the world number one ranking. Now he has points to gain at places like Indian Wells, the Rome Open and in Shanghai. Now he did win Shanghai two years ago so if we do aviation swing in 2022 he will be a very big favorite during that tournament or during that swing. Points to lose of course the U.S. Open of course the win at the U.S. Open this year Australian Open final and also the HB finals final. He has a lot of points that he has to save at those events. Most of his points are at those three events in particular but like I said I feel like he can back up those points if Djokovic doesn't play the Australian Open. Medvedev is the favorite and probably possibly wins it because he played very well this year at the Australian Open until he played Novak. So Medvedev's only got an upside and I feel like this is going to be one of the seasons. I think 2022 is going to be the season where we get two or three different number ones in the world. So I feel like Medvedev will snatch it at the end but I feel like he's going to get to number one and then he's going to get taken away from him but he finished at number one and that's why I've got him there. So Daniel Medvedev at number one in the world and like I said I think it's going to be very very interesting in 2022. I feel like the ranking the world number one ranking is going to change hands between two or maybe three maybe even four different players throughout the season but I feel like Medvedev will snatch it at the end just because he is so good at the end of the season. Let me know down the comments below. What do you think of the rankings? You pick your rankings put them in the description below or put them in the comments below. I want to know what you think and who you think is going to be in the top 10. Did I miss out on anybody? People are probably thinking where's Federer? I don't think Federer is going to play enough but let me know down the comments below who you like and who do you think is going to be in the top 10 next year? So they're the top 10 predictions for the ATP. Go check out the WTA ranking predictions as well. We did a video on that.