Buckle up as there’s plenty of epic sports/esports action ahead in 2023!

As the sun sets on what was an absolutely fantastic year for sports/esports, we thought what better time than the present to look ahead at some of what is to come in 2023.

So, get the popcorn in and strap yourselves in for a rollercoaster ride as we look at what the next 12 months have in store for us.

Formula 1

Can anyone stop Max Verstappen? That’s the question that’s on F1 fans’ lips right now with the Flying Dutchmen seeking to make it three Drivers’ Championships on the bounce.

Despite a disappointing start to the season, which saw him retire in 2 of the opening 3 races, Verstappen hit back in style by winning 5 of next 7 races before going on to seal a second successive Drivers’ Championship with plenty of time to spare. The Dutchman also secured his place in the history books, smashing an assortment of records, such as most wins in a single season, most points in a season, as well as the largest point deficit overturned to become champion, and will no doubt fancy his chances of being crowned champion once again.

Whilst beating him will no doubt be a mammoth task, Ferrari and Mercedes will be hoping their drivers are up to the challenge. What’s more, both LeClerc and Hamilton have got something to prove. The Monacan showed glimpses of immense promise last season, but was ultimately let down by a combination of poor reliability and questionable tactics from his team, and will be itching to show he’s got what it takes to claim the champion title this year.

Lewis Hamilton will also be doubly keen to show he’s still got what it takes to mix it with the big boys after an absolute nightmare of a season in 2022. The Brit failed to chalk up a single win or pole position last year and needs to rediscover his mojo if he is to surpass Schumacher’s record haul of Drivers’ titles.

Tennis

2023 is also shaping up to be an epic year for all you tennis fans out there, with plenty of twists and turns in store.

When it comes to the men’s game, all eyes will be on Carlos Alcaraz this year. The young Spaniard was an absolute sensation on last year’s ATP tour, winning no fewer than 5 titles, including two Masters events and the US Open, to become the youngest #1 in ATP history.

However, his position as the emerging dominant force in mens’ tennis is far from guaranteed, as the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas will be in no mood to take any prisoners in the quest for honours this year. Likewise, he’ll also have to fight off stiff competition from Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner, which means the fight for silverware could be exceptionally fierce this year.

As for the women’s game, it’s looking like this could be the year in which Iga Świątek cements her position as the dominant force in women’s tennis. The Pole lit up last year’s WTA tour, picking up 2 Grand Slams and 8 titles overall and is being heavily tipped to be just as, if not even more, successful this year. All of which begs the question, will a challenger emerge over the next 12 months or will she just steamroll her way to win after win?

BLAST Paris Major

Fans of CS:GO the world over will have plenty of reason to rejoice in May as Paris plays host to the BLAST Paris Major, where CS:GO’s big guns will descend on the French capital for a shot at the $500,000 grand prize.

It’s also worth noting that this tournament will be the first official collaboration between CS:GO creators Valve and BLAST, which is bound to add yet more excitement to proceedings. Valve hosted 2 tournaments in 2022, PGL Major in Antwerp and the IEM Major in Rio, both of which smashed viewership records, whereas BLAST have hosted a whole host of incredible standalone tournaments and many CS:GO fans consider them to be the best tournament organisers out there.

With all of the above in mind, this collaboration seems to be a match made in heaven and we’re set to be in for an absolute cracker of a tournament.

NBA playoffs/finals

B-ball fans the world over will be on tenterhooks from April through June this year as we are treated to the latest chapter in the NBA playoffs/finals saga.

Last year’s finals were a thoroughly gripping affair which saw Golden State Warriors come from 2-1 down after 3 games to beat the Boston Celtics 4-2 with a game to spare. That being said, the defending champions haven’t exactly hit the ground running this season and it’s looking increasingly unlikely that they’ll mount a successful defence of their title this time around.

The same cannot be said for their opponents in last year’s final, as they are currently flying high at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Celtics will be itching to go one better than 2022 this year as they seek to end their 15-year wait to be crowned NBA Champions.

That being said, despite a fine start to the season, it’s the Brooklyn Nets who are currently the beasts in the east when it comes to form. Jacque Vaughn’s men have (at the time of writing) won all 10 of their last 10 games, whereas the Celtics have won 5 and lost 5 of their last 10, and could overhaul their rivals if they can continue to keep this winning momentum going.

Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, it’s currently a three-way tussle between the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans for top spot. However, with plenty of the season left to go, there’s still time for one of the chasing pack to throw a cat amongst the pigeons.