Gauff, Alcaraz, Jabeur, Medvedev and more predict Academy Award winner for Best Picture

“And the Oscar goes to…”

By the end of Sunday evening in Los Angeles, one film will join exclusive company when the reveal of this year’s Best Picture closes out the Academy Awards.

If going by the movies tennis players have seen, Top Gun: Maverick is the preemptive favorite to take home the coveted statue. In a Tennis Channel poll taken at the BNP Paribas Open with a dozen of the sport’s biggest stars, the Tom Cruise-led sequel to its 1986 predecessor was the clear choice.

Another follow-up act to a box-office smash, Avatar: The Way Of Water, garnered a few votes as well. Your tennis tours ballot:

Carlos Alcaraz: “I’m not a big fan of movies. I don’t watch too much. But let’s say Avatar.”

Felix Auger-Aliassime: “I’m gonna go with Top Gun cause I saw it and I thought it was great.”

Taylor Fritz: “Of these, I’ve only seen Top Gun and Avatar. But I’ll go with Top Gun. I think that was the best.”

Coco Gauff: “I feel like it’s not gonna be Avatar, even though that’s what I would pick. I feel like Everything Everywhere All At Once is gonna win.”

Ons Jabeur: “My heart is going with Tom Cruise. So Top Gun.”

Daniil Medvedev: “I watched Top Gun, Elvis. I think from what I heard from other people, Avatar could win it. I didn’t watch it yet, but I’m for sure gonna do it, especially if it wins Oscars.”

Jessica Pegula: “Top Gun was an amazing movie. I felt like I was living the entire experience in the movie theater.”

Casper Ruud: “There was something nostalgic with Top Gun: Maverick, so I’m going to go for that one. I also watched Elvis, which was great. Two very different movies.”

Aryna Sabalenka: “I need the pictures of the movies. But I would go for Avatar: The Way Of Water.”

Maria Sakkari: “I’ve watched only two of them. I’ll go with Top Gun.”

Iga Swiatek: “I only watched Top Gun, so I’m gonna go with it.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas: “I would go for Top Gun: Maverick. I really liked the movie, very well done. I really liked the dynamic they put out there. Babylon still remains my favorite movie (from the last year).”