Does Federer have heirs? Let's talk about those "different" players that can take up the torch

[Otacon]

Roger Federer's retirement from the game has left many tennis fans orphaned. In addition to losing one of its most outstanding champions, the game has lost an incomparable talent with a style so original that it is irreplaceable. The idol of many players, he inspired some more than others. Let's take a look at those who best embrace his legacy: a certain idea of tennis.



CARLOS ALCARAZ, THE HYBRID
Age: 19 years old
Ranking : world number 1.
Notable performances: Titles at the US Open, Madrid and Miami in 2022

• What makes him similar to Federer

Carlos Alcaraz has always been compared to Rafael Nadal because of his nationality and his precocious excellence, but at the age of 12 he had another idol: Roger Federer. And for good reason, he shares a lot of things with him: first, his willingness to take the game on his own with his forehand and his extraordinary ability to accelerate his racket head. Then, an undeniable creativity with a frequent use of the drop shot, even the drop shot feint transformed into a long forehand chop, a Federesque inspiration. Not to mention his impeccable behavior on the court, an example of fair play that the Swiss had made his trademark.

• What sets him apart :

Carlos Alcaraz is a very explosive player with a lot of power and raw strength, much more than Federer. On the other hand, he is less fluid and aerial than the Basel native, who is unrivalled in this area. The biggest technical difference between the two men is obviously on the backhand side, as the Murcian plays with both hands. "Carlitos" has finally found his rhythm, much faster than his illustrious elder. His challenge now will be to last at the top and keep the passion for the game alive for as long.

Arnaud Di Pasquale: "He's a sweet mix of the three monsters. From Federer, he has this will to be very offensive, to go forward. And maybe it's a caricature to say it like that, but for a Spaniard to be so attracted to the net is special. He's become the youngest world No. 1 in the history of the game. Perhaps he has the ability to meet the staggering standards of the Big 3? Looking at his breakthrough times, you can imagine him sticking with those three ogres."

 

[Otacon]

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS, THE BOLD ONE
Age: 24 years old
Ranking: 5th
Notable performances: French Open final n 2021, Masters titles in 2019 and Monte Carlo (2021 and 2022)

• What makes him similar to Federer

He has boundless admiration for the Basel native, and recently said that Federer inspired him to become a professional tennis player. Naturally attracted to the net, Stefanos Tsitsipas has developed an offensive spirit that makes him similar to his childhood idol. And he never ceases to be inspired by his idol, as he recently added a little cross-court slice backhand to his arsenal to bait his opponents and break their rhythm. He shares with the Swiss a taste for variety in his game and tries to never play the same ball twice. His ability to stay focused from start to finish in a match is reminiscent of the mask sometimes worn by the "Maestro".

• What sets him apart :

If he is able to take the ball early and does so from time to time, he sometimes has trouble to force himself to stay on his baseline and cut the trajectories, especially when the doubt assails him. He has fewer tricks up his sleeve than Federer, or doesn't always choose the right solution. To put it simply, Tsitsipas is less autonomous and able to find solutions on his own. Perhaps he is just too much in his bubble and, when something comes up, too easily disturbed. We remember his third round match at Wimbledon against Nick Kyrgios. At the All England Club, where he still hasn't made it past the round of 16, he is still a long way from the king of grass.


Arnaud Di Pasquale: "Tennis-wise, it's very nice, very clean with this one-handed backhand. There's also a lot of ambition, it's all very visible. But Tsitsipas seems to have trouble accepting defeats and learning from them to bounce back. I find him a bit more fragile, much more dependent on coaching. This need to be supported, to be carried, was not as intense with Federer. Obviously, we're not talking about the little look of support here. The strength of the greatest players is to be alone on the court and to find solutions."

 

[Otacon]

NICK KYRGIOS, THE RAW TALENT
Age: 27
Ranking: 21st
Notable performances: Finals at Wimbledon in 2022, Cincinnati in 2017, titles in Washington (2019 and 2022)

• What makes him similar to Federer

A certain "flair". Tennis seems so easy, almost childlike in its simplicity, when played by Nick Kyrgios. It is perhaps this looseness, this ease, that brings him closest to Federer, for whom he has always had a certain deference (unlike the other two members of the Big 3). "Federer can do things so fast, make you feel like the court is shrinking and make you want to leave it," the Aussie admitted a few months ago. This ability to stun the opponent with a few strokes of genius is certainly a characteristic shared by both men.

• What sets him apart :

Beyond technical considerations such as the differences in their backhand (two-handed for Kyrgios), service and movement, their behavior on the court is diametrically opposed. The Australian is a real chatterbox who sometimes even likes to play in a certain chaos. This has nothing to do with the "poker face" of the Swiss, even if the latter was angry and capable of breaking many rackets in his youth. They also have a different approach to tennis: Federer was quick to assume his ambition to become the best and stay that way for as long as possible, while Kyrgios decided to exploit his potential (in part) only this season. While Kyrgios can win a Grand Slam, his goal is not to dominate the game.

Arnaud Di Pasquale: "Kyrgios shares Federer's ability to create, to put his opponents at a distance in two shots by half-volleying. I remember his second set against Rublev in Miami, it was amazing: shot after shot against a Top 10 player. The danger for Kyrgios is that he can either become extravagant or a kind of dilettante. He can go for a Grand Slam. But will he want to win several? It doesn't seem like it. There's a sense of, 'One Grand Slam, and then I'm bowing out.'"

 

[Otacon]

GRIGOR DIMITROV, THE CURSED COPY
Age: 31 years old
Ranking : 24th
Notable performances: Semifinals at Wimbledon (2014), the Australian Open (2017) and the US Open (2019), titles at the Masters and Cincinnati in 2017

• What makes him similar to Federer

Technically? Pretty much everything. So much so that when he arrived on the tour, Grigor Dimitrov inherited a nickname that has (too much for his taste) stuck to him for a long time: "Baby Fed". It must be said that the gestural mimicry is flagrant and the technical execution of the shots almost as precise, from the serve to the forehand, including the sliced backhand and the volley. The Bulgarian has a very wide range of shots. His flashes of brilliance have brought many spectators to their feet. When he is in the "zone", it is an experience of beauty, as was the man with 103 titles.

• What sets him apart :

The copy is always less good than the original. And this has always been Dimitrov's problem. Very quickly, compared to absolute excellence, he had to face an excessive pressure which undoubtedly limited him. If his hard work is not debatable, he certainly did not fully exploit his potential, due to a lack of clear tactical direction. When you are so complete, it is sometimes difficult to make the right choice at the right time, especially under pressure. Combining aesthetics with efficiency is an absolute complexity. Dimitrov has been number 3 in the world, has won the Masters, has reached the semis in three of the four Grand Slam events, but he certainly doesn't have the special character of an outstanding champion. Now in the second phase of his career, it is hard to see him acquiring it.

Arnaud Di Pasquale's view: "Tennis is not just about technique. It's physical and mental. It's good to be able to do everything Federer does, it's even pretty crazy. But you have to do it at the important moments, you have to be mentally stable enough. Not everyone can keep their cool. Hasn't he suffered too much from this constant comparison? When he was young, he imitated Federer, he wanted to be a tennis player. He was certainly a fan, but he wanted to be Dimitrov. It's really hard to be expected to be the new Federer. There's only one Federer."

 

[gjm127]

Dimi is 31 yo, there's no way he's picking up any torch anyone gives him.

 

[Otacon]

LORENZO MUSETTI, THE BET
Age: 20 years old
Ranking: 28th
Notable performances: Round of 16 at Roland Garros in 2021, title in Hamburg in 2022

• What makes him similar to Federer

A certain mastery and touch of the ball. Lorenzo Musetti knows how to do everything, whether it's a drop shot, a volley or the net game. He's not short of great inspiration when it comes to playing cat-and-mouse with his opponent. But it's on the backhand side that he reminds most of Federer: he can play topspin, flat and slice equally well. His variety in this area is quite fascinating for such a young player, whereas Tsitsipas has only recently incorporated the slice into his game. He is perhaps the only one who can do the half-volley backhand passing as well as his Swiss model, with the famous signature wrist shot of the Federerian genius.

• What sets him apart :

Quite a few things. First, technical elements such as his forehand grip and his much more awkward and less effective serve. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, his offensive game. Since his emergence in Rome in 2020, Musetti has thrived on clay - the surface on which he won the first title of his career in Hamburg this summer in the final against Alcaraz - and he doesn't play as close to the baseline as Federer. The doubts about his physical strength have not yet been dispelled. After leading brilliantly two sets to nothing in the round of 16 at Roland Garros against Djokovic, he collapsed. He suffered the same fate against Tsitsipas this year. To become a great champion, he will have to improve in this area.

Arnaud Di Pasquale: "He's a great player, very interesting. But will he manage to have the same consistency, the same motivation? He has already had a period of weakness. These are signals. He might make some shots, but he'll probably be less consistent. When Federer was young, when you played against him, you thought, 'If everything falls into place, he's going to be a phenomenon. And I don't think that about Musetti. When all the pieces of the puzzle are put together, he's bound to be stronger than he is now, but to say he'll win one or more Grand Slams..."

 

[Deleted member 629564]

Does Federer have heirs?

Yes, Federer has hairs. He's not bald.

Contrary to Nadal. Another proof that Federer > Nadal.

 

[Deleted member 791948]

 

[Rosstour]

Le Shapeau

 

[The Fedfather]

There are no heirs to Federer in tennis. Alcaraz is the closest due to him being a generational talent and an all-court player, but their styles are still too different.

 

[Hypo Crisis]

Alcaraz is the same player as Djokovic, but yes he is Spaniard as Rafa and yes he can have sweet years of vulturing as Roger after Rafa and Nole retire.
Tsitsipas looks like Fed more, but he is sulking so much it makes me sick.
Bottomline - neither of two resemble Fed. Best one was Dimitrov but that ship has sailed long ago.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Spoiler

Most pleasant dollfan.

 

[sportsfan1]

It's either musetti or bust right now, as he's stylistically the closest.1hbh, platform serve, all court game.
Alcaraz has the volleys and aggressive mindset, but significant differences otherwise.

 

[aldeayeah]

Liked for the high effort posting!

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

There are no heirs to Federer in tennis. Alcaraz is the closest due to him being a generational talent and an all-court player, but their styles are still too different.

True. The man is one of his kind.

 

[Otacon]

Poll added.

I voted Kyrgios, as he's probably the only one who can get me up late at night to watch his match, especially when he's "on".

 

[socallefty]

Can we say Djokovic is a good heir to Fed because he is supposedly from a different generation? He is the only one who hits the ball well on the rise and these days, he does spot serving and ending points at the net quite well.

 

[Sudacafan]

This thread is a lost cause.
Anyways, we could praise the effort.

 

[Oval_Solid]

the Sampras to Federer transition was so nice wasn't it?
if real life were a movie it would be tiafoe or emma
or maybe Schwartzman for a comedy

 

[alexio]

yes he does have hairs

 

[FeroBango]

Alcaraz for sure. Fluid, light on feet, creative, easy power, touch, net presence, and he mentality to actually be a champion.

 

[socallefty]

When I saw him at Indian Wells, I thought he is like a modern-day Djokovic (meaning more willing to come to net quickly) with the speed of a young Nadal and more finesse than either of them. I really didn’t see much resemblance to Federer as for me, classic Federer is all about using the inside-out FH and BH slice to push players wide along with pinpoint accuracy in serving close to the lines.

Alcaraz hits hard from both sides without favoring his FH too much and when he gets short balls, he is more likely than anyone to hit drop shot approaches (or winners) which Federer did not do much. Also, Alcaraz has mediocre serve accuracy which is one of his biggest weaknesses right now and leaves a lot of serves in the middle of the box.

I haven’t seen any player that looks aesthetically elegant like Federer. Carlos is more about brute power and speed rather than controlled grace - more of a rock concert than a ballet.

 

[FeroBango]

Fair enough and cannot deny what your eyes see. To me, he is definitely a rockstar, but one with the touch, finesse, and style of say, a Guthrie Govan.

Also, Alcaraz loves his inside-out FH, and though he plays more from the BH wing than Federer used to, he still very much would rather go for a FH winner than a BH one.

 

[Rosstour]

There are no heirs to Federer in tennis. Alcaraz is the closest due to him being a generational talent and an all-court player, but their styles are still too different.

That's why I'm all in on Shapo and Musetti

 

[Arak]

That's why I'm all in on Shapo and Musetti

Same here. I’m hoping that Musetti will be able to improve his physical form in a couple of years. It’s definitely what’s holding him back. Sometimes it’s not possible though. It’s all about genetics.

 

[Rosstour]

Same here. I’m hoping that Musetti will be able to improve his physical form in a couple of years. It’s definitely what’s holding him back. Sometimes it’s not possible though. It’s all about genetics.

Musetti's genetics look pretty good lol. Ppl underestimate just how hard he is hitting the ball out there. Being able to overwhelm Berrettini in a final is no small feat.

 

[Arak]

Musetti's genetics look pretty good lol. Ppl underestimate just how hard he is hitting the ball out there. Being able to overwhelm Berrettini in a final is no small feat.

I think he looks much more fit recently. Probably age related. I think he needs until 21-22 to reach full physical maturity.

 

[Rosstour]

I think he looks much more fit recently. Probably age related. I think he needs until 21-22 to reach full physical maturity.

He was listed at 6'1"/165 until recently.

Looking at pics of him in 2020, he's packed on more muscle since then.

Also...I completely forgot that his other title this year was vs Alcaraz in the Final. Very good sign.

 

[triforce defender]

Stannis Baratheon is the One True King and heir to the throne.

 

[Herald]

Don't really speak of 6th/7th in line to the throne as having "heirs"

 

[Bartelby]

Airs and graces ... as some critics say!

 

[c16r]

It's either musetti or bust right now, as he's stylistically the closest.1hbh, platform serve, all court game.
Alcaraz has the volleys and aggressive mindset, but significant differences otherwise.

Didn't Musetti use the pinpoint stance a few months ago? Was very surprised, when I saw him playing Djokovic a few hours ago.

 

[SamprasisGOAT]

Stefanos Tsitsipas is the only one close to either Federer or Sampras currently playing. Sad times

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Stefanos Tsitsipas is the only one close to either Federer or Sampras currently playing. Sad times

B...But what happened to the narrative that "tennis is in the good hands" as of recently?! i thought everyone agreed on that one already, no?...

 

[SamprasisGOAT]

B...But what happened to the narrative that "tennis is in the good hands" as of recently?! i thought everyone agreed on that one already, no?...

Not me. I don’t think that. Many things wrong with this GOAT sport.

court speeds need to be more like the 90s

Racket and string technology needs to be controlled by the organisations

Shadow bans need to stop and however big the star is ban there ass

More drug testing

go back to 16 seeds instead of 32 seeds at slams (makes a huge Difference)

Best of 5 sets for YEC and Masters Finals

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

None of these bums will touch Fed's on court beauty and ability and I don't care much for Fed. Arrogant, bourgeois ***** that he is

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Not me. I don’t think that. Many things wrong with this GOAT sport.

court speeds need to be more like the 90s

Racket and string technology needs to be controlled by the organisations

Shadow bans need to stop and however big the star is ban there ass

More drug testing

go back to 16 seeds instead of 32 seeds at slams (makes a huge Difference)

Best of 5 sets for YEC and Masters Finals

None of these will work with Tik-Tok generation trust me...maybe if they were wasting less time trolling each other and arguing on social media and investing more time on actual training and improvement and had longer attention span - they maybe could have been great tennis players you want them to be...

 

[sportsfan1]

Didn't Musetti use the pinpoint stance a few months ago? Was very surprised, when I saw him playing Djokovic a few hours ago.

I don't recall that, have only watched him play recently.