Who is Next Gen?

[Deleted member 771911]

So, we can agree Thiem is not Next Gen. He gets called so now and then but he's not. Right?
But are we calling 25 year old Medvedev next gen? 24 year old Zverev? 25 year old Berrettini? Khachanov is now 25. 24 year old Coric. It seems they should be another gen. But we've already had gen useless, lost gen. Maybe delayed gen?
Surely, the real next gen is the 18-23 year olds? FAA, Sinner, Popyrin, Rublev, Tsitsipas, Shapo, Ruud, De Minaur, Humbert, Fritz, Bublik, Fokina, Kecmanovic, Korda, Moutet, Ruusuovori, Musetti, Kwon, Alcaraz. (All from top 100).
So, maybe we should distinguish more between the gens. Let's give the Medvedev gen a new name. Or at least agree they should no longer be called Next Gen.
Btw of the real next gen, and my list has 19 names (not so bad 1/5th of the top 100 is next gen!), 9 are into round 2 and 11 if we count Ymer and Safiullin, who I did not include in the list as they not in top 100 and there has to be a cutoff.

I've amended the list to only include under 22 now-
FAA, Sinner, Popyrin, Tsitsipas, Shapo, Ruud, De Minaur, Humbert, Fokina, Kecmanovic, Korda, Moutet, Ruusuovori, Musetti, Alcaraz. (All from top 100).

I’m now changing it so it’s 21 and under which seems to be FAA, Sinner, Alcaraz, Korda, Musetti, which is those in top 100. Actually that’s a nice little list.

 

[junior74]

They are next gen until they grow up. They never do.

 

[40-15 still haunts me]

I’ve heard of Ingen, the dinosaur guys company in jurassic park, as for next gen......no clue

 

[Jonesy]

Big 3 are next gen.

 

[MeatTornado]

It depends on if we're using "NextGen" as an adjective or a proper noun.

That name started because of the 2017 ATP Next Gen finals for everyone 21 and under at the time. So it's a matter of whether we still use that name for that initial class of players (Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Shapo, Rublev, etc) or if the name keeps getting passed down to the next group for each next generation. Because we're now at the point where no one from the first 2017 event will be eligible for the 2021 tournament. It's a whole different group of guys; Sinner, Korda, Musetti, Alcaraz, etc.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

It depends on if we're using "NextGen" as an adjective or a proper noun.

That name started because of the 2017 ATP Next Gen finals for everyone 21 and under at the time. So it's a matter of whether we still use that name for that initial class of players (Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Shapo, Rublev, etc) or if the name keeps getting passed down to the next group for each next generation. Because we're now at the point where no one from the first 2017 event will be eligible for the 2021 tournament. It's a whole different group of guys; Sinner, Korda, Musetti, Alcaraz, etc.

No idea about the grammar part, but yes I get what you mean. If they are just called NextGen like it's a band name or something, it doesn't really matter if they keep the name.
So what do we call the real next Gen? Upcoming Gen? Not quite as catchy. I like that we could just label them Next Gen and transfer that name to come up with a new name for Medvedev and friends.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

you mean... what is iNEXTistentGen?

 

[Hamnavoe]

I would say it's anyone who broke through between about 2015 and 2019, perhaps with the inclusion of Kyrgios. Roughly spanning those born between 1995 and 2000.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Fedalovic are

 

[James P]

It depends on if we're using "NextGen" as an adjective or a proper noun.

That name started because of the 2017 ATP Next Gen finals for everyone 21 and under at the time. So it's a matter of whether we still use that name for that initial class of players (Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Shapo, Rublev, etc) or if the name keeps getting passed down to the next group for each next generation. Because we're now at the point where no one from the first 2017 event will be eligible for the 2021 tournament. It's a whole different group of guys; Sinner, Korda, Musetti, Alcaraz, etc.

This is the correct answer, imo. Are we labeling the "initial class" NextGen for all time? I don't know, but the NextGen are also the <22 year olds that are eligible for the NextGen tournament.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

This is the correct answer, imo. Are we labeling the "initial class" NextGen for all time? I don't know, but the NextGen are also the <22 year olds that are eligible for the NextGen tournament.

It feels like we are as a collective labelling the initial class as next gen. Which is quite flattering for them really.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

If we make Next Gen under 22, that removes Rublev, too. Also, Fritz, Opelka (opps I never included him- he looks 30!), Bublik, Tiafoe (forgot him, too), Bublik. That still leaves about 15 Next Genners in the top 100.
Tsitsipas is Next Gen until August 12. So, there is still a chance, however small, that the old Next Gen (see how confusing it is) could get a Next Gen slam champ.

 

[Sport]

That name started because of the 2017 ATP Next Gen finals for everyone 21 and under

MeatTornado, are you sure that is the beginning of the use of the term? I was in the forum since early 2017 and everybody was already using the term "Next Gen" before the "Next Gen ATP finals" even started.

 

[Purestriker]

So, we can agree Thiem is not Next Gen. He gets called so now and then but he's not. Right?
But are we calling 25 year old Medvedev next gen? 24 year old Zverev? 25 year old Berrettini? Khachanov is now 25. 24 year old Coric. It seems they should be another gen. But we've already had gen useless, lost gen. Maybe delayed gen?
Surely, the real next gen is the 18-23 year olds? FAA, Sinner, Popyrin, Rublev, Tsitsipas, Shapo, Ruud, De Minaur, Humbert, Fritz, Bublik, Fokina, Kecmanovic, Korda, Moutet, Ruusuovori, Musetti, Kwon, Alcaraz. (All from top 100).
So, maybe we should distinguish more between the gens. Let's give the Medvedev gen a new name. Or at least agree they should no longer be called Next Gen.
Btw of the real next gen, and my list has 19 names (not so bad 1/5th of the top 100 is next gen!), 9 are into round 2 and 11 if we count Ymer and Safiullin, who I did not include in the list as they not in top 100 and there has to be a cutoff.

I think your list makes perfect sense to me. Wasn't all that long ago that 25 was half way to retirement!

 

[catskillthunder]

I think your list makes perfect sense to me. Wasn't all that long ago that 25 was half way to retirement!

For real! At 30 you were given your last rights in tennis life. It's crazy these guys in their mid 30's and late 30's are still the sports best.

 

[skip1969]

I’ve heard of Ingen, the dinosaur guys company in jurassic park, as for next gen......no clue

Wasn't that "Antigen?" No. Antigen was the lab in Underworld: Awakening that was performing all of the experiments on vampire Selene so they could make super serum for the lycans.

 

[MeatTornado]

MeatTornado, are you sure that is the beginning of the use of the term? I was in the forum since early 2017 and everybody was already using the term "Next Gen" before the "Next Gen ATP finals" even started.

The ATP marketing for it had already started. There were ads for it everywhere in early 2017 and they made sure to mention the race during tournaments.

It was a desperate ploy to get interest in non-Big 4 players due to how flatly the Lost Gen had fallen.

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

Fed/Djoker/Pete/Agassis kids at this rate

 

[ND-13]

There are 2 players, Nadal and Djok that vie for the titles and 126 players who make up the numbers. I feel even Djokovic and Nadal don't care too much about winning like these. They know it is adding to their numbers but clearly they are not the same as the ones they got in the first half of their career.

How horrible is the next gen , Gosh !

FAA, Rublev, Thiem cannot win a round and Zverev, Sinner were almost out already. Medvedev will go out to the first decent player there. It is a shame.

 

[Krish872007]

MeatTornado, are you sure that is the beginning of the use of the term? I was in the forum since early 2017 and everybody was already using the term "Next Gen" before the "Next Gen ATP finals" even started.

This poster was from March 2016:

Term has probably been in regular use since 2015. There were small signs of a potential changing of the guard in 2014-15 which prompted many people to think that a younger, stronger crop of players was starting to emerge as serious contenders everywhere.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

Perhaps some of my confusion has come from the fact Next Gen is used by both media, (commentators in particular) and fans here and on twitter to talk about anyone from Thiem to Sinner. More as if it refers to anyone not either totally lost Gen (Dimi, Kei, Milos, Goff) or Big 3 and their gens (Federer, Lopez, Karlovic; Nole, Rafa, Andy, et. al).
So, Next Gen isn't even used anymore to mean it how the ATP mean it for their end of year contest. It's just an umbrella term for Thiem and under.

 

[AceSalvo]

A bunch of zero's. Well not exactly zero's but close enough.

 

[Krish872007]

Perhaps some of my confusion has come from the fact Next Gen is used by both media, (commentators in particular) and fans here and on twitter to talk about anyone from Thiem to Sinner. More as if it refers to anyone not either totally lost Gen (Dimi, Kei, Milos, Goff) or Big 3 and their gens (Federer, Lopez, Karlovic; Nole, Rafa, Andy, et. al).
So, Next Gen isn't even used anymore to mean it how the ATP mean it for their end of year contest. It's just an umbrella term for Thiem and under.

Thiem shouldn't qualify as NextGen - he's 27, and one could even argue he's past his peak (though we would need a bit more time to assess that statement)

 

[Deleted member 771911]

Thiem shouldn't qualify as NextGen - he's 27, and one could even argue he's past his peak (though we would need a bit more time to assess that statement)

I absolutely agree. I also think ATP don't mind if Thiem is still lumbered in with them because when he won USO, it was said a NextGenner had won a slam, which was very misleading. So ATP are having it both ways with the ambiguity.

 

[Krish872007]

I absolutely agree.

LostGen: Dimitrov, Raonic, Nishikori, Thiem - and whoever else was hyped in 2013-2016 period
NowGen: Zverev, Kyrgios, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Edmund (?) - and anyone who was hyped during 2016-2019
NextGen: Sinner, Alcaraz, FAA, Musetti - and any other teenager or early 20s player who is currently being hyped as the next big thing.

First category never delivered. The second category is in danger of not delivering. The third should be the real focus.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

LostGen: Dimitrov, Raonic, Nishikori, Thiem - and whoever else was hyped in 2013-2016 period
NowGen: Zverev, Kyrgios, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Edmund (?) - and anyone who was hyped during 2016-2019
NextGen: Sinner, Alcaraz, FAA, Musetti - and any other teenager or early 20s player who is currently being hyped as the next big thing.

First category never delivered. The second category is in danger of not delivering. The third should be the real focus.

NowGen then. That can be the name for Medvedev and friends. It's far too nice for them though!

 

[James P]

To further clarify who's "technically" NextGen, this is the NextGen Race table:

Position	Name	Age	Nation	ATP Points
1	Jannik Sinner	19.7	ITA2	1375
2	Sebastian Korda	20.9	USA5	775
3	Félix Auger-Aliassime	20.8	CAN3	675
4	Lorenzo Musetti	19.2	ITA5	666
5	Carlos Alcaraz	18	ESP9	439
6	Juan Manuel Cerundolo	19.5	ARG8	413
7	Jenson Brooksby	20.5	USA16	337
8	Sebastian Baez	20.4	ARG9	266
9	Tomáš Macháč	20.6	CZE2	213
10	Brandon Nakashima	19.8	USA13	196
11	Hugo Gaston	20.6	FRA16	180
12	Dominic Stephan Stricker	18.7	SUI5	136
13	Holger Vitus Nødskov Rune	18	DEN2	135
14	Carlos Gimeno Valero	19.9	ESP19	121
15	Jiří Lehečka	19.5	CZE6	100
16	Flavio Cobolli	19	ITA29	97
17	Thiago Seyboth Wild	21.2	BRA2	90
18	Adrian Andreev	20	BUL3	86
19	Nicolas Mejia	21.3	COL2	68
20	Emilio Nava	19.4	USA39	62

 

[Deleted member 771911]

To further clarify who's "technically" NextGen, this is the NextGen Race table:

Position	Name	Age	Nation	ATP Points
1	Jannik Sinner	19.7	ITA2	1375
2	Sebastian Korda	20.9	USA5	775
3	Félix Auger-Aliassime	20.8	CAN3	675
4	Lorenzo Musetti	19.2	ITA5	666
5	Carlos Alcaraz	18	ESP9	439
6	Juan Manuel Cerundolo	19.5	ARG8	413
7	Jenson Brooksby	20.5	USA16	337
8	Sebastian Baez	20.4	ARG9	266
9	Tomáš Macháč	20.6	CZE2	213
10	Brandon Nakashima	19.8	USA13	196
11	Hugo Gaston	20.6	FRA16	180
12	Dominic Stephan Stricker	18.7	SUI5	136
13	Holger Vitus Nødskov Rune	18	DEN2	135
14	Carlos Gimeno Valero	19.9	ESP19	121
15	Jiří Lehečka	19.5	CZE6	100
16	Flavio Cobolli	19	ITA29	97
17	Thiago Seyboth Wild	21.2	BRA2	90
18	Adrian Andreev	20	BUL3	86
19	Nicolas Mejia	21.3	COL2	68
20	Emilio Nava	19.4	USA39	62

so Next gen is 21 and under. Thanks.

 

[DIMI_D]

Does anyone see any non big 3 member and not Medvedev that can step up in the next few yrs and take the throne -
FAA, Alcaraz or sinner etc are prob best bets..
I could see a one slam wonder with a few guys like tsitsipas winning a RG maybe but not being a dominating force just yet without that ROS nothing leaves me to believe he will fix it if he hasn’t so far.

sinner needs to fill out more and a bit more experience he is very promising.

Alcaraz will be a beast confident he will come good at some stage.

FAA looks to have gotten over his nerves and some glitches in the game he is young enough to be dominate.

Zverev hasn’t got the mentality despite all the hype and improvements, tsipy in the same basket.

a lot of them are getting to old to be that dominate force the big 3 were they broke through early 20s

 

[Entername]

Nextgen is for the age group of players who qualified for the first next gen event in 2017

 

[BGod]

The term is pure marketing bull.

Wawrinka, Cilic, Delpo belonged to Nadal/Novak/Murray's generation but it's like they get rounded up or out. Nishikori as a late 89 gets pooled with them but Raonic was pooled with the later generations despite being a 90 baby. Kyrgios as a 95 was the first "Next Gen" that made sense within the timelines but now he's pooled in with Thiem who was suppose to be part of Lost Gen.

Generations are 10 years in the real world and in sports somewhere around 5, not 2 or 3.

But the current marketing climate has it essentially 99/00+ with Shap, Felix, Alcaraz, Sinner, Ruud, Musetti. Meanwhile Tsitsipas is 98 so he's not part of it? Ah you see how it goes sideways now don't you?