Why has Filip Peliwo been a bit of a disappointment so far?

[TheCanadian]

Everything is relative, as the saying goes, so when you compare Filip to guys of his age and who had a similar stellar record in the juniors (ex., Dominic Thiem), he's not looking too good right now.

I maintain that one of his problems is his small size. It's not that much of an issue in the juniors, but in the pros it's a major factor.

 

[jrs]

Didn't it take Roger Federer a while to get going in the Pro's? It is a big step to move from Juniors to the Pros - not everyone goes right to the top.

How old is he now?

I remember talking to a parent of WTA player - he mentioned how much higher the playing standards of the pros (esp top 100) as compared to the lower ranks - he said it was unbelievable, his daughter was top in her country - now she was struggling to win a set!

 

[Mainad]

Everything is relative, as the saying goes, so when you compare Filip to guys of his age and who had a similar stellar record in the juniors (ex., Dominic Thiem), he's not looking too good right now.

I maintain that one of his problems is his small size. It's not that much of an issue in the juniors, but in the pros it's a major factor.

His Wiki entry records him as being 5' 11'' or 1.80m so he's not really that small. McEnroe is the same height and Ferrer is 2 inches shorter!

He used to post on here in an 'Ask me any questions about being a tennis player' thread. But I think his last entry was over a year ago now!

 

[Mainad]

Didn't it take Roger Federer a while to get going in the Pro's? It is a big step to move from Juniors to the Pros - not everyone goes right to the top.

How old is he now?

He turned 20 last month.

 

[m2nk2]

On twitter he usually wrote '#beastmode' after winning a match in a Challenger tourney. So maybe he needs to humble down a bit?

Dunno, but it seems to be the general thing among the young guys these days.

 

[6-1 6-3 6-0]

Peliwo is nothing special. Nor are most of these 'young guns'; Nadal, Djokovic and Murray will continue to dominate tennis for the next 10 years (through which most of the slams will be won by Nadal), while Raonic, Peliwo, Kokkinakis and other nobodies achieve nothing.

 

[TheCanadian]

His Wiki entry records him as being 5' 11'' or 1.80m so he's not really that small. McEnroe is the same height and Ferrer is 2 inches shorter!

He used to post on here in an 'Ask me any questions about being a tennis player' thread. But I think his last entry was over a year ago now!

Don't believe everything you read, my friend.

 

[TheCanadian]

Peliwo is nothing special. Nor are most of these 'young guns'; Nadal, Djokovic and Murray will continue to dominate tennis for the next 10 years (through which most of the slams will be won by Nadal), while Raonic, Peliwo, Kokkinakis and other nobodies achieve nothing.

Raonic is now 11th in the world. If you don't call that an achievement than you must be inhabiting some parallel universe.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Raonic is now 11th in the world. If you don't call that an achievement than you must be inhabiting some parallel universe.

Right on ...

 

[LeeD]

I'm with the Canadian.
I was the one who asked and insisted he answer to his height. I think he's shorter, and very light in weight.
Ferrer might be closer to 5'8", but his build allow him to hit almost like the big boys on groundies. Ferrer is SOLID.
Mac played in the older days, and like Connors, under 6'. Like Chang, like Laver, like Kriek.
Shorter guys nowadays just don't seem to have the big serve when pressured, and seem to always be serving their second serves.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

I'd say a lot of it it's in the coaching.

 

[Wynter]

Peliwo is nothing special. Nor are most of these 'young guns'; Nadal, Djokovic and Murray will continue to dominate tennis for the next 10 years (through which most of the slams will be won by Nadal), while Raonic, Peliwo, Kokkinakis and other nobodies achieve nothing.

I'd love to see the coaching methods of these guys if they're going to be dominating at 37 years old...

 

[Booger]

Tennis is on the decline and the level of talent in the juniors is the lowest it's been in recent history. With all the economic pressure facing families, how many regular parents can afford the commitment that full time junior tennis requires?

Tennis has always been somewhat exclusionary, but the current top pros came of age in a different time and emerged from a much deeper talent pool. Beating up on the same few rich kids at every junior tournament is not a good predictor for success in today's pro game.

 

[LeeD]

Around 20 years ago, I played a Frenchman who had made the finals of Wimbledon Jrs. a few years previous. He was playing for DomincanCollege in SanRafael, a D-2 tennis college at that time.
I wondered why he didn't try to make pro, and didn't enter the Q's and Futures around the SanFranciscoBayArea.
Of course, the reason was either he, his coach, or his parents thought he wasn't good enough to make pro.

 

[Goosehead]

tennis is on the rise globally, its tough to break through. flip is doing ok.

 

[mike84]

Maybe its Tennis Canada.

For Raonic/Eugenie Bouchard there is no expense spared.

 

[JRAJ1988]

Canada should just kidnap Djokovic, Federer and Nadal...make them Canadian citizens...that seems to do the trick for them.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

The last time I saw his game (I think it was some futures or challenger match live) his game seemed to require too much effort for the impact that he was having in the rallies and on serve. He'll need to strengthen up a lot and that's a process which takes a lot of time and effort.

He's ranked in the 200's just turned 20, which isn't too bad, and he's also very driven to succeed. You'd think that with his workmanlike approach and junior pedigree that he will eventually come good and be a solid pro and make a very fine living for himself.

 

[FreeBird]

Give the guy some time, he is still 20. It takes a time to transition from juniors to pro level unless you are more than 6'3" and can do serveboting.

 

[vernonbc]

Maybe its Tennis Canada.

For Raonic/Eugenie Bouchard there is no expense spared.

Don't think so. Last fall they got him a top notch coach - Galo Blanco - the guy who brought Milos to the top, but I've heard very little about how that partnership is going.

Sure agree with you about Raonic/Bouchard though. I feel badly for Pospisil who barely gets mentioned even though he's Top 25 in the world. The media too as well as TC. I'm especially sick of it all being about Raonic especially on TSN but Sportsnet is almost as bad.

 

[pound cat]

Maybe its Tennis Canada.

For Raonic/Eugenie Bouchard there is no expense spared.

Her parents can also afford to have her live and train in
Florida for 3 years. That helps a career as well.

 

[pound cat]

I'd say a lot of it it's in the coaching.

Peliwo's current coach is Galo Blanco...ex Raonic.

 

[tistrapukcipeht]

Players like him on ATP and Challenger events are a dime in a dozen, He is good, but nothing better than the average, He is too small for modern tennis, 6'1-6'3 players move just as well or better than 5"10 guys.

It will take tremendous effort for him to reach top 30.

 

[Devilito]

Players like him on ATP and Challenger events are a dime in a dozen, He is good, but nothing better than the average, He is too small for modern tennis, 6'1-6'3 players move just as well or better than 5"10 guys.

It will take tremendous effort for him to reach top 30.

this is true. In tennis you need a weapon to break through to the top 100. This can be your serve, ground strokes, mental strength, physical strength, speed, fitness etc. But you need something. If you're just average at everything, well there's another 2000 tour players that are just as good and just as hungry as you are.

 

[sureshs]

I think he said he played with a 11.3 oz (strung) racket. That ain't cutting it in the pros.

 

[sureshs]

Her parents can also afford to have her live and train in
Florida for 3 years. That helps a career as well.

Wasn't that training also paid for by Tennis Canada?

 

[Smasher08]

I think he said he played with a 11.3 oz (strung) racket. That ain't cutting it in the pros.

Indeed. At his height 375g will be more like it. As others have said, he needs to have capital-w weapons or otherworldly consistency. He'll also have to hit the gym and get really strong.

And again, he's only 20 and is learning to adapt to the men's game. We'll be in a better position to judge by November.

 

[TeamOB]

So much Peliwo hate in this thread. Why? I think a young, talented pro player who found the time to talk tennis with us deserves a little more respect. As for his results, they will definitely pick up. Just give him some time. Peliwo was playing juniors in 2012 and only transitioned to the tour last year. For comparison, Thiem's last year playing juniors was 2011. An extra year in experience makes a world of difference in the tough transition to the pro ranks. A year ago Thiem was ranked 303 (lower then Filip's current ranking of 271).

 

[sureshs]

So much Peliwo hate in this thread. Why? I think a young, talented pro player who found the time to talk tennis with us deserves a little more respect. As for his results, they will definitely pick up. Just give him some time. Peliwo was playing juniors in 2012 and only transitioned to the tour last year. For comparison, Thiem's last year playing juniors was 2011. An extra year in experience makes a world of difference in the tough transition to the pro ranks. A year ago Thiem was ranked 303 (lower then Filip's current ranking of 271).

Dominic Thiem is 6'1".

No hate here, but the pro ranks are very difficult to make.

 

[pound cat]

Wasn't that training also paid for by Tennis Canada?

I don't think so. Her dad said that he was fortunate enough to be able send her there as a young teen. Her mother was there with her,

 

[Avles]

This site seems like a useful resource: http://tennisabstract.com/reports/rankingsByAge.html

There are four players younger than Peliwo that currently outrank him. He's ranked 7th among all U21 players.

That seems pretty respectable to me. It doesn't look like he'll be winning a lot of ATP titles, but I wouldn't call him a disappointment yet.

 

[beast of mallorca]

So much Peliwo hate in this thread. Why? I think a young, talented pro player who found the time to talk tennis with us deserves a little more respect. As for his results, they will definitely pick up. Just give him some time. Peliwo was playing juniors in 2012 and only transitioned to the tour last year. For comparison, Thiem's last year playing juniors was 2011. An extra year in experience makes a world of difference in the tough transition to the pro ranks. A year ago Thiem was ranked 303 (lower then Filip's current ranking of 271).

I do hope that he won't see this as a hate thread but rather as a motivational tool to be stronger in all aspects of his game. As somebody. Said above, he does need a major weapon or 2, and then some, so that he can be able to beat the top guys and move up the rankings.

It's good that he has been part of our community.....chaotic and hostile it sometimes seem. Here's praying that he'll do well soon and be a top 100 soon .....at least this next 18 months

 

[InvisibleSoul]

Good win for Peliwo today at the Casablanca qualies. Came back from a set down and a break down in each of the second and third sets. One more win to make the main draw.

 

[drakulie]

Don't believe everything you read, my friend.

I posted a photo of me standing next to him when I strung for him at a futures last year and unless he shrunk since last year,,,, 5'11 sounds legit. I'm 5'9 and he a few inches taller than me.

That said, adding a few lbs wouldn't hurt him.

 

[Tenez101]

His Wiki entry records him as being 5' 11'' or 1.80m so he's not really that small. McEnroe is the same height and Ferrer is 2 inches shorter!

He used to post on here in an 'Ask me any questions about being a tennis player' thread. But I think his last entry was over a year ago now!

Game has moved on since McEnroe; McEnroe was already phased out in the mid 80's when Lendl brought in the modern power game. Taller players have a big advantage in the modern game in terms of reach and power. Basically, to succeed nowadays if you're on the shorter side (below 6ft), you need to really use your speed advantage and/or be freakishly fit (Hewitt, Ferrer, Nishikori). Agassi is somewhat of an anomaly as he didn't have great movement, but was supremely talented, had great court positioning and abnormal upper body strength. Anyways, my point is that Peliwo has none of these things right now, which is only to be expected since he's young and hasn't had time to fully develop his physical fitness yet.

 

[dominikk1985]

Didn't it take Roger Federer a while to get going in the Pro's? It is a big step to move from Juniors to the Pros - not everyone goes right to the top.

How old is he now?

I remember talking to a parent of WTA player - he mentioned how much higher the playing standards of the pros (esp top 100) as compared to the lower ranks - he said it was unbelievable, his daughter was top in her country - now she was struggling to win a set!

roger federer was a top10 player at age 19 and considered a huge prospect when he was 18.

he was a little inconsistent in the beginning but he was a treat for the top players right away, maybe a little bit like gulbis now (with the difference that gulbis is in his mid 20s while Rog was 18/19 at the time). but he wasn't really a late bloomer by any standard.

 

[TennisCanada1]

He just won two rounds of qualifying for the ATP 250 Casablanca event..maybe something will become of this.

 

[dominikk1985]

Game has moved on since McEnroe; McEnroe was already phased out in the mid 80's when Lendl brought in the modern power game. Taller players have a big advantage in the modern game in terms of reach and power. Basically, to succeed nowadays if you're on the shorter side (below 6ft), you need to really use your speed advantage and/or be freakishly fit (Hewitt, Ferrer, Nishikori). Agassi is somewhat of an anomaly as he didn't have great movement, but was supremely talented, had great court positioning and abnormal upper body strength. Anyways, my point is that Peliwo has none of these things right now, which is only to be expected since he's young and hasn't had time to fully develop his physical fitness yet.

yes but peliwo is not even close to make the top100 yet. the missing inches might make the difference at the top but there are a lot of sub 6 feet players in the top100.

yes, it is better to be 6"1+ but the reason while he is struggling to make the top200 as a former junior slam winner is probably something else.

yes ferrer is a physical freak (speed, endurance, athleticism) that probably can't be compared with peliwo but guys like rochus and montanes (both are like 5"8 or so I think) have been in the top50 for several years without otherworldly talent.

that should be a very attainable goal for peliwo, nobody is asking him to be the next david ferrer.

 

[hoodjem]

Edberg won the Grand Slam in the Juniors in 1983. When he joined the Pro Tour in 1984, he made it to no. 25 in six months.

That said, Peliwo is 5'11" (180 cm) and weighs 154 lbs (70 kg).

Seems a bit of a lightweight.

 

[norcal]

5'11" 154 is waay too skinny for the game now unless you have freaky timing/talent like Davy and even he couldn't make runs at grueling slams. Hopefully this kid gains some strength and mass without losing speed - it was nice of him to contribute here and I wish him the best.

 

[InvisibleSoul]

Peliwo won his final qualies match and is into the main draw! Plays Volandri in the first round...

 

[kOaMaster]

Looking good for a first round win in casablanca...this time without retirement needed.
won 1st set vs volandri 7:6, up a break in the second 4:3.

 

[GoaLaSSo]

Everyone keeps saying that young players today are worse than young players of yesteryear, but that is just wrong.

It was much easier to break into the tour back in the day. First of all, there were far far far far far far fewer people on tour total.

The players of today are more conditioned and stronger than older players. Many of the older guys in the 25-30 age bracket have been hitting the gym and building strength for a long time. It will take time for younger players to build the physicality to stay on the tour.

Almost all courts are slow as balls. Back when there were fast courts, younger players could beat people with finesse and their technical attacking game. Matches were shorter. Guys with real weapons could overpower the lower ranked players. Nowadays, young players have to be able to grind out wins over and over again against veterans. This takes a toll on younger guys physically and mentally.

A lot of strong young players don't even attempt the pro tour anymore. I don't have statistical evidence backing this idea, but it seems to me that less young guys try to make it on the pro tour because of how unstable life is outside the top 100. A lot of young stars prefer the college and coaching route. This eliminates some of the younger talent pool.

There are currently a lot of young guys clawing their way up the rankings. Watching Dimitrov, Raonic, Janowitz, etc. makes me hopeful for the future. Imagine how dang good these three would have been on fast courts. They would have risen much faster if they had been around before the courts slowed down.

Give our young pros more support and encouragement. Don't we want them to succeed? I know I wanna see new players winning tournaments. The big four needs to be replaced soon or tennis will become stale. I'm just glad players like wawrinka and del potro can step up and take wins off of them in majors, but the list of players that actually wins tournaments is still pretty small.

Peliwo has a promising game and obvious talent. He is beating a lot of players that have been playing the game much much longer than he has. Who knows how far he will climb. All we can do is hope he makes the big time, and then we can all look back and say how cool it was to support this guy when he was a junior just turning pro.

 

[tennisfreak]

5' 10" is plenty tall enough for world class tennis. Heck, Rochus is 5' 4" and he was playing world class tennis.

Obviously, he needs to bulk up and get fitter.

He may not get to top 10 (or even top 20), but he will definitely be good enough to make a nice living in tennis.

 

[stringertom]

(Cough cough) go over to PMR!

 

[NLBwell]

Canada should just kidnap Djokovic, Federer and Nadal...make them Canadian citizens...that seems to do the trick for them.

To get back for England taking Rusedski and France taking Mary Pierce?

 

[NLBwell]

It will take time for younger players to build the physicality to stay on the tour.

Almost all courts are slow as balls. Back when there were fast courts, younger players could beat people with finesse and their technical attacking game. Matches were shorter. Guys with real weapons could overpower the lower ranked players. Nowadays, young players have to be able to grind out wins over and over again against veterans. This takes a toll on younger guys physically and mentally.

We have had guys from different generations like Borg, Wilander, Chang, and Nadal who had no problem out-grinding and outlasting the older guys - on much slower courts than today.
It isn't that much different than when Nadal came up.
Just no guys with that special talent these days. Someone will come along in the not too distant future, though.

 

[stringertom]

Canada should just kidnap Djokovic, Federer and Nadal...make them Canadian citizens...that seems to do the trick for them.

"Borat approves this message! Kazakhstan tennis is the future of our sport! Bring on all outsiders except (spit, spit) despicable arsewhole Uzbeks. You come here enjoy yourself our hobbies archery, disco dancing, ra1p and table tennis. I introduce you my sister Natalya, she fourth-best prostitute in glorious nation of Kazakhstan."

 

[Beacon Hill]

Everyone keeps saying that young players today are worse than young players of yesteryear, but that is just wrong.

It was much easier to break into the tour back in the day. First of all, there were far far far far far far fewer people on tour total.

The players of today are more conditioned and stronger than older players. Many of the older guys in the 25-30 age bracket have been hitting the gym and building strength for a long time. It will take time for younger players to build the physicality to stay on the tour...

...A lot of strong young players don't even attempt the pro tour anymore. I don't have statistical evidence backing this idea, but it seems to me that less (sic) young guys try to make it on the pro tour because of how unstable life is outside the top 100. A lot of young stars prefer the college and coaching route. This eliminates some of the younger talent pool.

I believe that is a contradiction.

 

[helloworld]

Everyone keeps saying that young players today are worse than young players of yesteryear, but that is just wrong.

It was much easier to break into the tour back in the day. First of all, there were far far far far far far fewer people on tour total.

The players of today are more conditioned and stronger than older players. Many of the older guys in the 25-30 age bracket have been hitting the gym and building strength for a long time. It will take time for younger players to build the physicality to stay on the tour.

Almost all courts are slow as balls. Back when there were fast courts, younger players could beat people with finesse and their technical attacking game. Matches were shorter. Guys with real weapons could overpower the lower ranked players. Nowadays, young players have to be able to grind out wins over and over again against veterans. This takes a toll on younger guys physically and mentally.

A lot of strong young players don't even attempt the pro tour anymore. I don't have statistical evidence backing this idea, but it seems to me that less young guys try to make it on the pro tour because of how unstable life is outside the top 100. A lot of young stars prefer the college and coaching route. This eliminates some of the younger talent pool.

There are currently a lot of young guys clawing their way up the rankings. Watching Dimitrov, Raonic, Janowitz, etc. makes me hopeful for the future. Imagine how dang good these three would have been on fast courts. They would have risen much faster if they had been around before the courts slowed down.

Give our young pros more support and encouragement. Don't we want them to succeed? I know I wanna see new players winning tournaments. The big four needs to be replaced soon or tennis will become stale. I'm just glad players like wawrinka and del potro can step up and take wins off of them in majors, but the list of players that actually wins tournaments is still pretty small.

Peliwo has a promising game and obvious talent. He is beating a lot of players that have been playing the game much much longer than he has. Who knows how far he will climb. All we can do is hope he makes the big time, and then we can all look back and say how cool it was to support this guy when he was a junior just turning pro.

17 year old Chang beat Lendl and Edberg to win the French Open title. 17 year old Nadal was already toying and bullying peak Federer. Peliwo has no excuse for being a disappointment thus far.