Are you feeling excited about the future of tennis?

JasonZ said:
it is much easier to be excited about tennis players when you are 11 years old than when you are an adult. if i would be 11 i would probably be super excited about it, and one of them would be my hero and the other the villian. but as an adult it is different. i would still watch it, definetely, and probably enjoy it and support one of them, but it is simply not the same as with boris becker vs agassi in 1995, because i am not a kid anymore.
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Plus there's just a lack of epicness . I'm interested, but "amped up?" nah lol
 
GAS said:
I'm pretty excited to finally see the decline of Djokovic. And 2024 is only the beginning!
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They guy has been a phenomenal player but his clinically effective play makes for a lot of yawn inducing tennis especially in early stages of tournaments. I can't say I'm going to overly miss him when he retires.
 
MichaelNadal said:
I'm excited for House of Ashur.

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+1
 
Sinner and Alcaraz are two dominant players. Will another player join them?

I won't write off Rune yet by any means. He's only 20 years old. I could see him being very dangerous with the right sports psychologist, physical trainer, and a few tweaks to his game. He's got the tools.

Zverev is that guy that everybody loves to hate. But he's very dangerous in best of 3 setups and in majors up through the QF. Alcaraz found that out big time in Australia.

Medvedev is also a quality player, although his game bores the heck out of me. But that dude can bring it times. He played fantastically at the 2021 USO final and the 2023 USO semi.

And yeah, color me crazy. But Casper Ruud and FAA are two of my favorites. I like their characters. Sure, they won't ever win a major. But that's not the only reason to follow players.

The future of tennis looks good to me.
 
tennis3 said:
Since I only watch tennis on Tennis Channel, the future of tennis is Gauff (singles and doubles), Pegula, Iga, and Osaka. It's pretty rare to see an ATP match these days.
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WTA has 2 americans in top 5 and1-semi-american 4-time slam winner.
ATP has zilch americans as a "real" threat to get to slam semis.
 
LOL most of those guys are in their prime so future should be now for them. Real future we are looking at - Mensik, Prizmic, Fonseca, maybe Debru, Michelsen, and those usual young suspects that are still improving and will rule - Sinner Alcaraz Rune Shelton Lehecka
 
Been watching since the eighties. Tennis has become boring last few years as it has become cookie-cutter .. everyone essentially plays the same .. in the old days the non-tennis playing public knew a bit about what was going on in the tennis world re top players, etc as it was exciting with various styles, personalities, etc.. nowadays, only those really interested in the tours even know what is going on anymore. Outside that, speak to any social or non-tennis player and you'll get blank stare about any of the current new gen/top players.
 
I like watching some of the Americans like Shelton wolf and cressey. Alcaraz can also be fun to watch. But I’m not really entertained by the others. I think it would be a good time to show more doubles tennis.
 
Hitman said:
If a potential Sinner v Alcaraz semi final in Indian Wells is not getting you amped up, time to find a different thing to do.
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Sadly, I feel that I've reached that point, myself. :(

I think that this will be my last year following the pro game.

At least for the foreseeable future.

The Next Gen match-ups hold zero interest for me.
 
I think with the emergence of sinner/alcaraz, Djokovic level dropping and some decent top 10ers like Medvedev, Zverev hanging around, we are finally out of that dark period where Djokovic winning everything was NID and I switched off. There’s finally a bit of excitement and anticipation. Have to say ive enjoyed this tournament there’s been some good matches so far.
 
fedfan24 said:
I think with the emergence of sinner/alcaraz, Djokovic level dropping and some decent top 10ers like Medvedev, Zverev hanging around, we are finally out of that dark period where Djokovic winning everything was NID and I switched off. There’s finally a bit of excitement and anticipation. Have to say ive enjoyed this tournament there’s been some good matches so far.
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Not quite ;what how I view things. In fact I would say different then my view. Medvedev Zverev is like watching paint dry. Djoker is not fun tennis either but he is the best so he has that going for him. No such thing can be said for the other skinny grasshoppers that are on tour now.
 
fedfan24 said:
I think with the emergence of sinner/alcaraz, Djokovic level dropping and some decent top 10ers like Medvedev, Zverev hanging around, we are finally out of that dark period where Djokovic winning everything was NID and I switched off. There’s finally a bit of excitement and anticipation. Have to say ive enjoyed this tournament there’s been some good matches so far.
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Is Djokovic level really dropping though?

Yes, he lost relatively early in his last 3 starts, but it was mere months ago where he was still winning everything. Cannot write him off yet…
 
Soon a Djo drops out and stops stinking up the place, then we can talk. but the new players we have are putting on some quality matches and quite happy where things are after the Fedal era of sportsmanship and GOATs.
 
Tennis was already exciting, 2023 was epic, Djokovic had showdowns with Alcaraz like 4 times.

I don’t think Djokovic will go gently into the night, I hope Djokovic can meet Sinner/Alcaraz more times in SFs and Fs, beating them for his 25th slam.
 
soldat said:
Tennis was already exciting, 2023 was epic, Djokovic had showdowns with Alcaraz like 4 times.

I don’t think Djokovic will go gently into the night, I hope Djokovic can meet Sinner/Alcaraz more times in SFs and Fs, beating them for his 25th slam.
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3/4 slams were anticlimactic with the final result NID.
 
Seeing a new generation break through after a 20 plus year rule by the big 3 will be refreshing for many potential young followers of the game particularly teenagers who could do with some young role models in their early 20’s.
Also full respect to the big 3. Definitely this late 30’s ( 37,38) seems to be the limit. It will be interesting to see what Novak will do for the rest of 2024.
 
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I feel pretty good about both tours.
If Novak (and again, it's a big "if") will not be the single dominant force going forward, he should still be in contention for a while. Alcaraz and Sinner show signs of being ready to be 1-2 in the world, and Med is still a force on HCs. Everyone here knows all the names of the other contenders, and then, some even promising younger players who look they will have a lot of success on tour.
I wonder if this will be the first year since 2003 that Big3 players won't win at least two of the slams.

I think the women's tour can use a more enduing rivalry, although Swiatek and Sabalenka could be it. I thought that Rybakina would be a little more consistent mainstay at the top, and we'll see. Gauff may be that next great player, and she can contend anywhere. Not a bad group -- even if I don't care for Saba, she's very good. Beyond them, there is some talent out there. I hope,, and think, Qinwen Zheng will further develop, and wish Muchova (great to watch(could stay healthy. Jabeur, when healthy, is a fun watch. There are some talented youngsters that could also add excitement to the tour, such as Andreeva, Noskova (who I don't know well) Kostyuk, and maybe Navarro. And if that other Emma - Raducanu - can fully regain her health and good form, that would be great.

So, there's some uncertainty on both tours, but a lot of players that I enjoy watching...and I didn't list them all.
 
Tennis will always be a popular sport, I don't think people have to worry about its future. There are some interesting players. It's still in the top-5 of the most watched sports in the world. But the future doesn't look quite bright with all these Saudi Arabia rumors. I have read some unsettling articles about what the future of this sport may look like in a few years from now. If some of the things I've read are true, a lot of things are going to change.

Now if I have to talk about players popularity, well... Like it or not, the Big-3 was the Golden Age of this sport. Djokovic, Nadal and Federer were all unique for different reasons, and they elevated this sport to new heights. A lot of people born in the 1980s or 1990s grew watching them. They have BY FAR the 3 worldwide biggest fandoms. It's no secret that MILLIONS of people stopped watching when Federer retired. Other MILLIONS are slowly quitting as Nadal's end is getting closer and closer. It will be the same when Djokovic leaves, the majority of his fans will leave with him.
You will get the impression that Sinner, Alcaraz (and other young players) have similar fandoms and that the sport is more popular than ever but don't get fooled by it. It will only be because Federer, Nadal and Djokovic fans stopped watching the sport and stopped posting on social medias. Only the biggest, truest fans of the sport will stick around and pick a side between the new players. Most of these remaining fans will choose between Sinner and Alcaraz by default IF this is about to become the new big rivalry. But as good as these guys become and no matter how many Grand Slams they win in the next few years, the hype will NEVER be the same. Fan wars between Sinner and Alcaraz fans will never come close to the wars between Federer, Djokovic and Nadal fans. (Sad to see that a huge part of the Sinner and Alcaraz fans today are in reality hidden Djokovic detractors who only want Sinner and Alcaraz to stop him, but that's another topic). Even if Sinner and Alcaraz (or others) play epic Grand Slam finals in the coming years, those matches still won't get the attention of AO2009, AO2012, AO2017, RG2013, RG2021, Wimbledon2008, Wimbledon2019, USO2010, USO2011 and some other Slams Big-3 matches. Anyone who grew watching Nadal/Djokovic/Federer between 2004 and 2019 can never get as passionate for Sinner Alcaraz and the other NextGen or NextNextGen players. Thankfully there will be new young fans in the future (people who never saw the Big-3 playing live) and these young people will grow to like other players but it'll still never be the same. Sorry but that's true.

Speaking for myself, I'll still watch tennis even after Djokovic and Nadal put the racket away for good. But my interest is going down. It just won't be the same. I used to wake up in the middle of the night to watch Grand Slams or Masters matches. When I was at school or high school I used to hide a phone under the table and secretely follow tennis matches. I used to have goosebumps... nay nausea before Slam finals because I was so invested. None of this is true anymore now. I watch some matches if I'm available. I still follow the actuality and watch the news. If a player I like wins a 250 or a 500 I may watch some of his matches. But that stops here. I honestly couldn't care less about the winner of Sinner/Medvedev in Australia, for instance. I watched the final and I enjoyed the match, but then I moved on and did other things and didn't think about it for the rest of the day. I watched the last 3 matches of Indian Wells but nothing will ever replace the good old Masters semifinals and finals with the Big-3. Not everyone will feel the same way as I do, but I think I'm speaking for millions of people here. People who truly loved Federer Djokovic or Nadal (or all 3, like me) will never have the same feelings for someone else. The future of this sport doesn't look bad but the excitement just isn't the same anymore. The 2000s and 2010s were the best years. (Sorry for the long post... you asked an interesting question so I wanted to share my feelings in detail)...
 
Tennisfan339 said:
Tennis will always be a popular sport, I don't think people have to worry about its future. There are some interesting players. It's still in the top-5 of the most watched sports in the world. But the future doesn't look quite bright with all these Saudi Arabia rumors. I have read some unsettling articles about what the future of this sport may look like in a few years from now. If some of the things I've read are true, a lot of things are going to change.

Now if I have to talk about players popularity, well... Like it or not, the Big-3 was the Golden Age of this sport. Djokovic, Nadal and Federer were all unique for different reasons, and they elevated this sport to new heights. A lot of people born in the 1980s or 1990s grew watching them. They have BY FAR the 3 worldwide biggest fandoms. It's no secret that MILLIONS of people stopped watching when Federer retired. Other MILLIONS are slowly quitting as Nadal's end is getting closer and closer. It will be the same when Djokovic leaves, the majority of his fans will leave with him.
You will get the impression that Sinner, Alcaraz (and other young players) have similar fandoms and that the sport is more popular than ever but don't get fooled by it. It will only be because Federer, Nadal and Djokovic fans stopped watching the sport and stopped posting on social medias. Only the biggest, truest fans of the sport will stick around and pick a side between the new players. Most of these remaining fans will choose between Sinner and Alcaraz by default IF this is about to become the new big rivalry. But as good as these guys become and no matter how many Grand Slams they win in the next few years, the hype will NEVER be the same. Fan wars between Sinner and Alcaraz fans will never come close to the wars between Federer, Djokovic and Nadal fans. (Sad to see that a huge part of the Sinner and Alcaraz fans today are in reality hidden Djokovic detractors who only want Sinner and Alcaraz to stop him, but that's another topic). Even if Sinner and Alcaraz (or others) play epic Grand Slam finals in the coming years, those matches still won't get the attention of AO2009, AO2012, AO2017, RG2013, RG2021, Wimbledon2008, Wimbledon2019, USO2010, USO2011 and some other Slams Big-3 matches. Anyone who grew watching Nadal/Djokovic/Federer between 2004 and 2019 can never get as passionate for Sinner Alcaraz and the other NextGen or NextNextGen players. Thankfully there will be new young fans in the future (people who never saw the Big-3 playing live) and these young people will grow to like other players but it'll still never be the same. Sorry but that's true.

Speaking for myself, I'll still watch tennis even after Djokovic and Nadal put the racket away for good. But my interest is going down. It just won't be the same. I used to wake up in the middle of the night to watch Grand Slams or Masters matches. When I was at school or high school I used to hide a phone under the table and secretely follow tennis matches. I used to have goosebumps... nay nausea before Slam finals because I was so invested. None of this is true anymore now. I watch some matches if I'm available. I still follow the actuality and watch the news. If a player I like wins a 250 or a 500 I may watch some of his matches. But that stops here. I honestly couldn't care less about the winner of Sinner/Medvedev in Australia, for instance. I watched the final and I enjoyed the match, but then I moved on and did other things and didn't think about it for the rest of the day. I watched the last 3 matches of Indian Wells but nothing will ever replace the good old Masters semifinals and finals with the Big-3. Not everyone will feel the same way as I do, but I think I'm speaking for millions of people here. People who truly loved Federer Djokovic or Nadal (or all 3, like me) will never have the same feelings for someone else. The future of this sport doesn't look bad but the excitement just isn't the same anymore. The 2000s and 2010s were the best years. (Sorry for the long post... you asked an interesting question so I wanted to share my feelings in detail)...
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I think you forgot to add each sentence with following, it won't be the same "For Me" at the end.
Every generation thinks they saw the best. In few years, when Djokovic is truly gone and Raz/Sinner have added enough Cache, they will forget about big 3 day to day and enjoy Tennis. Maybe most of the big 3 fans will become casual and keep thinking, these kids can't match their idol but the new fans will think the same about big 3.
Its bound to happen. Every sport, every time.

Except boxing.
 
Tennisfan339 said:
ood. But my interest is going down
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You are 27 now and it sounds like your interest went down after 2019 which would have coincided with maybe the end of your college years. That is normal that kids follow sports and have idols with much greater devotion than adults with jobs, mortgages, families etc. That is part of why every generation looks at the players they grew up idolizing with rose colored glasses and insist they watched the best era and the best players. Happens with all sports and all generations.

If you play the sport yourself, there is a chance that you love the game itself and over time you will admire new players also. But you won’t idolize them to the same extent because that’s what kids do.
 
Crocodile said:
Seeing a new generation break through after a 20 plus year rule by the big 3 will be refreshing for many potential young followers of the game particularly teenagers who could do with some young role models in their early 20’s.
Also full respect to the big 3. Definitely this late 30’s ( 37,38) seems to be the limit.
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Crocodile said:
It will be interesting to see what Novak will do for the rest of 2024.
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It's going to be a lot of fun, yes.
:cool:
 
socallefty said:
You are 27 now and it sounds like your interest went down after 2019 which would have coincided with maybe the end of your college years. That is normal that kids follow sports and have idols with much greater devotion than adults with jobs, mortgages, families etc. That is part of why every generation looks at the players they grew up idolizing with rose colored glasses and insist they watched the best era and the best players. Happens with all sports and all generations.

If you play the sport yourself, there is a chance that you love the game itself and over time you will admire new players also. But you won’t idolize them to the same extent because that’s what kids do.
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That is true. Your priorities and what actually matters to you changes as you grow older.

With that being said, I think that this time period in the men's game is honestly quite dull.

If I was 16 or 17 years old today, I probably wouldn't follow the pro game very much at all.

I haven't watched a live match in almost five years.
 
soldat said:
Tennis was already exciting, 2023 was epic, Djokovic had showdowns with Alcaraz like 4 times.

I don’t think Djokovic will go gently into the night, I hope Djokovic can meet Sinner/Alcaraz more times in SFs and Fs, beating them for his 25th slam.
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2023 was not epic. It simply can't be considered epic.
 
JasonZ said:
well, if the slam race is finished then whatever comes next simply cant be as epic as the slam race and the battles of the big 3.
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The slam race and the big three era was the opposite of epic. It was dull as dishwater. Great, you added another line to your already too-long resume. The more one has one before, the less exciting it is when one wins again. The future might not be epic, but it can't be less epic than the last 20 years.
 
I would prefer dominant and consistent players who rule a decade like fedkovic than someone who can't win more than a slam or two like in WTA.

Definitely enjoyed big 3 era a lot.
 
I will double down on my interest in American Men players. Shelton looks like he is having fun out there. Everyone should remember 2 steps forward one step back. Mussetti played some amazing tennis so hats off to him. But I feel like the American men are bringing some athleticism to tennis and it is fun to watch.
 
JasonZ said:
it is much easier to be excited about tennis players when you are 11 years old than when you are an adult. if i would be 11 i would probably be super excited about it, and one of them would be my hero and the other the villian. but as an adult it is different. i would still watch it, definetely, and probably enjoy it and support one of them, but it is simply not the same as with boris becker vs agassi in 1995, because i am not a kid anymore.
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I think I get more into matches now because I've been playing so long I appreciate everything now. Like when I was a kid I did not appreciate how hard they were hitting; now I do. I find my mouth drops open more now than as a kid.
 
ALCARAZWON said:
Shapovalov has NO PART in the future of tennis, he's already passed his prime and gets worse and worse every year.
Tsitsipas has also passed his prime, though he'll remain a Top 20 player.
And Rune won't ever win a slam with that forehand.
So the future is only Alcaraz, Sinner, Medvedev, and eventually Fonseca.
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Shapo is only 24 and just dog-walked Tsitsipas

He isn't done yet
 
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