Keep moving forward - player improvements (NextGen)

Aabye5

Aabye5

G.O.A.T.
The NextGen get a good deal of grief for their inability to win Grand Slams, and rightly so. By NextGen, I mean anyone under 26 (or anyone who has once used the label).

However, in order to go from Slam finalist, or M1000 winner to Slam champ, you have to keep progressing as a player. Who has improved something (anything) since the offseason?

In my book:
Rublev - mentality. Still no plan B, but he has recommitted to his bread-and-butter.
Berrettini - backhand. More solid, with some slice
Alcaraz - faster second serve?
 
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It very much looks that the top nextgenies have already hit their ceiling and will not improve any more besides perhaps consistency, all of them: Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Berrettini, Rublev. FAA and Sinner should still be improving at their age, but I'm not sure their eventual ceiling is that high, either. Alcaraz of course has a ton of improvement potential, he is special. Besides him, Fritz and Ruud are the only other players in the top 20 who've definitely been improving as of late. FAA had jumped into the top 10 with a good season start but flopped at the sunshine double - will see how he fares later on, would not be surprised to see him go back to old ways. Norrie I think has just about plateaued, so has Opelka. Shapovalov has been stagnating other than better showings in slams (i.e. consistency), not sure when he makes the next leap or if he ever does.
 
Aabye5 said:
The NextGen get a good deal of grief for their inability to win Grand Slams, and rightly so.

However, in order to go from Slam finalist, or M1000 winner to Slam champ, you have to keep progressing as a player. Who has improved something (anything) since the offseason?

In my book:
Rublev - mentality. Still no plan B, but he has recommitted to his bread-and-butter.
Berrettini - backhand. More solid, with some slice
Alcaraz - faster second serve?
Click to expand...
Rublev & Berretini can't be considered NextGen by any means. At their age, leave aside big3, even the likes of Murray-Delpo-Tsonga-Berdych were established current-gen players.
 
Aabye5 said:
Rublev - mentality. Still no plan B, but he has recommitted to his bread-and-butter.
Berrettini - backhand. More solid, with some slice
Alcaraz - faster second serve?
Click to expand...
Berrettini --------------- odd man out.

Don't EVER mention this guy if you want to post another thread that is intended to be somewhat optimistic.

This guy stinks against the big names, has a silly BH, can't win a big title to save Italy, much less men's tennis...
 
UnderratedSlam said:
Berrettini --------------- odd man out.

Don't EVER mention this guy if you want to post another thread that is intended to be somewhat optimistic.

This guy stinks against the big names, has a silly BH, can't win a big title to save Italy, much less men's tennis...
Click to expand...

First, both Rublev and Berrettini are gatekeepers. Weak links, who have just enough firepower to trouble some younger players.

But my point is not that these guys are good, but that they have improved. A subtle, but important difference. For example, Nole hits a better overhead, but it still isn't great.
 
Aabye5 said:
First, both Rublev and Berrettini are gatekeepers. Weak links, who have just enough firepower to trouble some younger players.

But my point is not that these guys are good, but that they have improved. A subtle, but important difference. For example, Nole hits a better overhead, but it still isn't great.
Click to expand...
How did Berrettini improve? What's he doing that's so much better?

I hope you're not talking nuances, because if we talk nuances...

I couldn't care less about nuances.

Rublev improved very concretely, not to mention Alcatraz, whereas Berrettini is nowhere near that ball-park.

Speaking of which, Rublev seems to be the next Ferrer, the guy who wants it so badly but will never get it. No slams for him, I believe, though maybe a M1000, if he's a little lucky.
 
UnderratedSlam said:
How did Berrettini improve? What's he doing that's so much better?

I hope you're not talking nuances, because if we talk nuances...

I couldn't care less about nuances.

Rublev improved very concretely, not to mention Alcatraz, whereas Berrettini is nowhere near that ball-park.

Speaking of which, Rublev seems to be the next Ferrer, the guy who wants it so badly but will never get it. No slams for him, I believe, though maybe a M1000, if he's a little lucky.
Click to expand...

Based on his match Alcaraz, I would put it this way. Last year, he had a horrible backhand, this year it's just bad.
 
Any improvements this year for a particular player? Maybe Fritz with his mentality?

Sinner went on a tear in 2023.
 
nolefam_2024 said:
A lot of improvements

Raz has improved serve and injury prevention
Sinner has improved stamina and serve
Zverev has improved stamina
Click to expand...

Not sure I agree about Zed's stamina. He was probably in a better place before the knee injury. He was going toe-to-toe with Rafa in that match.
 
Aabye5 said:
Not sure I agree about Zed's stamina. He was probably in a better place before the knee injury. He was going toe-to-toe with Rafa in that match.
Click to expand...
It's improved. But also is his will to fight.

I noticed it last year at the USOpen when he took down red hot sinner. He just did not quit no matter how physical sinner made the game.
 
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