Last 8 GS winners have been 30+ year olds

[Noleberic123]

USO 16: Wawrinka
AO17: Federer
FO 17: Nadal
Wim 17: Federer
USO 17: Nadal
AO 18: Federer
FO 18: Nadal
Wim 18: Djokovic

Amazing. The last player to win a slam who was under 30 was Murray in 2016

 

[NatF]

Bit of a sad trend tbh - though obviously I'm happy with the 3 majors.

 

[Noleberic123]

Bit of a sad trend tbh - though obviously I'm happy with the 3 majors.

Seems to be a trend across a lot of sports though.

The two best footballers in the world are over 30. Messi and Ronaldo.

Obviously for us Fedalovic fans it's really good though

 

[I Am Finnish]

Next gen step it up

 

[EloQuent]

Was thinking about this. Maybe things just changed? Back in the 80s you had a bunch of 17 year olds win, something that hadn't happened before or since. Someone smarter than me can break down the equipment and nutrition and any other changes that impact this.

I mean, John Isner is playing his best tennis at 33. Anderson at 32. These guys are actually stepping up - and they didn't until recently. So maybe Thiem will win 4 French Opens from 31-35? Maybe some 25 year old we ignore now will win a bunch of slams.

 

[Incognito]

The last teen-ager to win a major was Rafa.



Will it be Shapovalov this time?

 

[Goosehead]

denis the tenis has 2 more majors to win as a teen (b apr1999)..possible but he is still v erratic.

 

[Phoenix1983]

Seems to be a trend across a lot of sports though.

The two best footballers in the world are over 30. Messi and Ronaldo.

Mbappe shall soon take that crown from those two perennial Ballon D'Or winners.

Agreed upon by all objective football observers.

 

[Fedforever]

Someone smarter than me can break down the equipment and nutrition and any other changes that impact this.

I'm sure there are factors like this but the expectations have very much changed as well. Players just seemed to burn out faster and No 1s like Fed were simply not expected to stick around after a humiliation like FO 08. Remember all those articles about how he was damaging his legacy? Now the idea is you go on as long as you damned well please.

 

[Jonas78]

When Cilic turns 30y, at 28.sept this year, there will be no slam winner younger than 30y.

#LostGen

 

[Noleberic123]

Mbappe shall soon take that crown from those two perennial Ballon D'Or winners.

Agreed upon by all objective football observers.

Agreed. Mbappe is a beast

 

[Noleberic123]

The last teen-ager to win a major was Rafa.



Will it be Shapovalov this time?

I understand why teenagers aren't winning. But why aren't we having any 25 year olds challenge these guys?

 

[-NN-]

The last teen-ager to win a major was Rafa.



Will it be Shapovalov this time?

Nope.

 

[Jonas78]

Seems to be a trend across a lot of sports though.

The two best footballers in the world are over 30. Messi and Ronaldo.

Obviously for us Fedalovic fans it's really good though

But did Messi and Ronaldo peak after 30y? Usain Bolt was the fastest man in the world at 30y, but he set his world records at 23.

 

[Noleberic123]

But did Messi and Ronaldo peak after 30y? Usain Bolt was the fastest man in the world at 30y, but he set his world records at 23.

No and Fedalovic haven't peaked at 30 either. But they are still the best in the world. Though Xavi peaked at like 28,29

 

[Jonas78]

No and Fedalovic haven't peaked at 30 either. But they are still the best in the world. Though Xavi peaked at like 28,29

Exactly. So either way, the problem is a very weak field born at 89+. But its probably more normal than i used to think. There wasnt any ATG between Sampras and Federer either, thats 10 years. Guess we are a bit spoiled with Big4.

 

[Backspin1183]

Nope.

True. You need a lot of hard work, self belief, and lots of talent to win a Grand Slam in the current era. The current era looks weak for the big 3 or 4. It's one of the hardest eras in history for everyone else.

 

[Noleberic123]

Exactly. So either way, the problem is a very weak field born at 89+. But its probably more normal than i used to think. There wasnt any ATG between Sampras and Federer either, thats 10 years. Guess we are a bit spoiled with Big4.

Big 3*

 

[Deleted member 757377]

31+ years old

 

[Jonas78]

Big 3*

Sure. But with 14 Masters titles and a billion slam finals/SFs, he is far above a regular "top5" player. But probably not an ATG no.

 

[EloQuent]

I'm sure there are factors like this but the expectations have very much changed as well. Players just seemed to burn out faster and No 1s like Fed were simply not expected to stick around after a humiliation like FO 08. Remember all those articles about how he was damaging his legacy? Now the idea is you go on as long as you damned well please.

Expectations come from results - if Federer is winning at 35 than why are you retiring at 31? And the bolded begs the question: why did they burn out faster then?

A big part of this is also players like Stan and to a lesser extent JIsner and KAndy, who didn't do suqat in their lower 20s and only later achieved.

 

[Noleberic123]

Sure. But with 14 Masters titles and a billion slam finals/SFs, he is far above a regular "top5" player. But probably not an ATG no.

He's the best mortal there is.

 

[Jonas78]

He's the best mortal there is.

Yup. But expecting an ATG born before 97/98 isnt asking too much imo, thats 10-11 years after Nole.

 

[Standaa]

The last teen-ager to win a major was Rafa.



Will it be Shapovalov this time?

I can tell you already it won’t be, he’s soo overhyped

 

[boredone3456]

Says a couple of things

1. that those 3 guys are all GOAT candidates
2. The next generation has yet to get it together and step it up to even attempt to challenge them and change the guard.

 

[Fedforever]

why did they burn out faster then?

Well, according to Federer , because they didn't like each other:

At the start of your career, yes, you can be tough, focused, a warrior on the court, but we get away from it and have a nice time. That’s why I think we see players hanging around longer. Before, everyone was so serious and like, ‘I hate that guy.’ Is it nice when 50 players don’t like you? I think they needed it to get jacked up.” What period does he mean? “The 70s, 80s and 90s. Today we’re still tough on court, but we don’t hold a grudge.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...-interview-tennis-wimbledon-simon-hattenstone

Probably also they weren't as serious about fitness, maybe there were off court temptations?

 

[EloQuent]

Well, according to Federer , because they didn't like each other:

At the start of your career, yes, you can be tough, focused, a warrior on the court, but we get away from it and have a nice time. That’s why I think we see players hanging around longer. Before, everyone was so serious and like, ‘I hate that guy.’ Is it nice when 50 players don’t like you? I think they needed it to get jacked up.” What period does he mean? “The 70s, 80s and 90s. Today we’re still tough on court, but we don’t hold a grudge.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...-interview-tennis-wimbledon-simon-hattenstone

Probably also they weren't as serious about fitness, maybe there were off court temptations?

I think both those are true. All/most of the top players in that era were doing recreational drugs. And emotional toll can really wear on you. Interesting to note that some of the older, successful players went to college. Very different experience in the younger years, probably healthier.

 

[tennis_pro]

Next gen step it up

Yes, ABZ.

 

[tennis_pro]

Youngest active Slam champion - Cilic, born 28 September 1988.

Will be 30 years old in 2 months.

 

[Deon Sanders]

I'm sure there are factors like this but the expectations have very much changed as well. Players just seemed to burn out faster and No 1s like Fed were simply not expected to stick around after a humiliation like FO 08. Remember all those articles about how he was damaging his legacy? Now the idea is you go on as long as you damned well please.

There is a difference between burning out and the Federer situation. He was still number 2 in the world and any suggestion that his career was over because of a loss like that was rettarded.

Maybe if he was consistently outside of the top 15 or so for a player like that but he has only been outside of the top 5 because of lack of play.

 

[jaggy]

Some might start to see a pattern soon

 

[Jontyg]

Well I think one big reason is how the courts have changed. It's a baseliner's game and in your teens and early 20's you just don't have the endurance to keep up with a Nadal or Djoker. Its the same with the WTA as well, no more teens winning anymore in the majors which used to happen quite often in the 90's. The other aspect is how passive today's younger generation is. Federer lamented the the death of the aggresive game during one of his many interviews..

 

[Red Rick]

I'll stick to new training methods and new dope improves longevity

Media has hyped Big 4 soooo much that players are metaphorically a break down before they step on court

Young players aren't hungry at all. It's like they're already satisfied waiting the Big 4 out. But then they never even make it there in Grand Slams.

On a scale of Tomic motivation - Fedalovic talent, the #nextgen players talent ranks somewhere around 'useless

 

[Red Rick]

Well I think one big reason is how the courts have changed. It's a baseliner's game and in your teens and early 20's you just don't have the endurance to keep up with a Nadal or Djoker. Its the same with the WTA as well, no more teens winning anymore in the majors which used to happen quite often in the 90's. The other aspect is how passive today's younger generation is. Federer lamented the the death of the aggresive game during one of his many interviews..

If we're talking endurance sports, endurance athletes don't really peak in their early 30s either. If you look at road cyclists, even Grand Tour specialists enter their prime around 25-26.

There's just a general lack of talent. I absolutely blame poly strings. I think they're worse for learning the game, and players who grow up training with it are worse ball strikers and worse all courters as a result.

 

[Jontyg]

If we're talking endurance sports, endurance athletes don't really peak in their early 30s either. If you look at road cyclists, even Grand Tour specialists enter their prime around 25-26.

There's just a general lack of talent. I absolutely blame poly strings. I think they're worse for learning the game, and players who grow up training with it are worse ball strikers and worse all courters as a result.

I quite agree..maybe I was looking at the lack of teens winning. You are right peak endurance is about Mid to late 20's. As far poly strings..I don't have any expertise commenting on that..The most agressive young tennis player seems to me like Shapo..here is a quote from him in a GQ article..

“Growing up, I would always come forward and play aggressive, and my opponents would just lob over me and hit shots past me. My mom [who is also his coach] was constantly telling me, ‘Don’t worry, one day you’ll grow and you’ll be able to get these balls. Keep coming to the net, keep being aggressive.’ So a lot of my style came from my mom.”

So looks like its a mindset..

 

[EloQuent]

Well I think one big reason is how the courts have changed. It's a baseliner's game and in your teens and early 20's you just don't have the endurance to keep up with a Nadal or Djoker. Its the same with the WTA as well, no more teens winning anymore in the majors which used to happen quite often in the 90's. The other aspect is how passive today's younger generation is. Federer lamented the the death of the aggresive game during one of his many interviews..

Not sure I agree re WTA- no 16 years olds but Ostapenko won at 19/20, in general a lot of titles won by 20 year olds. Top 10-20 much younger. ATP currently has only 2 players in the top 500 under 18. WTA has 17.

 

[Jontyg]

Not sure I agree re WTA- no 16 years olds but Ostapenko won at 19/20, in general a lot of titles won by 20 year olds. Top 10-20 much younger. ATP currently has only 2 players in the top 500 under 18. WTA has 17.

You are right..she did win..but do you remember that game...I mean she had like 53 Winners to 53 UFE...I don't think I had seen a more agressive game in a women's game than what she played that day..it was hit 2 rallies and then hit a winner or an UFE. Imagine if she went basline to basline with Halep..no way she could have won that match...

 

[EloQuent]

You are right..she did win..but do you remember that game...I mean she had like 53 Winners to 53 UFE...I don't think I had seen a more agressive game in a women's game than what she played that day..it was hit 2 rallies and then hit a winner or an UFE. Imagine if she went basline to basline with Halep..no way she could have won that match...

That one match maybe, but she made it to the final. Osaka won IW too.

 

[metsman]

Absolutely PATHETIC. Wonder when they start making the short yellow bus slam tournaments for the kiddies just like that new ATP Finals thing. Only a matter of time till Pete and Andre come back too to mop up a few more slams.