bjsnider
Hall of Fame
When we look at the service games won stat, there's are many nextgen guys in the top 25. Obviously, the offensive part of the game, the big serve and big forehand are important parts of the nextgen skillset. If we begin with 2018, there are 7 nextgen guys in the top 20 (if Kyrgios was counted, he'd be in the top 5): Khachanov, Tsitsipas, Thiem, Edmund, Coric, Zverev, Shapovalov. Moving on to 2019, fully half of the top 20 are nextgen guys: Opelka, Berrettini, Tsitsipas, Shapovalov, Medvedev, Fritz, Thiem, de Minaur, Coric, and Hurkacz (should be 11/21, again, we're missing Kyrgios in the top 5). In addition to missing Kyrgios both years, in the sense that these players should appear on both lists, we are also missing Zverev, Edmund, de Minaur, and Khachanov at the very least due to injuries.
The point is, the nextgen guys seem to have no problem with the philosophy of hitting big serves and groundstrokes. What about defense? What about the return game?
Starting with 2018, we have Chung, Zverev, Coric, Thiem, and de MInaur. 5 guys in the top 20. There should be improvement in 2019, since these guys are getting better with age, right? In 2019, we have Medvedev, Zverev, Rublev, de Minaur, Thiem. 5 guys again. Additionally, in 2018, 2 of the 5 guys were in the top 10, and last season it was only Medvedev. One nextgen guy in the top 10.
How important is the return game? The #1 player in return games won in 2019 was also the world #1 player. The #2 player in return games won was also the world #2 player. Both players split the 4 majors in 2018 & 2019. Notice that Medvedev was ranked #4 in return games won in 2019, and also world #4. Murray, Nadal, and Djokovic were all in the top 20 as teens. Murray was #4 in return games won in 2006, when he was 18/19 years old.
The thing that puzzles me is, how have the young players lost the emphasis on the return game in the first place? Are return skills not being taught in juniors/academies? Whatever the reason, it's an emergency that the nextgen guys need to fix post-haste.
The point is, the nextgen guys seem to have no problem with the philosophy of hitting big serves and groundstrokes. What about defense? What about the return game?
Starting with 2018, we have Chung, Zverev, Coric, Thiem, and de MInaur. 5 guys in the top 20. There should be improvement in 2019, since these guys are getting better with age, right? In 2019, we have Medvedev, Zverev, Rublev, de Minaur, Thiem. 5 guys again. Additionally, in 2018, 2 of the 5 guys were in the top 10, and last season it was only Medvedev. One nextgen guy in the top 10.
How important is the return game? The #1 player in return games won in 2019 was also the world #1 player. The #2 player in return games won was also the world #2 player. Both players split the 4 majors in 2018 & 2019. Notice that Medvedev was ranked #4 in return games won in 2019, and also world #4. Murray, Nadal, and Djokovic were all in the top 20 as teens. Murray was #4 in return games won in 2006, when he was 18/19 years old.
The thing that puzzles me is, how have the young players lost the emphasis on the return game in the first place? Are return skills not being taught in juniors/academies? Whatever the reason, it's an emergency that the nextgen guys need to fix post-haste.
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