The Best Next Gen?

[Third Serve]

We’ve seen some nice tennis from the next gen so far this year so I thought it would be cool to create a ranking of the best of these players based on how well you think they will perform in the future. The ranking has nothing to do with their current accomplishments (although of course they can be used for predictions). The players ranked should meet simply this criterion:

• Age must be 23 or under when rounded. For example, I wouldn’t consider Kyrgios to be next gen at this point since he’s almost 24 (23.8). He can still have a great career but he’s not next gen imo. If you don’t agree with me, then go ahead and throw Nick in there.

Let’s start with my list:

1. Stefanos Tsitsipas - I love his style of play, but putting my bias aside, it’s clear that he has the right work ethic and he seems very comfortable both from the baseline and up at the net. His groundstrokes look a bit loopy, but he has time to fine-tune his game. His SF showing at the AO and some of his other runs (Rogers Cup and Dubai) also impress me.
2. Sascha Zverev - Yeah, I don’t like him much, but 3 Masters and the WTF at the age of 21 speak for themselves. Not to mention, he also beat some of top players to win those titles (including Federer and Djokovic — back to back!). I expect him to do very well in the Masters events... but he still needs to work on the slams. With Ivan coaching, though, I think he’ll get there.
3. Daniil Medvedev - Solid game, solid groundstrokes, if a bit unorthodox. He seems to have worked on keeping his level consistent over the past few months. If he can improve his fitness, he will definitely win some big events.
4. Denis Shapovalov - Wildly inconsistent at times, I still think Denis can truly break through. His main problem seems to be his over-eagerness to go for broke, usually resulting in a lot of errors. He has immense talent and a few more years to develop than some of the others, so if he pulls a Federer and somehow string enough “on days” together, he will win slams.
5. Felix Auger-Aliassime - This guy’s record at 18 is super impressive. He already has a final and his game can be good enough to compete with the top. Key word: can. Like Denis, he can be inconsistent, so he just needs to string together his shots and he could enter the top 30 by the end of the year. Who knows what could happen next?
6. Borna Coric - The next baby Djokovic, Coric is consistent enough from the baseline to trouble top players. His net game is crap, however, so that stands in the way first of all.
7. Alex de Minaur - His speed is Hewitt-like, so it makes sense that Rusty is coaching him. He is yet to defeat a top 20 player, which suggests that time is running out for him. This is aggravated by his physical style of play, so if he really does go full Hewitt, his career will be on the downturn in his mid-20s. Use that speed!
8. Karen Khachanov - A few months ago, I would have placed him in #4 or #5. But atm he seems to be following in Sock’s footsteps. His win/loss this year is 4/4 which isn’t that great. It’s tough to predict how his career will turn out.
9. Frances Tiafoe - A refresher for American tennis, Tiafoe has the potential to make it deep in the slams and other big events with his powerful shotmaking. I can’t say for sure whether he’d win some of those tournaments but he can turn out to be a consistent top 10 player.

I apologize for the long read. Well, what do you all have to say?

Edit: oh my god lol

Third Serve, you poor, sweet summer child.

saved for posterity

 

[MeatTornado]

Your placement of Khachanov is exactly why we shouldn't make these lists. All these guys are way too unpredictable to get a read on.

I'd love to believe in Stefanos, but I don't trust anyone besides Zverev.

 

[Third Serve]

Your placement of Khachanov is exactly why we shouldn't make these lists. All these guys are way too unpredictable to get a read on.

I'd love to believe in Stefanos, but I don't trust anyone besides Zverev.

I considered not ranking Khachanov due to how difficult it is to predict his career but it would have looked odd and questions would have been raised.

The next gen is kinda meh imo but this was just a hypothetical thread like so many others that have been made

 

[socalmd123]

Very good analysis. Personally I would take Tiafoe off of the list. I would swap Medvedev and Shap. Probably move Cori ahead of Felix although I really love Felix. I'd replace Tiafoe with Ugo Humbert followed closely by Opelka.

 

[upchuck]

1.) Tsitsipas. Not (yet) a better player than Zverev; it's not even clear to me that he ever will be, but I trust his mental strength and believe in his willingness to seize the moment.
2.) Zverev. There was a thread here that showed people like Zverev, so accomplished so young, always win majors eventually, so I continue to be a big believer that he will do so.
3.) Shapavalov. Have to think he will reduce the errors eventually. Watch out when he does.
4.) Felix. Too early to tell really, but I'll put him here for now.
5.) Medvedev. Should be a top 10/15 player for the next decade based on current form. Imagine what could happen if he finds an offensive game or a bigger, more reliable serve.
6.) Khachanov. Surprised how much he's fallen off so quickly. Still, he has a big game and should pop-up into relevance at a lot of the right moments.
7.) Tiafoe. Not sure. Arguably has the most upside of anyone on this list.
8.) Coric. Admirably hard worker, but limited talent and potential.
9.) De Minaur. See above.

 

[tennisaddict]

I expect the following to be the ranking in 2-3 years time.

Zverev
Tsitsipas
Khachanov
Coric
Medvedev
Shapavalov
FAA

I don't think Tiafoe or ADM will make top 10.

 

[ibbi]

Khachanov may have had a terrible start to 2019, but he should be higher than THAT! Between the match in New York in Nadal, and then the run in Paris this guy has accomplished way more than certainly Felix. He'd be there with Coric, Medvedev, and I guess Shapovalov on the level below Zverev and Tsitsipas who both appear to have found a level of consistency the others still lack.

 

[Deon Sanders]

There is Zverev the slam mug at the top. A WTF win is exceptional here especially over Djokovic in the final. A single masters title is also ahead of his next gen peers. Clay masters dont count, its clay.

Tsits the up and comer. Slam semi-final is big but only one isnt enough. Chung made a semi final and he is trash.

And then the rest of the worthless no ones not worth categorizing

 

[justasport]

Tsitsipas is the best followed by Zverev in my opinion.

 

[oldmanfan]

Tsitsipas

Z

Shapo

KK

Med

 

[Third Serve]

lol it’s funny to read this thread (one of my very first on this forum) with the knowledge I have now of what these players went on to achieve—or rather didn’t, haha.

Also cringing a bit at the way I used to post, like green text Fedpo’s but maybe not as bad.

I still stand by what I said about Zverev’s success at the Masters and WTF in 2017/2018. He actually had some fairly impressive victories there, particularly Rome 2017.

 

[TheNachoMan]

Damn, I forgot how hyped Tsitsipas was in late 2018 - early 2019.

 

[80s New Wave]

Zverev had or maybe still has the ability to be the best one, but has been held back by various mental and other issues.

Medvedev and tsitsipas have done well IMHO given the holes in their game. Surprising that tsitsipas hasn't improved his return more by now though.

The Canadians have underwhelmed for different reasons. FAA is a practice court machine who doesn't seem to have an extra gear or plan b if his stock game isn't working. Shapo of course plays completely reckless, he's in trouble against anyone who can make him extend enough rallies.

Coric and deminaur are basically retrievers lacking any real big strokes.

Khachanov is pretty reliable and has done well recently. Not sure if he can breakthrough for a slam but he has an outside chance.


I'm not that high on tiafoes game really but he has enough firepower to be dangerous occasionally.


Not sure if ruud wasn't on the radar then but he's clearly surpassed many on this list.

 

[DSH]

How much damage did the ATP (and later the ITF with the Davis Cup) by eliminating some Masters 1000 finals and the final of the ATP Finals by removing the best-of-five-set format.
These generations of players find themselves lost in Grand Slam events.
A 36-year-old guy is destroying them and this has no sign of stopping for now.