Which young player are you going to support and why?

The Guru

The Guru

Legend
The changing of the guard is coming soon and the young players are really making strides. The pressure to pick a new favorite is starting to get to me because eventually we will probably only have 1 favorite player and I don't want to pick the wrong guy. Right now I like most of the young guys and want them to do well for the future of tennis but the guys I find myself supporting the most are Shapo, Coric, and FAA. I used to think I might be a Tsitsipas fan but I'm off that bandwagon now because he's had some questionable actions. I started watching tennis in 07 and have been a Djokovic fan for all my tennis watching career and having a new favorite is weird to me. How should I manage this and when do I have to chose by?
 
I would go with Shapo as I am in the same boat with Federer winding down. It is fun to have your guy to root for. Plus I really like nadal too and see Shapo as a mix between nadal and Fed both on the court and off.

I do like Felix too though.
 
The Guru said:
The pressure to pick a new favorite is starting to get to me because eventually we will probably only have 1 favorite player and I don't want to pick the wrong guy.
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I don't understand this logic. So you're stressing out who to pick because you want only to root for a future #1 player or ATG?

What if you like Tiafoe's game more than anyone else's? He'll never get close to #1, but that should be moot. Obviously you pick a player you like, whether for their personality, their game or anything else that tickles your fancy. I didn't start rooting for Fed in 2000 because I had a crystal ball and knew he'd eventually be GOAT, I just loved his game. Had I chosen Nalby to root for it wouldn't have been the "wrong guy."

Out of them all, I think FAA is the one that will loom largest, but Denis may be up there too (I hope so for both). Tsitsipas has a lot of promise too.
 
lud said:
This question become more and more harder to answer, because more and more young players are truly unlikable.
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Felix is not unlikable at all. He's very friendly, articulate by tennis player standards, extremely polite to everyone and seemingly humble. He was a huge hit at IW because he was so affable, approachable and lovely to all. Nobody could watch this and think he was unlikable.

 
BeatlesFan said:
I don't understand this logic. So you're stressing out who to pick because you want only to root for a future #1 player or ATG?
Click to expand...

If I pick a Tiafoe, or say a guy like Dimitrov 5 or 6 years ago I will end up watching and rooting for my favorite much less. So in theory if you pick a better player you will end up enjoying your favorite player play more often. As a guy like Tiafoe usually is out after round 3 and 4.
 
Felix and Tsitsipas are the players whose game speaks to me the most, but Zverev is not far behind. Although I know that Shapeau is going to be probably the major opponent for Felix, I somehow cannot warm up to him. Something on a visceral level I suppose.

8-)
 
MeatTornado said:
I was really struggling last night between Denis & Stef. I like Tsitsipas' game slightly more, but I find him hard to root for, personality wise.
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Same I used last night to figure out who I like more between the two. Turns out for some reason I was rooting for Denis.
 
i
 
Already completely passed on generation useless and now next generation garbage

My tennis hopes are on unknown players from 12-15 years old right now. Those players will be the next time anyone will matter.
 
Generation useless (aka Millennials) is done. Even if some of them win now it will be by default rather than skill.

The new younger generation (born after 2000) have promise and will come in and take over.

Were just starting to see some of them beginning to sprout now.
 
I liked Tsits but F him.
I try but I can't like Z.
I will always like Kyrgios for the occasional entertainment but no, can't be a fan unless he really tries to win matches consistently.

I am a big admirer of Nole and watching Chung slide like Nole made me a fan of him in Australia last year but ever since he has been terrible so a "no" there too.
Pretty neutral towards Rublev, Tiafoe, Fritz, Hurkacz as of now.
Like De Minaur, Khachanov and Coric but not enough as of yet to become a full time fan.

That brings us to Shapo, FAA and Medvedev.
These 3 I like more than the others.
So if one of them turns consistent enough I might become a fan.

Bonus: if Thiem is still considered a young player then he is my guy.
 
Sorry to have to say this, but as good as some of the young guys are, when Fed packs it in, I'm outta here.
I guess I just have become too spoiled.
Unless someone new comes along with skills as good or better than Fed's I just won't be tuning into men's tennis.
I do enjoy watching the women play though. :)
 
My favorites are Coric and Thiem they seem like they put in the most work. But my number one favorite is Tiafoe.
 
I like Rublev, FAA, Tiafoe, Ruud, Kozlov, Fritz. Followed all of these since they were juniors, so I feel invested in following their careers whether they become very successful or not. More about the journey and narrative than the destination/glory.

Lot of ambivalence toward Tsitsipas and Shapovalov. Can see the appeal, but some vibes don't gel with me. Thought for a while I'd jump on the Stefanos bandwagon, but he's trying harder and harder to push me off it.

Ambivalence is the word of choice for Kyrgios too.

Didn't really like Zverev at all, but the more TTW incessantly craps on him, the more I start to gain some sort of strange affinity for him.
 
Sysyphus said:
I like Rublev, FAA, Tiafoe, Ruud, Kozlov, Fritz. Followed all of these since they were juniors, so I feel invested in following their careers whether they become very successful or not. More about the journey and narrative than the destination/glory.

Lot of ambivalence toward Tsitsipas and Shapovalov. Can see the appeal, but some vibes don't gel with me. Thought for a while I'd jump on the Stefanos bandwagon, but he's trying harder and harder to push me off it.

Ambivalence is the word of choice for Kyrgios too.

Didn't really like Zverev at all, but the more TTW incessantly craps on him, the more I start to gain some sort of strange affinity for him.
Click to expand...

Can relate to all you said, except I never saw anything about Zverev I didn't like until he showed an ugly side to his personality recently when he went berserk smashing his racket to pieces. :(
I had to deduct several fan points for that.
 
Sysyphus said:
I like Rublev, FAA, Tiafoe, Ruud, Kozlov, Fritz. Followed all of these since they were juniors, so I feel invested in following their careers whether they become very successful or not. More about the journey and narrative than the destination/glory.

Lot of ambivalence toward Tsitsipas and Shapovalov. Can see the appeal, but some vibes don't gel with me. Thought for a while I'd jump on the Stefanos bandwagon, but he's trying harder and harder to push me off it.

Ambivalence is the word of choice for Kyrgios too.

Didn't really like Zverev at all, but the more TTW incessantly craps on him, the more I start to gain some sort of strange affinity for him.
Click to expand...
I do sometimes feel some affinity for Zverev.

When he goes down 61 61 to Raonic in a Slam first week.

He's been so consistent in making me happy every few weeks it's crazy.

I basically like Rublev and Medvedev and neither seem to be going anywhere.

I really have this thing where as soon as I feel a player gets overhyped it really quickly makes me dislike them. And now that the ATP goes out of their way to hype every sweet smelling fart they're trying to tell me I want to eat the deuce but I am not having it.
 
Lleytonstation said:
If I pick a Tiafoe, or say a guy like Dimitrov 5 or 6 years ago I will end up watching and rooting for my favorite much less. So in theory if you pick a better player you will end up enjoying your favorite player play more often. As a guy like Tiafoe usually is out after round 3 and 4.
Click to expand...
So you just want someone more knowledgable than you about tennis to pick a future #1 player, since nothing else will be the straw that stirs your drink.

Then:

Felix
Denis

Tsitsipas
 
FAA is the best, has the most pleasing game, probably the most likable too. So him, Shapovalov second. Don't really care for anyone else in terms of fandom.
 
Shapo by a country mile. Then Nick at #2 right now I guess.

FAA grunts, Tsitsipas has bad hair and facial hair and can't take a set from Nadal. Coric/Zverev a bit boring/robotic - don't mind them but don't care much about them either. Same with Khachanov.
 
Kobble said:
Shapovalov, Tsitsipas and Thiem. Lesser known, Filippo Baldi
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Curious about the Baldi choice...are you Italian? I’m not but lived in northern Italy as a kid and have pulled for Panatta in the past and like Bolelli, Fognini, Seppi, Cecchinato but the potential is even better very soon for Berrettini. I’m also very interested in the 17-year-old Jannik Sinner, who blitzed the Bergamo Challenger field for a title a month ago as a WC. Since then he returned to Futures and won another title, again indoors HC. He has now moved to outdoor clay and won his first match today. Sinner is one to watch!
 
Zverev, because I'm very impressed with the BO3 record he's already established, and want the same to happen in BO5.

But I'm so ready for the changing-of-the-guard to happen that I'm supporting all of the young guns.
 
I'm still all in on Shapovalov if I can only pick 1.

If I can pick say, 3? I'm going Shap, Felix, Tsit.
 
WhiskeyEE said:
Don't watch WTA. Nadal's grunting is half the reason I disliked him from the get-go. Shouldn't be allowed imo.
Click to expand...

Well I agree that Nadal's grunts should never have been allowed, but that's another story entirely.

I've watched Felix play quite a number of matches now and I rarely hear a peep out of him.
And I am extremely noise-sensitive!
 
BeatlesFan said:
So you just want someone more knowledgable than you about tennis to pick a future #1 player, since nothing else will be the straw that stirs your drink.

Then:

Felix
Denis

Tsitsipas
Click to expand...

No, I picked Dimitrov cause I liked his style and personality. I still root for him, but I never became a huge fan cause he never reached the potential that was exciting for me to watch. It is more fun when the guy you root for most is in big matches, Dimitrov's was far and few between. However, it's not like anyone other pick would have been anymore successful at that time. So I guess your right, in the end root for the guy you like most and hope he turns out being special.
 
Shapo scores very highly here due to no grunting and having a left handed 1HBH

FAA does grunt but its barely noticeable so he gets a pass.

********** i like quite a bit. he has a very natural villainous look (think Loki from Thor movies). i always thought the tour needed heels/bad guys to add more drama to the sport, and he fits the bill nicely.

Thiem would probably be my favourite if not for his horrendous/unbearable grunting and squealing.
 
BeatlesFan said:
So you just want someone more knowledgable than you about tennis to pick a future #1 player, since nothing else will be the straw that stirs your drink.

Then:

Felix
Denis

Tsitsipas
Click to expand...
Denis Shapovalov will never be #1, I think. Tsitsipas has more chances IMO.
 
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