Why are this generations Tennis players so skinny?

[Hyde]

I notice it at ATP finals again. Just look at guys like Zverev, Sinner, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Fritz etc. They are not just „slim build“ like Djokovic or Murray (not even talking about Federer or Nadal), but they are straight up skinny.

Am I wrong or weren’t there that many top guys in the past who were that skinny like in this generation nowadays?

 

[Milanez82]

Pete, Lendl come to mind

I would call them lanky

 

[crimson87]

Pete bulked up as he got older though

 

[leodevlin]

I notice it at ATP finals again. Just look at guys like Zverev, Sinner, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Fritz etc. They are not just „slim build“ like Djokovic or Murray (not even talking about Federer or Nadal), but they are straight up skinny.

Am I wrong or weren’t there that many top guys in the past who were that skinny like in this generation nowadays?

The guys you mentioned are all on the taller side

Look at Shelton , Alcaraz , Ruud , Rune, Tiafoe etc.

 

[ChrisJR3264]

Look how tall med , zverev and sinner are. They’re not going to bulk up either

 

[McGradey]

It's their height plus ectomorph body type. They are all over 6'4" — Sinner is listed at 6'2" but appears to be taller than that.
Pete was more of a mesomorph with a stouter build particularly in his legs which were muscular, and quite broad shoulders.
Lendl also had thicker legs even though he was whip thin in his youth.

 

[Hyde]

Look how tall med , zverev and sinner are. They’re not going to bulk up either

What about Anderson, Isner, Del Potro, Raonic, Safin etc? They weren’t skinny like todays tall guys.

 

[LOBALOT]

I agree with the OP..... We need them to start partying and hanging out with us rec players!!!!!

Next thing you know and they will have that tall scrawny chest with skinny legs and pot belly we find the ideal body type for tennis.

 

[Hyde]

I agree with the OP..... We need them to start partying and hanging out with us rec players!!!!!

Next thing you know and they will have that tall scrawny chest with skinny legs and pot belly we find the ideal body type for tennis.

I‘m not saying it’s wrong that they are skinny… I‘m just wondering why they are. Is the style of play in Tennis nowadays more favorable to skinny guys, so that skinny guys have more of an advantage now than they had in the past?

 

[McGradey]

Is the style of play in Tennis nowadays more favorable to skinny guys, so that skinny guys have more of an advantage now than they had in the past?

These guys are much more athletic than they appear. Medvedev moves like a 6-foot guy. I would guess it's modern coaching where the kids are expected to play defence from a young age regardless of any stereotypes about body types and styles of play. If you're tall and have a big serve, well that isn't enough any more, you also need to run around like a madman like everyone else. You can even see it with Opelka who is ludicrously tall, he really gets after it in a rally.

 

[Fabresque]

I notice it at ATP finals again. Just look at guys like Zverev, Sinner, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Fritz etc. They are not just „slim build“ like Djokovic or Murray (not even talking about Federer or Nadal), but they are straight up skinny.

Am I wrong or weren’t there that many top guys in the past who were that skinny like in this generation nowadays?

Those names are all very tall, they tower over the B3, it’s better to be lanky than try to bulk up for zero reason.

Alcaraz isn’t really tall and he’s built like Rafa.

 

[David Le]

Alcaraz isn’t really tall and he’s built like Rafa.

Alcaraz is definitely not built like Rafa. Alcaraz has a longer torso and his shoulders are pretty broad. In terms of bodyfat percentage, they are pretty close to each other-Rafa with a slight edge though imo

 

[Cabeza del Demonio]

What about Anderson, Isner, Del Potro, Raonic, Safin etc? They weren’t skinny like todays tall guys.

Apart from Safin, all these guys never made it big because their movement was a big weakness. Meanwhile Zverev and Medvedev are as light and fast as we've ever seen for 6'6 guys, and they're breaking ground for what's possible at that height.

 

[Kralingen]

Because it’s an endurance sport.

 

[Mainad]

We now live in the era of the beanpole.

 

[socallefty]

It is just the distortion of how very tall people look on TV which is a horizontal format. If you see Medvedev, Zverev, Tsitsipas etc. in person, they are not skinny at all and have quite built-up upper bodies. Sinner is more skinny.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Then need to spend some time with Stanimal

 

[tex123]

I notice it at ATP finals again. Just look at guys like Zverev, Sinner, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Fritz etc. They are not just „slim build“ like Djokovic or Murray (not even talking about Federer or Nadal), but they are straight up skinny.

Am I wrong or weren’t there that many top guys in the past who were that skinny like in this generation nowadays?

Z, S, M and F are quite tall. Z is diabetic as well.

Ivanisevic was a similar build back in those days.

 

[vokazu]

New generation of people don't do a lot of manual work and they don't use a lot of muscles in their daily life, that's why a lot of them are skinny. Almost everything is done by machines nowadays. They spend too much time with their phones, computers and TVs.

In the old days my cousin climbed coconut trees and carried monstrous bags of rice on his back. He was so big and muscular without even going to the gym. Lol, there was no gym at all in his village. I doubt if there is even one gym there now. Everybody worked hard at the farm. Nobody owned nor drove a car back then, they either walked or cycled. My young aunt would run to her school everyday just to be on time.

 

[accidental]

Pretty much all the great players throughout tennis history have been ‘skinny’

 

[MichaelNadal]

 

[ojo rojo]

Because it’s an endurance sport.

 

[weakera]

And people generally seem to be getting fatter

 

[WYK]

Pete, Lendl come to mind

I would call them lanky

 

[Honza]

Because it’s an endurance sport.

They slowed tennis down a lot and the changes can be seen on the top athletes bodies atm.

 

[Mainad]

Then need to spend some time with Stanimal

Lol.....is that his breakfast?

 

[BGod]

Objective fact players overall have gotten taller because of the serve being the fastest way to prove you're a pro and serving is easiest to train.

The global talent pool allows for genetics to play apart as opposed to a few countries like in the past, then you also have less pollution, smoking, better diet, etc.

But tennis is also one of the greatest cardio sports beating out most "bulk" sports like NFL, MLB, NHL. The NFL and NHL specifically have perhaps higher top level intensity but overall it just doesn't compare to 3 hours of singles.

 

[Benf15harp]

Objective fact players overall have gotten taller because of the serve being the fastest way to prove you're a pro and serving is easiest to train.

The global talent pool allows for genetics to play apart as opposed to a few countries like in the past, then you also have less pollution, smoking, better diet, etc.

But tennis is also one of the greatest cardio sports beating out most "bulk" sports like NFL, MLB, NHL. The NFL and NHL specifically have perhaps higher top level intensity but overall it just doesn't compare to 3 hours of singles.

Lol this has to be a top 5 most ridiculous comment ever.

 

[chrischris]

Is that Iggy Pop??

 

[Quaichang]

Pete, Lendl come to mind

I would call them lanky

I wouldn’t call either lanky.

 

[Maria & Newport Breakers]

Because it’s an endurance sport.

bingo. Tennis, now more than ever, rewards movement. As Roger said, "the best players are the best movers, now and in the future."
Look at track athletes, the best "movers" in the world--a very skinny group, even the sprinters. Excess muscle weight is a hindrance in tennis.
Tennis is fundamentally a catabolic activity--it is my opinion a physique like the one of Nadal posted above is impossible for a serious tennis athlete without serious chemical assistance.

 

[Midaso240]

Murray was an absolute unit in his prime, wouldn't put him in the same class of 'slim build' as Djokovic at all

 

[Midaso240]

Apart from Safin, all these guys never made it big because their movement was a big weakness. Meanwhile Zverev and Medvedev are as light and fast as we've ever seen for 6'6 guys, and they're breaking ground for what's possible at that height.

In tennis you mean, the athletic 6'6" NBA players we've seen run rings around them. Not to mention Usain Bolt 6'5"

 

[BauerAlmeida]

In tennis you mean, the athletic 6'6" NBA players we've seen run rings around them. Not to mention Usain Bolt 6'5"

Just because they're fast doesn't mean they'd be great movers. You can be fast and not have great footwork.

 

[mental midget]

I notice it at ATP finals again. Just look at guys like Zverev, Sinner, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Fritz etc. They are not just „slim build“ like Djokovic or Murray (not even talking about Federer or Nadal), but they are straight up skinny.

Am I wrong or weren’t there that many top guys in the past who were that skinny like in this generation nowadays?

w the exception of sinner those guys are all like 6'4 and above...if they were bulky they wouldn't be on tour because their movement would be terrible.

 

[BeatlesFan]

You either have a bod or you don't.

 

[Knife]

Skinny era...

 

[Honza]

Zverevs brother just gave an interview about that. How every player is complaining about the fuzzy slow balls and the slow courts. Matches take forever and injuries are more common.
Tennis became more of an endurance sport than a power sport in the last 20 years. The current top athletes are the result.

 

[a10best]

Zverevs brother just gave an interview about that. How every player is complaining about the fuzzy slow balls and the slow courts. Matches take forever and injuries are more common.
Tennis became more of an endurance sport than a power sport in the last 20 years. The current top athletes are the result.

Exactly. If they don't allow power games to dominate, rail thin players will be the norm. We need the prototype larger quads from the late 80s and 90s to be the norm.
The ATP needs to stop this trend of endless baseline rallies or players will resemble a Kenyan or Ethiopian marathon runner; Zverev, Med, Eubanks.
More athletic? give 60% of the top guys a volley and they're like a deer in headlights.
In person, pro tennis players are very thin.

 

[onehandbh]

Look at track athletes, the best "movers" in the world--a very skinny group, even the sprinters.

5000m runners vs 100m sprinters.

100m sprinters have a more muscular build.

If you went to a small private school that only had 3 kids in your grade, and the same skinny kid that ran cross country also ran the 100m, that could explain your thinking.

 

[Maria & Newport Breakers]

5000m runners vs 100m sprinters.

100m sprinters have a more muscular build.

If you went to a small private school that only had 3 kids in your grade, and the same skinny kid that ran cross country also ran the 100m, that could explain your thinking.

Ok

 

[aldeayeah]

Is that Iggy Pop??

Now I wanna
Be your GOAT

 

[Martin J]

It is all Djokovic's evil plan to make them easily beatable, he tricked them into believing that living off of grass and broccoli would make them stronger.

 

[jackson vile]

It’s a huge advantage

 

[onehandbh]

LOL I went to college on a track scholarship to a top 10 D1 NCAA program, but tell me more about track athletes!!! Ha, thanks for the laugh.

Yes, 100m guys (like my roommate who made a World Champs team at a race weight of 159 lbs) are bulkier than distance runners, but they are still very slim compared to athletes in many other sports.

The point stands that people who move well tend to be slight because physics demands it. People who are muscle bound in sports like track or tennis are usually doping.

Sure. Compared to NFL lineman, 100m sprinters are very skinny. I guess it's all relative. Compared to the median adult male in the US, a sprinter might be considered skinny, too, given that their waist circumference would be 40 inches.

When you competed as a d1 track athlete, did you notice the distance runners having the same build as the 100m sprinter?

I was just pointing out the inaccuracy of your statement that even sprinters are "very skinny."

I do not recall seeing any top long distance runners that carry just as much muscle as a top 100m sprinter.