Zverev at 21 vs Nadal at 21

[ak24alive]

Do a comparison of Fed and Nadal at 21, and prove that Nadal is greater. No one compares well to Nadal at the same age, save a few players from the 80's.

I actually think it's not the fans that are setting the standards for Zverev too high, but the haters. If you think Zverev has too match the young Nadal to be a great player, then you are the one who have to rein in your expectations, not us fans.

I believe you are right.
I also believe hate towards him is not justified.
There's also respect for him that I have especially for his serve and backhand.
Hell I even think yelling "This is my phucking court" is not that bad.

Spoiler: BUT

Please let us hate him.
It comes from within.

 

[Freddy Cat]

Zverev's also a lot taller than Nadal, and it usually takes the bigger players a longer time to develop and actually reach their peak form.

 

[ak24alive]

Zverev haters aren't interested in what he has accomplished, but what he hasn't accomplished. If Zverev loses in RG QF, they will only start saying "until he reaches a Semi..."

But if Zverev makes a slam final, they still won't give him credit. They will just say "look how weak era we live in, that someone like Zverev is in Slam finals". There is nothing Zverev can do or win that will change the mind of certain members. They are set in their ways, and will forever be against him because he has the ego to actually break through and challenge today's great players.

Oh how we wish for a next gen, and when it arrives, we do all we can to not be satisfied with how much they are doing. It's a sad state of affairs.

Hey you seem like a sensible poster to me.
My advise is don't let this Zverev hate get to your nerves. Zverev is here to stay surely and even more certainly this hate for him is here to stay on this forum. Hell he is the guy who brought Fed and Nad fans together. He is the guy who made people cheer and root for Thiem.
So you know this hate is not going anywhere.
Don't want to see you manning the halls of ttw and defending Zverev(like a gazillion Fed and Nad fans here) because it is a sad thing. It will make you bitter. Hope you get my point. Not trolling here

 

[oldmanfan]

True, I don’t even like Nadal but I was yelling “Vamos!” while I was gathering up these juicy stats.

Stahp giving hints!

Now the VB knows how to convert all other-fans into VB members!

woops!

 

[imajica77]

If you put the biggest Nadal hater in the world in the same room with Nadal and Zverev, he would still rather punch Zverev’s face.

You sir are sadly mistaken!!!!!!

 

[oldmanfan]

I’d like to see this comparison with Federer. I imagine he’d be a lot closer than with Nadal or Djokovic.

You would ab-so-lute-ly be right!

I think Zverev is ahead of Federer in accomplisments at the same age (vs. top50-in-slams notwithstanding). I think Z's game is much more 'safe' than Fed's was at the same age.

In seriousness, I think I get why many here dislike Z, but a little belief (arrogance?) doesn't hurt, especially if any young guns want to accomplish anything in tennis. Djokovic is a prime example; he lost in straight sets at RG to Rafa, and what does he say?... that Rafa's 'beatable'. It took him a long time, but he proved it years later. This may not have been true without the belief(arrogance?) from years before.

To be fair, Sascha seems like a nice guy when not competing. He's just crazy intense during competition, and it comes off in the wrong way at times. Murray is the same way, nice as heck off-court, but a completely different person on-court. Heck, that goes for Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer.

I see Z/Khachanov/Medvedev/Rublev/Chung/Coric as not being too different in skill level, but Z's just be more focused of them, and has the results to show for it. If 'punchable face' is what gets him there, maybe he should turn it up it a notch, to 'really punchable face' bc by that time, he'd be a GS winner.

Let's Goooooooo!!!

(runs away)

 

[justasport]

Not really a fair comparison. Everyone will pale in comparison with Nadal at that age. Rafa was the best teenager in the history of tennis along side Borg. I'd say Rafa was even better than Borg.

 

[tenisdecente]

Probably because he isn't a glorified grinder with a pattycake FH.

Exactly, and his tennis boring as watching paint dries. Kyrgios is much more entertaining. Now, if we are talking about pro tennis players, one is a pro, and the other is a tool - of course I am talking about Zverev

 

[Alba Barragan]

To be fair, Sascha seems like a nice guy when not competing. He's just crazy intense during competition, and it comes off in the wrong way at times. Murray is the same way, nice as heck off-court, but a completely different person on-court. Heck, that goes for Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer.

I see Z/Khachanov/Medvedev/Rublev/Chung/Coric as not being too different in skill level, but Z's just be more focused of them, and has the results to show for it. If 'punchable face' is what gets him there, maybe he should turn it up it a notch, to 'really punchable face' bc by that time, he'd be a GS winner.

This is pretty much it. I'm 100% convinced that the worst of Zverev comes out on the courts. The guy is terribly competitive, it's part of his personality, off the court you can notice it miles away in his behavior, but there's the filter of common sense that stops him from behaving too intensely in everyday situations. That filter disappears as soon as he gets on a court. He feels too much and loses control, but he does it because he really cares.

People here should really take the time to go and read all the interviews to his family and people around him. The anecdotes of 12 years old Alexander covered in clay, crying in pain and exhaustion and having to be dragged off the courts because he doesn't want to stop playing say it all. Stories like this one about him are many. He's not the most talented, or the most entertaining, the most charismatic or the nicest young player out there, but he seems to be the one who cares the most and is willing to do more. It may not be the cute, idealistic and fairy-tale kinda love that someone like Roger has for this sport, but until now he's the only young player in whom I see something remotely similar in intensity, and for me, that's enough to be his fan.

 

[ak24alive]

This is pretty much it. I'm 100% convinced that the worst of Zverev comes out on the courts. The guy is terribly competitive, it's part of his personality, off the court you can notice it miles away in his behavior, but there's the filter of common sense that stops him from behaving too intensely in everyday situations. That filter disappears as soon as he gets on a court. He feels too much and loses control, but he does it because he really cares.

People here should really take the time to go and read all the interviews to his family and people around him. The anecdotes of 12 years old Alexander covered in clay, crying in pain and exhaustion and having to be dragged off the courts because he doesn't want to stop playing say it all. He's not the most talented, or the most entertaining, the most charismatic or the nicest young player out there, but he seems to be the one who cares the most and is willing to do more. It may not be the cute, idealistic and fairy-tale kinda love that someone like Roger has for this sport, but until now he's the only young player in whom I see something remotely similar in intensity, and for me, that's enough to be his fan.

Nicely written

 

[NatF]

Not really a fair comparison. Everyone will pale in comparison with Nadal at that age. Rafa was the best teenager in the history of tennis along side Borg. I'd say Rafa was even better than Borg.

Becker defended Wimbledon as a teen and definitely deserves a mention.

 

[Deleted member 757377]

Every era is different. In the last decade 20-21 years old players hardly reached a m1000 quarterfinal, Zverev won 3 of them.

That doesn't mean he will become a great champion, but he has been a successful youngster.

 

[mike danny]

Some people on here are hyping Zverev way too much so just wanted to put a little perspective on this thing.

Slams won:
Nadal: 3
Zverev: 0

Masters won:
Nadal: 11
Zverev: 3

Slam QFs reached (or better):
Nadal: 8
Zverev: 0

Zverev in this era is considered a booming young star but the truth is that even with cakewalk draws and a pathetic field he can’t even touch Nadal, even Nadal at 19 has better stats than him but I wanted to show you just how wide the margin is between this era and the next.

Vamos!

Just look at how Hewitt and Safin did by the time they were 21. You don't even need to compare Zverev to Nadal.

 

[Tshooter]

Zverev's also a lot taller than Nadal, and it usually takes the bigger players a longer time to develop and actually reach their peak form.

Ivo still developing into peak form.

 

[Tshooter]

...People here should really take the time to go and read all the interviews to his family and people around him...

 

[mike danny]

Some people on here are hyping Zverev way too much so just wanted to put a little perspective on this thing.

Slams won:
Nadal: 3
Zverev: 0

Masters won:
Nadal: 11
Zverev: 3

Slam QFs reached (or better):
Nadal: 8
Zverev: 0

Zverev in this era is considered a booming young star but the truth is that even with cakewalk draws and a pathetic field he can’t even touch Nadal, even Nadal at 19 has better stats than him but I wanted to show you just how wide the margin is between this era and the next.

Vamos!

But you see, Nadal was just a baby in diapers back then, no better than Zverev if you consider what many of the Fed haters have said.

 

[Tshooter]

Zverev at 21 vs Nadal at 21 vs James at 15

 

[ak24alive]

Zverev at 21 vs Nadal at 21 vs James at 15

James did so much at 15 that even Elon Musk can't do as much in his whole life.

 

[Deleted member 756486]

Just look at how Hewitt and Safin did by the time they were 21. You don't even need to compare Zverev to Nadal.

You should make a thread then.

 

[mike danny]

Nadal peaked very early.If you compare Zverev results at 21 and Djokovic at the same age they are similar at Masters 1000.Djokovic had 4 Masters when he turned 21,Zverev have 3.Though Djokovic won AO plus he faced far better competition than Zverev

Djokovic by the time he turned 21 had 4 masters, a slam title, a slam final and 2 slam semis.

Infinitely better than Zverev.

 

[mike danny]

I think it's unfair to compare Zverev straight with Nadal at this point. As people have already mentioned Nadal was a teenage prodigy the likes of which come once in a generation. I think his record compares favourably to Djokovic and Federer who peaked much later.

Not at all actually. His record doesn't even compare favorably to Hewitt and Safin.

 

[Freddy Cat]

Ivo still developing into peak form.

It's called dad strength.

 

[IowaGuy]

And despite all of that Nadal is still yet to peak

I think maybe you missed his recent match against Thiem

 

[slal1984]

Dude, Nadal was a prodigy, he changed the game of the tennis.

 

[mightyrick]

Obviously comparing anybody to Nadal isn't really valid given how much of an outlier the guy is. However, there are other situations where some players have won at least one slam by Zverev's age. I mean look at Becker, Safin, Hewitt, et cetera. It isn't what I would call a rare occurrence. I honestly don't think the age thing is the issue. The real indicator is improved results, going deeper into slams, et cetera.

Even Federer took five years to win his first slam. Djokovic also took quite awhile. Whereas someone like Becker and Nadal started winning after year one or two. Clearly this kind of a metric is not indicative of future career greatness.

 

[Steve0904]

It depends on your expectations for Zverev. I don't believe anybody has said he'll be the next Nadal or the next ATG so the thread premise is off from the start, whether said jokingly or not.

 

[Tshooter]

Zverev at 21 vs Nadal at 21 vs James at 15

vs James at 16

 

[big ted]

are ppl assuming because there are 3 all time greats playing in this era, the next generation will too? it's been called the "golden era of tennis" for a reason..

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Nadl

 

[fednad]

delete....

 

[fednad]

And....
Zverev is yet to pick his undies !
He hasn't done that even once !

 

[Deleted member 3771]

Zverev is good, but can he do this:

 

[ak24alive]

Zverev is good, but can he do this:

As Michael Nadal would say it's epic.

 

[ak24alive]

Zverev is good, but can he do this:

As Michael Nadal would say it's epic.