Stars of tomorrow?

I see this as the respective generations.
1) Oldies - Feds, Hewitt, Ferrer, Robredo, Lopez
2) Mid-old - Stan, Berdych, Tsonga, Rafa, Murray, DJoko, Delpo, Cilic
3) Youngish -Nishi, JJ, Raonic, Goffin, Dimi, Tomic
4) Young - Thiem, Sock, Vesely
5) Teens - Kyrios, Coric, Zverev, Garin, Koslov, Kokkinakis


Out of the last 3 who do you think will go on to dominate or pick up multiple slams when the top 2 tiers are gone or on the wane?

I am going to go out on a limb and say that of group 3: Nishi! (heart over head).
4) Thiem
5) Coric

Good list LS.

What is important in this list is the fact that Luxilon really arrived at the end of the "oldies" generation. Well Hewitt adopted it early whereas Federer adopted it in 2002.

It means that if you want to compare generation, there is a big gap between Oldies and mid-oldies (who all learnt to play top spin and DHBH (bar Stan)) while the oldies really had an open choice.

The trend might change again,....I am surprised to see quite a few youngsters playing SHBH.....probably a Federer effect as most if not all schools were pushing the DHBH over the SHBH.

So to me we shoudl not compare oldies with the rest as they are at a technical disadvantage in today's conditions. If it was not for Federer, The oldies would be all dead long ago (bar Ferrer who is a dedicated player and never developed the creative game of his generation. But Federer is still competing for slams.

That's the miracle in a way.


Isn;t Vesely a teen as well?

Whoever they are they will start to beat the new generation very soon.

He's 21, thiem just turned 21. 
Stick ya neck out tenez!

Interesting, I was thinking about this youngest generation today, but in slightly different context:
Will they be able to carry over the torch of popularity Fedal + Nole are going to leave behind?
Are we going to be getting up at 3 AM to watch them?
Are there going to be any fanatical "fan wars" over them?


That whole wave of players seem to have some positive vibe about them.
I don't know whether that's because they are yet to taste a year of grind and the pain of loss, or because that's what they are like by nature.
For example, Coric appears to be brimming with confidence, which is very useful in tennis.
When your serve is letting you down, when the BH or FH are not behaving, you need something to hold your spine straight.

Time will tell how sound that belief is, though.

I found it interesting and even quite mature how Kyrguos ended his season after USO simply because he was emotionally burnt out.

Zverev and Coric seem to know how to win, and that's going to be useful.
Their games are not much to write home about, but bearing in mind they are a post-product of the last 10 years of tennis, it could've been worse.
To me that last group of players is  more promising than Dimi, Raonic..who I never had much hope in, anyway. They were not good enough to break through current top, whereas the "teens" are more natural In succeeding the  "middlies" when they begin to tire in 2-3 years.

Nishi is a top qulity player and if serious injuries don't shorten his career, I can see win slams in the next 5 years.

luvsports! wrote:He's 21, thiem just turned 21. 
Stick ya neck out tenez!

Difficult. Many I don;t know. I have not seen Kryos play yet for instance.

However I would not bet on Nishi. Cilic will do better than him. I think Vesely should make huge strides but I was a bit concerned by his mental strength.

I like Goffin's game and hope he will achieve something.

Thiem is probably going to win a few slams too.

I am getting a bit concerned by Dimi's average performance.

Tenez wrote:Difficult. Many I don;t know. I have not seen Kryos play yet for instance.
However I would not bet on Nishi. Cilic will do better than him. I think Vesely should make huge strides but I was a bit concerned by his mental strength.
I like Goffin's game and hope he will achieve something.
Thiem is probably going to win a few slams too.
I am getting a bit concerned by Dimi's average performance.

How do you think they'll do at the WTF?

Btw, at 26, Cilic is only a year younger than Nole and Murray.

You are right that Cilic is closer to Djoko and I guess this is why LS put him in the same age group.

But the difference is that unlilke the other phsyical players, Cilic remained thin for a very long time and had a very agressive game. So I'd say his body remained young longer. Nowadays I think he has the potential to beat the top physical players.

To be seen but I believe so.

Lucas Pouille seems to be another French guy to watch.

Tenez wrote:You are right that Cilic is closer to Djoko and I guess this is why LS put him in the same age group.

But the difference is that unlilke the other phsyical players, Cilic remained thin for a very long time and had a very agressive game. So I'd say his body remained young longer. Nowadays I think he has the potential to beat the top physical players.

To be seen but I believe so.

I followed Cilic since he turned pro and enjoyed the simple attacking tennis he played during his "first" career.
He had very nice, soft movement for someone of his size and height.
Then, like everyone else, he went Michelin Man way. He lost the movement and with it the game, turning into a Monaco with slightly more firepower.
He's had muscles for the last 2-3 years.
Then he hired Goran who did one thing right for Cilic: he turned his serve into a weapon. I watched him beat Chardy in court 18 this Wimbledon, the serve won him the match, Chardy could not do anything.
That made a huge  difference to Marin as suddenly he could play his old game again.

Then, he just happened to be in the right place at the right time and won USO.

In some ways he is dependant on his serve almost as much as Raonic, so from that point of view, it will be interesting to see how he does when it tightens.

It's not a coincidence he never won even a 500 event before USO.

Tenez wrote:Lucas Pouille seems to be another French guy to watch.

I have heard the name but not seen him.

I managed to catch a tiny bit of Chardy-De Schepper, what a big guy he is, 2m 8cm!!! And plays with a SBH.
Looks more like a rugby player.

Cilic mauled Nadal back in 09 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rncYFy7QoVc&list=UU7J1DyO1-3nTUhcWEhQ0jvA

For me this was a big indication rafa was cycling down.

1) Oldies - Feds, Hewitt, Ferrer, Robredo, Lopez

Hewitt's gone. Fed's hopes of another slam are slim but definite possibility.  Only a year or two left in him I feel. Ferrer, on way out.

2) Mid-old - Stan, Berdych, Tsonga, Rafa, Murray, DJoko, Delpo, Cilic

Rafa in terminal decline.  Stan has another year or so. Tsonga looks destined to never win a Slam. Murray in terminal decline.  Delpo will be back. Djoko still looking strong.

3) Youngish -Nishi, JJ, Raonic, Goffin, Dimi, Tomic

Raonic should win a slam.  Tomic might.  Dimi definitely will.

4) Young - Thiem, Sock, Vesely

Not sure.

5) Teens - Kyrios, Coric, Zverev, Garin, Koslov, Kokkinakis

Kyrgios is going to be a multiple slam winner.