The Next Generation of Men’s Tennis

Novak Djokovic dominated men’s tennis this yr, but with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal carrying down physically, 2021 also signaled a modifying of the guard: Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the French Open up closing Matteo Berrettini achieved the Wimbledon ultimate Alexander Zverev won the Olympic gold medal and Daniil Medvedev reached the Australian Open remaining and then won the United States Open up. All are 25 or younger.

Now a new crop of children, 24 and less than, is charging up the rankings, but some will stall.

To individual on their own from their peers, each and every should refine his recreation these 10 are most very likely to be part of the sport’s elite, if they strengthen just one factor of their game. Adhering to is an evaluation of every participant from coaches, analysts and former pros. Rankings are by means of Thursday.

Casper Ruud

Norway, age 22 planet position: 8

Ruud’s speed and all-about sport glow on clay, mentioned Tom Shimada, a mentor at the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in South Carolina, “but now he has to figure out how to perform on the quicker providers.”

Ruud requirements much more no cost factors on serve, reported Jimmy Arias, director of the IMG Academy’s tennis system in Florida and a Tennis Channel analyst. “He however has to grind on his serve and in three-of-five set tournaments that helps make it challenging.”

Patrick McEnroe, a director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in New York and an analyst for ESPN, was pleasantly surprised by Ruud’s serves and rather feels Ruud demands “more firepower on his forehand, whether or not it is far more electric power or extra spin.”

Hubert Hurkacz

Poland, age 24 rating: 9

Hurkacz turned heads with his Miami Open up earn this year, but Arias said he necessary to keep regularity since he at times shed to lesser players.

McEnroe sees that as a absence of assertiveness even with his increase in the rankings: “He demands to be a lot more aggressive with his pictures, but also with his mindset. He could use a minimal swagger.”

Jannik Sinner

Italy, age 20 rating: 11

Sinner himself reported he could not decide on just a person matter to strengthen. “I’m only 20 many years aged I have to strengthen everything,” he mentioned. “I have to increase the provide, my volleys and mixing up my sport as nicely.”

McEnroe and Arias claimed he needed wide variety and creative imagination in his technique. “He’s missing the subtleties of the sport,” McEnroe claimed, “when to strike the ball at 60 per cent or to slice it down the middle and make the other guy occur up with a thing.”

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Canada, age 21 rating: 12

He often receives limited, primary to provider breaks at critical moments. “He will just hand you a company crack with two double faults and two inexplicable very first-ball errors,” Arias said.

McEnroe claimed Auger-Aliassime was a real student of the sport, so he from time to time overthinks matters. “He’s looking for the perfect shot, so he will make faults,” McEnroe claimed. “He desires to take it easy, just allow it go and participate in with extra freedom, trusting his athleticism.”

Denis Shapovalov

Canada, age 22 rating: 13

Shapovalov has been charming fans due to the fact he stunned Nadal as an 18-year-outdated at the 2017 Canadian Open up, but Shapovalov’s electricity and style can work to his detriment. “He has great weapons, but he’s likely for a lot,” Shimada stated. Seeking to blast winners is “a difficult way to constantly beat the fellas who enjoy unbelievable protection.”

McEnroe said Shapovalov desired far more high-percentage shots on his company return: “He tends to acquire major swings and has to be more consistent on the return, playing wise, neutral or even defensive photographs to get in the rally.”

Reilly Opelka

United States, age 24 position: 26

Opelka requirements confidence. “To access the upcoming degree will demand an evolution of his head-established,” Shimada explained

Arias recalled looking at Opelka double fault 2 times in a row in Atlanta this summer time, then mutter consistently to himself, “I really should have played staff athletics.”

McEnroe reported that at 6-foot-11, Opelka desired to increase his measurement and electric power, going bigger on forehands, returns and serves. “He jokes about not wanting to be a ‘serve-bot,’ but he really should enjoy like a single more normally,” McEnroe said. “To beat the top rated gamers, he has to overpower them.”

Sebastian Korda

United States, age 21 rating: 38

Korda soared from 119th this yr, but his continued climb demands a better provide, Shimada said, citing his reduction to Karen Khachanov at Wimbledon, where Korda was broken 7 situations in the fifth established as Exhibit A.

“You just can’t have that occur,” McEnroe mentioned. “The serve has to get greater, and he wants to get more powerful and impose himself much more.”

Carlos Alcaraz

Spain, age 18 rating: 40

Even for this short article, which is basically nit-choosing, Arias, McEnroe and Shimada ended up stumped when it arrived to the dynamic Alcaraz, who jumped in the rankings from 141 this yr.

“If I experienced to decide on one particular person where you cannot arrive up with just one point, it is Alcaraz,” McEnroe mentioned. “He can do it all, and he has moxie.”

Jenson Brooksby

United States, age 21 position: 56

He thinks he needs to dedicate to getting physical and running by means of the ball in points to stay away from heading on the defensive. “That’s what I’m doing the job on the most,” Brooksby claimed.

Whilst Shimada, McEnroe and Arias are dazzled by his movement and sense, and his unusual strokes and design and style, they stated his massive trouble was seriously his provide.

“For his sizing, [6-foot-4], his serve is mediocre at very best,” McEnroe claimed.

He will require a harmful serve to win a key, but if he improves there, Arias said, glance out.

“With a greater provide, he could be the American Daniil Medvedev.”

Lorenzo Musetti

Italy, age 19 position: 65

He is easy in his self-analysis. “I want to make improvements to my provide, but specially my return and in particular on challenging courts,” claimed Musetti, a clay-court docket expert. “With my a single-handed backhand, I want to operate on stepping to the ball.”

Give him points for self-consciousness. “He just doesn’t do adequate with the provide,” Shimada stated, although Arias explained that with a just one-handed backhand, Musetti desired to at the very least get to neutral on returns (hit them harder so he does not start rallies at a downside).

McEnroe stated Musetti “doesn’t action in as normally as some other men and demands to consider the ball a little before.”