Up-and-Comers: Who do you like/dislike?

[Moxie]

I've noticed some posters have strong feelings about a few of the Next Gen, etc., so, I thought we could talk about it. The off-season is upon is, so, why not? You can "like" or "dislike." If you feel neutral, I suggest not voting, rather than my making that option. The poll only allows for so many, so I didn't include FAA, Shapo, de Miñaur, Rublev or Coric, who seem fairly neutrally received, but I added Kyrgios, for obvious reasons.

 

[Andy22]

don't like berrettini at all he's way overrated and don't like his game syle also he's boring in interviews.

 

[tented]

In this group, I dislike Berrettini’s game, and dislike everything about Kyrgios.

Medvedev is still too volatile for his own good, but I’m hoping that changes. Imagine how much better his results would be if he didn’t allow himself to get out of control so often.

I’ve been a fan of Thiem ever since we published that blog post about him in 2013, when he was still pretty unknown.

I also like Tsitsipas (née Barbie, according to extensive genealogical research by @mrzz). I’m curious what 2020 will be like.

 

[Bonaca]

I like Daniil the most, weird but effective playstyle. Good attitude, no mainstream monkey like the Austrian.
Matteo is ok, have to look how he will develop.

Tsitsipussy thumbs down, cant like or root for a coward. It’s against my nature, same reason for sausage he looks too soft and fragile, he is the dream of every mother-in-law. Also everything in Austria’s game looks like hard work, nothing to root for.
Kyrgios is a clown , dislike him as a person but good play and huge talent.

 

[atttomole]

I like Tsitsipas, Medvedev and Kyrgios. Kyrgios is a head case, and I hope he can change his ways. I don’t know what to make of Berrettini, but I think he can improve. I think Thiem’s tennis is ugly. FAA is another favorite of mine too, even though he is not on the list.
I am not sure if Kyrgios is still Next Gen.

 

[Moxie]

I am not sure if Kyrgios is still Next Gen.

That's why I said "up-and-comers" and "Next Gen, etc." in the OP. Most say Thiem isn't, anyway. I'm thinking more of the guys who're likely to be around the top/contesting for Slams in the near future and when the Big 3 move on.

 

[mrzz]

I like Thiem a lot. As I said other times, I will have a lot of fun seeing him win a lot in 2020.

Used to like Medvedev more but when he backed down from trolling the crown in NY he lost a lot of points. Also when mistreaded a ball kid. Normally I try to focus on the game, but...

Apart from the fact that I think he should shove those necklaces up his arse, nothing against Zverev really, but I also liked him more in the past.

Neutral about Berrettini, I just diss him a bit sometimes to tease up the ladies here. For example, I just read that he has some difficulties spelling his own name, and that the starts salivating when he tries to articulate a phrase with more than 7 words. But this is all probably some exaggerations from the internet.

Neutral about Kyrgios. Less understood player in the tour IMO. I read him completely in a complete different way than most here.

Mildly like FAA. I still think he is only 12 years old every time a look at him. Mildly like Shapovalov as well. Those two playing doubles together are a fun to watch.

Neutral on Coric. De Minaur now and then seems to me like a huge talent -- future number 1 materil -- but then it fades away.

Huge fan of Rublev. Shoot first, ask questions later kind of guy.

Also adding Kachanov, which I like a lot even if a bit one dimensional.

Last but not least, Sinner. This kid has come to stay.

P.S. There is a Brazilian young player with a good potential, Thiago Wild.

 

[Bonaca]

Edit:
I always hope that Borna makes the next step. I am a fan of him, not only for his game also the person.
Thumbs up for Denis and Andrej, also Karen.
Neutral about Sinner, De Minaur, Felix.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Why is Sasha left out of the poll.

 

[El Dude]

Zverev really needs to be on there - his epic pouts are worthy of dislike.

That said, I don't really dislike any of those guys, or even Zverev really, but am also rather indifferent. I like NextGen as a whole because they're far more talented than Lost Gen (although still have a soft spot in my heart for Grigor). I've voiced before that my favorite young player is Felix Auger-Aliassime, but i also really like the Grumpy Russian, Andrey Rublev. Curious about this Jannik Sinner kid, and a few others.

 

[monfed]

Like - Thiem, thug

Dislike - Ziraffe, sissypas

Don't care - others

 

[Moxie]

Why is Sasha left out of the poll.

I ran out of choices...you can only pick so many...I should have put him, though, over Berrettini.

Zverev really needs to be on there - his epic pouts are worthy of dislike.

That said, I don't really dislike any of those guys, or even Zverev really, but am also rather indifferent. I like NextGen as a whole because they're far more talented than Lost Gen (although still have a soft spot in my heart for Grigor). I've voiced before that my favorite young player is Felix Auger-Aliassime, but i also really like the Grumpy Russian, Andrey Rublev. Curious about this Jannik Sinner kid, and a few others.

That's why I was hoping it would just open the discussion. Polls are fun. I am curious about how many dislike Zverev and why. Mostly he doesn't bother me, or didn't, until the Tsitsipas match, when I think he did pout and give up.

 

[Jelenafan]

Zverev put me off after losing to Tsitsipas last year when in his presser said he was more “honest” than most players in the ATP, going on to attribute the loss to his poor play and commenting his opponent didn’t play that well.

Listen, I get being pissed at your own poor play, but dissing the guy who just beat you in the name of being virtuously honest is grating, if not downright stupid and petty. I’m sure he tells his girlfriend she’s fat in that dress.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Kyrgios is 24. Hardly an up and comer.

Thiem is 26. He's closer to exiting his prime than he is to being an up and comer.

Anyway, I like Tsitsipas' game and Medvedev's mentality/personality.

Weird not to have Zverev there (not a fan of his though).

 

[tented]

@Moxie & @El Dude — I’ve expanded the polls so that users can now add 16 options, instead of 10.

 

[Moxie]

Kyrgios is 24. Hardly an up and comer.

Thiem is 26. He's closer to exiting his prime than he is to being an up and comer.

Anyway, I like Tsitsipas' game and Medvedev's mentality/personality.

Weird not to have Zverev there (not a fan of his though).

Oh, "lighten up." I might have chosen a different expression, but my POV is that they're all still "up-and-comers" in terms of Slams and taking the reins when the Big 3 hang 'em up/as they fade. They're not all young or new to the tour, but my question was about how much people like or dislike them, since that's been leaking into conversation, randomly. I thought that was obvious. And hey, Stan didn't win a Major until he was 29, so it's never too late to be an up-and-comer, these days.

 

[Moxie]

Thanks to @tented for changing it so I could add more options to the poll. Besides Zverev, (added by "unpopular demand,") I added KK and Shapo. Personally, I have mixed feelings about both. I'm more inclined to Shapo, as he can be a thrilling shot maker, but he's just such a mess. As to "Silent K," (a nickname I do like, btw, because it's so clever,) I don't like the ball-bashing, Fred Flintstone aspect of him, but he is sort of a sympathetic character, so I can't wholly dislike him. I see him has a perennial top 20, and potential spoiler, but I don't think there's enough dimension to his game to make him a world-beater.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Oh, "lighten up." I might have chosen a different expression, but my POV is that they're all still "up-and-comers" in terms of Slams and taking the reins when the Big 3 hang 'em up/as they fade. They're not all young or new to the tour, but my question was about how much people like or dislike them, since that's been leaking into conversation, randomly. I thought that was obvious. And hey, Stan didn't win a Major until he was 29, so it's never too late to be an up-and-comer, these days.

My issue is this happens in every sport, where a highly touted youngster keeps being treated as such for pretty much his entire career until people suddenly realize "oh shit he never amounted to anything."

Kyrgios, to take an example, had his breakout win against Nadal FIVE years ago. That is a long, long time. Of course his window is far from over, but sometimes I believe the passes these players keep getting for being young last way too long (not necessarily this thread, just in general). Best example I can think of is DImitrov, who was "the future of tennis" for what felt like 7 years.

And yeah technically you could claim any player who hasn't won a major is an up and comer, so my favorite is Karlovic. In all seriousness I get what you mean, but some of these guys have been on tour for a while now.

 

[Moxie]

My issue is this happens in every sport, where a highly touted youngster keeps being treated as such for pretty much his entire career until people suddenly realize "oh shit he never amounted to anything."

Kyrgios, to take an example, had his breakout win against Nadal FIVE years ago. That is a long, long time. Of course his window is far from over, but sometimes I believe the passes these players keep getting for being young last way too long (not necessarily this thread, just in general). Best example I can think of is DImitrov, who was "the future of tennis" for what felt like 7 years.

And yeah technically you could claim any player who hasn't won a major is an up and comer, so my favorite is Karlovic. In all seriousness I get what you mean, but some of these guys have been on tour for a while now.

I know what you're saying. As I said, my main objective with the thread was to hear who people really like/don't like, and why, specifically because I've been hearing some real animosity against some players, and I was curious to hear why. Perhaps I could have said "Best of the Rest," or "Non-Big 3 - Who'd You Rather?" or something else. Lazy short-hand? Forgive me. Anyway, I totally agree with you about Dimitrov, for example...he was "up-and-coming" for at least 7-8 years, as you say. Won the YEC, finally, and a MS 1000, then fell back off the radar. #loser

I wanted to include Kyrgios, because he's so polarizing. Between you and me, I think he'll go the way of Dimitrov. And yes, some of these guys have been on tour for a while, and some made early splashes that they can't seem to capitalize on. My curiosity was the hear the vibe on the forums as to how the emotional inclination/disinclination waves were trending.

 

[isabelle]

you cant' compare bad Nick to others : he reached no MS's final, won no MS, reached no GS's final either...he only won some 500...others are better than him for the moment