2024 ATP General News

[MargaretMcAleer]

Juncheng Shang is currently the youngest title winner on tour, born in February of 2005. Before him it was Arthur Fils, the first player younger than Carlos Alcaraz to win a title (Shang and Perricard have since joined him; Rune is a week older than Alcaraz). Fils was the youngest title winner for about 15 months, from May of 2023 to September of 2024, while Alcaraz was the youngest for almost two years, from June of 2021 to May of 2023.

Here's a few related trivia questions:

1. Who was the youngest title winner before Carlos Alcaraz won his first in 2021?
2. Which seven players have been the youngest title winner for longer than Alcaraz in ATP history (roughly 2+ years)?
3. Which eight players won a Grand Slam before a younger player won any title?
4. Of the 12 players to win 6+ Slams during the Open Era, only three were never the youngest title winner on tour. Who are they?
5. One of the seven players in question 3 was the youngest player after Bjorn Borg, and was the youngest title winner for about three years. Who is he?

I'm guessing @Fiero425 will get that last one.

p.s. This is based on some research I did, which is probably 90-95% accurate. So feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!

1. I will say Kei Nishikori youngest player to win a title before Alcaraz in 2021, I will look at the other questions a bit later as I am still watching Bercy

 

[El Dude]

1. I will say Kei Nishikori youngest player to win a title before Alcaraz in 2021, I will look at the other questions a bit later as I am still watching Bercy

Just to clarify: I don't mean youngest player to win a title, in terms of history, but youngest active player at the time. Nishikori turned 32 in 2021, so he wasn't the youngest active player then to have a title ;-)

Meaning, Shang isn't the youngest ever to win a title, just currently the youngest active player with a title trophy. Before his win last month, Fils had been the youngest player with a title.

And there have been quite a few players who won titles younger than Alcaraz, though you're right that Nishikori was a few weeks younger than Carlos, and Rafa about a week younger. But there have been eleven players who won titles at age 17, and three who won titles at 16.

That said, I will say that Kei is one of the seven players who were the youngest for longer than Carlos, so you've got 1/7 of question 2!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just to clarify: I don't mean youngest player to win a title, in terms of history, but youngest active player at the time. Nishikori turned 32 in 2021, so he wasn't the youngest active player then to have a title ;-)

Meaning, Shang isn't the youngest ever to win a title, just currently the youngest active player with a title trophy. Before his win last month, Fils had been the youngest player with a title.

And there have been quite a few players who won titles younger than Alcaraz, though you're right that Nishikori was a few weeks younger than Carlos, and Rafa about a week younger. But there have been eleven players who won titles at age 17, and three who won titles at 16.

That said, I will say that Kei is one of the seven players who were the youngest for longer than Carlos, so you've got 1/7 of question 2!

I need a strong expresso and to put on my glasses to read the question correctly 1/7 is not too bad lol!

 

[Fiero425]

Juncheng Shang is currently the youngest title winner on tour, born in February of 2005. Before him it was Arthur Fils, the first player younger than Carlos Alcaraz to win a title (Shang and Perricard have since joined him; Rune is a week older than Alcaraz). Fils was the youngest title winner for about 15 months, from May of 2023 to September of 2024, while Alcaraz was the youngest for almost two years, from June of 2021 to May of 2023.

Here's a few related trivia questions:

1. Who was the youngest active title winner before Carlos Alcaraz won his first in 2021?
2. Which seven players have been the youngest title winner for longer than Alcaraz in ATP history (roughly 2+ years)?
3. Which eight players won a Grand Slam before a younger player won any title?
4. Of the 12 players to win 6+ Slams during the Open Era, only three were never the youngest title winner on tour. Who are they?
5. One of the seven players in question 3 was the youngest player after Bjorn Borg, and was the youngest title winner for about three years. Who is he?

I'm guessing @Fiero425 will get that last one.

p.s. This is based on some research I did, which is probably 90-95% accurate. So feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!

Kind of tired & out of it, but are you making me think Aaron Krickstein? Last I can recall, he became a marine biologist of some sort! Wiki doesn't mention it so probably just a "whim" thing when being interviewed on "60 Min." many years ago! I can't imagine any BOY winning a major younger than Chang! Becker was even more amazing at 17 as he fought thru torrential rains at Wimbledon, tons of delays, & total rain outs in '85! But he "weathered the storm" (No pun intended)! BJK "called it" after Becker won Queens the weeks B4; her big "dark horse" to win Wimbledon in '85! Kids today are so much better, but it's still tough defeating a man who's highly ranked & more mentally tough! End BAB'L!

 

[El Dude]

Kind of tired & out of it, but are you making me think Aaron Krickstein? Last I can recall, he became a marine biologist of some sort! Wiki doesn't mention it so probably just a "whim" thing when being interviewed on "60 Min." many years ago! I can't imagine any BOY winning a major younger than Chang! Becker was even more amazing at 17 as he fought thru torrential rains at Wimbledon, tons of delays, & total rain outs in '85! But he "weathered the storm" (No pun intended)! BJK "called it" after Becker won Queens the weeks B4; her big "dark horse" to win Wimbledon in '85! Kids today are so much better, but it's still tough defeating a man who's highly ranked & more mentally tough! End BAB'L!

Krickstein came a few years later. This is a player who was the youngest active title holder in the mid to late 70s - Borg era. Krickstein won his first title in 1983.

 

[Fiero425]

Krickstein came a few years later. This is a player who was the youngest active title holder in the mid to late 70s - Borg era. Krickstein won his first title in 1983.

If not Borg, I'm lost! Bjorn brought me into the sport watching on TV in '75! He was the lone kid around then as he was seeded 6th (@15 yo) at Wimbledon of '73 being boycotted by most of the top players! He & Connors found themselves highly seeded w/ about 100 players missing in action in protest to Pilic suspension! Most of the top players were a lot older, nearing the end of their careers; Laver, Rosewall, Ashe, Richey, etc.! This takes me way back!

 

[Jelenafan]

Krickstein came a few years later. This is a player who was the youngest active title holder in the mid to late 70s - Borg era. Krickstein won his first title in 1983.

Jimmy Arias?

 

[Jelenafan]

Jimmy Arias?

Or wait, I think he was early 80’s

 

[Jelenafan]

Or wait, I think he was early 80’s

I’m losing it, I’m responding to myself…

 

[Moxie]

I’m losing it, I’m responding to myself…

You're good. This quiz is hard! I'm not even sure I get the questions, yet.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

You're good. This quiz is hard! I'm not even sure I get the questions, yet.

Join me. I need to have a strong expresso and put my reading glasses back on lol! at least I got 1/7 right with Kei Nishorkori which was a pure guess

 

[El Dude]

Well, it might be my brain is still addled from recovering from a cold. I'll try to rephrase, but be succinct:

At any point there is a player who is currently the youngest to have a title to his name. Right now that's Shang; before him was Fils, and before him Alcaraz. Let's go back to a random point, say January of 1997, it was Mark Philippoussis. There was no active player younger than him that had won a title - he was the youngest, until Nicolas Kiefer won his first title later that year.

So the 5th question: Borg was the youngest player to have a title for about a year, from his first in early 1974 until someone younger won a title in early 1975. Who was it?

Spoiler: The Answer

Billy Martin - not the Yankees manager, but a then 18-year old kid who won his first and only title at Little Rock in February of 1975 (Martin was almost eight months younger than Bjorn, born on Christmas of 1956). Martin actually played his first Slam match at the US Open in 1972 when he was 15 years old, taking a set off prime Stan Smith in the 1st round before losing. Martin's pro career didn't amount to much, but he did win the NCAA singles title in 1975 and went on to be the head coach of hte UCLA Bruins men's team in 1994 - a position he still holds today.

 

[El Dude]

Jimmy Arias?

When I started looking into this, I excepted him to be on the list but he wasn't, because there were so many very young players in the 80s. Arias was 18 and 2 months when he won his first title in 1982, but it was the same year that the eight-days-younger Mats Wilander had already won Roland Garros. But Wilander was only the youngest until December, when Pat Cash won his first title.

 

[Moxie]

Here's a few related trivia questions:
1. Who was the youngest active title winner before Carlos Alcaraz won his first in 2021?

Could it be Felix?

Which seven players have been the youngest title winner for longer than Alcaraz in ATP history (roughly 2+ years)?

One has to be Chang, and probably Borg and Nadal? Becker?

Which eight players won a Grand Slam before a younger player won any title?

Borg, Nadal, Chang, Becker....

Of the 12 players to win 6+ Slams during the Open Era, only three were never the youngest title winner on tour. Who are they?

Djokovic has to be one.

One of the seven players in question 3 was the youngest player after Bjorn Borg, and was the youngest title winner for about three years. Who is he?
I'm guessing @Fiero425 will get that last one.

Chang was my best guess for this.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Could it be Felix?

One has to be Chang, and probably Borg and Nadal? Becker?

Borg, Nadal, Chang, Becker....

Djokovic has to be one.

Chang was my best guess for this.

I also thought Chang but after my first attempt I decided not to post lol! before El Dude shut me down in flames

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

10th ATP 1000 ( ie Saudi) event draws nigh,
- The Board received an update on the process for a 10th ATP Masters event
- Following agreement of main commercial terms, management is now negotiating a fully binding long - form agreement
- Estimated start date of 2027 or 2028 ( source Jon Wertheim@ jon-wertheim.)

I would like to know where they are going to fit a 10th Masters 1000 in the tour for starters?
There has been rumors that it could be held before the AO, Craig Tilley has already voiced his opinion of not wanting it held before the AO, I happen to agree, players would have their time off cut for rest/holidays, before they start training for the next season and the tour already starts again in late December.

 

[don_fabio]

10th ATP 1000 ( ie Saudi) event draws nigh,
- The Board received an update on the process for a 10th ATP Masters event
- Following agreement of main commercial terms, management is now negotiating a fully binding long - form agreement
- Estimated start date of 2027 or 2028 ( source Jon Wertheim@ jon-wertheim.)

I would like to know where they are going to fit a 10th Masters 1000 in the tour for starters?
There has been rumors that it could be held before the AO, Craig Tilley has already voiced his opinion of not wanting it held before the AO, I happen to agree, players would have their time off cut for rest/holidays, before they start training for the next season and the tour already starts again in late December.

February is kind of dull (post AO gloom too) and it's not so hot down there. They already have arabic swing in Qatar and UAE.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

February is kind of dull (post AO gloom too) and it's not so hot down there. They already have arabic swing in Qatar and UAE.

Don,
A Masters 1000 event in February after a major? I suppose could work, better than having it before the AO.
I would also like to see all Masters 1000 events back to one week, instead of dragging them out to 2 weeks, in some Masters 1000.

 

[Moxie]

Don,
A Masters 1000 event in February after a major? I suppose could work, better than having it before the AO.
I would also like to see all Masters 1000 events back to one week, instead of dragging them out to 2 weeks, in some Masters 1000.

This is a good point and I agree, particularly if they're trying to add a 10th MS. Keep them to a week. It's one of the reasons they were considered such a big prize...top players, and no rest days.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

#1 was really easy. You all overthought it. It was Jannik Sinner, lol. He won the Sofia Open in November 2020.