[Blog] 15 Up-and-Coming Players to Watch in 2015

[mrzz]

About Tomic, end of last year I saw a match between him and Dimitrov, I guess it was a semi of some 250. He lost, but I must say his fh was very much improved.

 

[herios]

Only two weeks into the new season and quickly we see some movers as far as your watch list.
I agreed with you when you mentioned that Vesely had a disappointing season, but look at him now, what he does in Auckland.
He will break into the top 50 win or lose tomorrow. Based on how he marched through the field, I think he is now ready to show what he is made of. I think he will catch up to Thiem soon as far as ranking.
Also Pouiile, your 20y old sleeper had a very good event, he is closing on the top 100 fast.

 

[herios]

Here is what El Dude wrote about Thiem and Vesely:
"Prediction: I expect continued steady progress from both. Both, I think, will fully establish themselves in the Top 40, and Thiem might even challenge for the Top 20. I think we’re still a couple years away from their peaks, but both should eventually be fixtures in the Top 20 and may even challenge for the Top 10 as players like Ferrer, Berdych, Wawrinka, and Tsonga age themselves out of it. But that’s probably a couple years away."

So, Vesely caught up right away with Thiem, jumping to 38 from 62, right in front of Thiem.
I seriously think he has a great ^potential. He is tall, robust and moves well and has a big serve.

 

[El Dude]

Good to see Vesely rise, herios. My prediction of those two as "second tier" talents - mean top 10-20 but not top 5 - is basically based upon age:rank ratio and gut feeling. I could be wrong and one or both could be even better. But regardless of era, the true elites are almost always top 10 players by the time they're 21-22. But given their respective ages--that Vesely and Thiem both turn 22 this year, compared to 20 for Kyrgios, 19 for Coric, and 18 for Zverev--we might see better performance from the older two than the young guys.

Anyhow, if I was re-writing that article I might have swapped Pouille in for Chung in the first 15 as Pouille seems like a real sleeper pick to seemingly come out of nowhere this year and surprise. I see him as possibly being this year's version of Thiem last year.

 

[Vince Evert]

Haha, funny TsarMatt. To answer your tongue-in-cheek question somewhat seriously, the reason I don't include Bernie is that he's stagnated for three years in a row. Maybe he'll surprise us and get back on track this year, but I'm not holding my breath.

I think Bernie will surprise in a positive way. He seems to be more fit, movement has improved and his results so far are very good, that loss to Nishikori is nothing to be ashamed about.
My feeling is he is fired up by the buzz Kyrgios and Kokkinakis got and he should be.

I don't see why Tomic is even worth mentioning here. The title of this thread is 'Up and Coming' players. Bernard has been on the tour for 5 years already.

 

[herios]

Haha, funny TsarMatt. To answer your tongue-in-cheek question somewhat seriously, the reason I don't include Bernie is that he's stagnated for three years in a row. Maybe he'll surprise us and get back on track this year, but I'm not holding my breath.

I think Bernie will surprise in a positive way. He seems to be more fit, movement has improved and his results so far are very good, that loss to Nishikori is nothing to be ashamed about.
My feeling is he is fired up by the buzz Kyrgios and Kokkinakis got and he should be.

I don't see why Tomic is even worth mentioning here. The title of this thread is 'Up and Coming' players. Bernard has been on the tour for 5 years already.

On those terms, Nishikori was even longer than Bernie.

 

[Vince Evert]

Yeah him too. Comes to think of it Bernie may have been on the tour even longer than 5.

 

[Riotbeard]

I think Bernie will surprise in a positive way. He seems to be more fit, movement has improved and his results so far are very good, that loss to Nishikori is nothing to be ashamed about.
My feeling is he is fired up by the buzz Kyrgios and Kokkinakis got and he should be.

I don't see why Tomic is even worth mentioning here. The title of this thread is 'Up and Coming' players. Bernard has been on the tour for 5 years already.

On those terms, Nishikori was even longer than Bernie.

To be fair up and coming also implies they are on the rise which accurate of kei and not bernie.

 

[Vince Evert]

If you choose to put it that way, Kei's a late bloomer. Bernard's not even close.

 

[El Dude]

Thanasi Kokkinakis beat Ernests Gulbis in round one - awesome.

 

[mrzz]

When Pouille wasn't tight (I put this under the age account for now), he was giving Monfils a lesson.

 

[herios]

I am bringing this thread up, because I remembered I said something positive about Bernie Tomic back in January.
I was spot on, because he is now even before this IW run, the third most relevant of all these players "to watch" included in El Dude's blog, right behind Kei and Milos.
Bernie is very close to the top 10 in the race to London ranking.

 

[El Dude]

Nice call on Bernie, herios. He really should at least be in the top 20.

 

[Fastgrass]

Good blog.