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Delpo's 2017 schedule
- Thread starter isabelle
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El Dude
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I like del Potro as well (who doesn't?) but I think this whole "tennis needs him" meme is a bit misplaced, or at least a few years past date. Delpo was supposed to be the guy that turned the Big Four into a Big Five...One could easily imagine that 2009 year-end Top 5 continuing for a half decade or more, in some form or fashion. But it wasn't to be, and instead we got Big Four dominance, until Stan came along in 2014.
So I think tennis "urgently needing" Delpo is more relevant four or five years ago. Stan broke up the party in 2014, and then Cilic book-ended it later in the year. And Stan has been there, winning a Slam each year, reminding all of us that the Big Four are beatable.
I wrote an article over at Tennis Frontier that talked about the frequency of new Slam winners, and why there should be a new Slam winner in 2017, if the year follows historical trends. If there's not, it will be the first time in the Open Era that we've gone three full years without a new Slam winner. That said, after seeing Roger win AO, and knowing that Rafa, Andy, and Novak will be hungry to get their titles (not to mention Stan), it might be hard for a new champion to emerge. Probably in 2018.
But back to Delpo. My point is simply that tennis might have urgently needed him in 2010-13, when the Big Four won every single Slam, but now not only do we have Stan in the mix, but there's a young cohort that is stronger than five years ago. What I think tennis urgently needs is for those young players--be it the "older" (relatively speaking) Dimitrov, Raonic, and Nishikori finally breaking through, at least in the Masters, or the younger generation of Thiem, Kyrgios, Zverev, etc, taking a step forward.
That said, Delpo could be a stealth dark-horse. I've said here or at TF that I think we're going to see the Big Four hegemony start to break up more on the Masters level; the Slams will still likely be dominated by the usual suspects, but I could see a Masters or three going to a new champion. Delpo still hasn't won one, so he'd be a prime candidate. A Slam? Hard to see it at this point, but you never know.
So I think tennis "urgently needing" Delpo is more relevant four or five years ago. Stan broke up the party in 2014, and then Cilic book-ended it later in the year. And Stan has been there, winning a Slam each year, reminding all of us that the Big Four are beatable.
I wrote an article over at Tennis Frontier that talked about the frequency of new Slam winners, and why there should be a new Slam winner in 2017, if the year follows historical trends. If there's not, it will be the first time in the Open Era that we've gone three full years without a new Slam winner. That said, after seeing Roger win AO, and knowing that Rafa, Andy, and Novak will be hungry to get their titles (not to mention Stan), it might be hard for a new champion to emerge. Probably in 2018.
But back to Delpo. My point is simply that tennis might have urgently needed him in 2010-13, when the Big Four won every single Slam, but now not only do we have Stan in the mix, but there's a young cohort that is stronger than five years ago. What I think tennis urgently needs is for those young players--be it the "older" (relatively speaking) Dimitrov, Raonic, and Nishikori finally breaking through, at least in the Masters, or the younger generation of Thiem, Kyrgios, Zverev, etc, taking a step forward.
That said, Delpo could be a stealth dark-horse. I've said here or at TF that I think we're going to see the Big Four hegemony start to break up more on the Masters level; the Slams will still likely be dominated by the usual suspects, but I could see a Masters or three going to a new champion. Delpo still hasn't won one, so he'd be a prime candidate. A Slam? Hard to see it at this point, but you never know.
Moxie
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You make a very clear-eyed point, Dude. The time when tennis really "needed" him has passed, or surely when he was going to have a big impact on history. However, if he can come back strong and healthy, he'll surely be very good for tennis. He showed that at the Olympics and by winning DC for Argentina, in the very little we saw of him last year. Having a player as good and exciting as he is back in the mix has to be good for the game. I could imagine a Slam, but it will depend on how high he comes back, and that will take some time to see.
El Dude
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Yes, agreed. And of course it is good to remember that he's still younger than Stan Wawrinka was when Stan won his first Slam. Of course Stan is a historical outlier (dare I say, freak), but he should give hope to all the late-20s to 30s players who haven't won big yet.
At the very least, Del Potro is is an interesting player to watch. Even if he never wins a Slam again, if he's healthy he could be dangerous for a few years, play spoiler at Slams, and win a bunch of other tournaments, including a Masters.
At the very least, Del Potro is is an interesting player to watch. Even if he never wins a Slam again, if he's healthy he could be dangerous for a few years, play spoiler at Slams, and win a bunch of other tournaments, including a Masters.
Moxie
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Stan IS an oddity. I'll just credit Magnus Norman, and leave it at that. But his late-career success should give heart to Juan Martin, especially since the Big 4 are aging out and have loads more miles on them. There are other players coming up, but, fingers crossed, Del Potro could hit his stride again before they've all got their feet under them. He does have the talent and the confidence of a Slam under his belt. We shall see.
mrzz
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I really don´t buy the "tennis needs him" mantra for anyone, maybe not even for Fedal. But I particularly would like to see del Potro in the mix, and he is one of the few, if not the only one, who had already proven that he can play like the big 4 + Wawrinka in a consistent basis. Which other player has this number of classic matches against them (which include victories)?
I agree that his time window passed for him to "make history", but, hell, what if he comes and wins tow majors in the next, say, five years? It is quite fine by me, we don´t need everyone to be a threat to Fedalovic -- it does not even make sense.
And, by the way, if he gets/stays healthy he can indeed make history, but in a different way. He could end up as the guy who stood in Djokovic´s way to get #18, he and Murray could make the next 5 slam finals and develop a new rivalry, he could stop all the guys of the next generation... he might well do nothing as well, but sometimes it seems that we wrongly doubt the capacity that history has to write itself new interesting chapters... hell, one just happened...
I agree that his time window passed for him to "make history", but, hell, what if he comes and wins tow majors in the next, say, five years? It is quite fine by me, we don´t need everyone to be a threat to Fedalovic -- it does not even make sense.
And, by the way, if he gets/stays healthy he can indeed make history, but in a different way. He could end up as the guy who stood in Djokovic´s way to get #18, he and Murray could make the next 5 slam finals and develop a new rivalry, he could stop all the guys of the next generation... he might well do nothing as well, but sometimes it seems that we wrongly doubt the capacity that history has to write itself new interesting chapters... hell, one just happened...
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shawnbm
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Delpo always plays Miami and he is again this year, so I will get to see him again--which I like. As for tennis needing him, I can see the points of the posts above. Time and the sport have been very unfair to him--wrist injuries (along with knees) can wreak havoc on a professional. I think a lot of it is mental after they have fully rehabilitated. Understandable, mind you, but hard to get over. This is what makes that Fedal final so extraordinary, in addition their respective ages. They both came back from those kinds of gnawing injuries (and a surgery) that can stick in a player's mind.
As for his ability to compete at the highest levels again, I firmly believe he can. His forehand is still a monster and his service gets him points. He must--to succeed--be able to fully hit out on the backhand side. This slice thing is not going to do it for him. If he is mentally or physically unable to come over the ball and crush backhands, then he will likely languish in the top thirty and occasionally grab another big scalp. If he can get back to playing as we know he has been capable, then I would say he will be in semis and finals over the next three years--of Masters and major events.
As for his ability to compete at the highest levels again, I firmly believe he can. His forehand is still a monster and his service gets him points. He must--to succeed--be able to fully hit out on the backhand side. This slice thing is not going to do it for him. If he is mentally or physically unable to come over the ball and crush backhands, then he will likely languish in the top thirty and occasionally grab another big scalp. If he can get back to playing as we know he has been capable, then I would say he will be in semis and finals over the next three years--of Masters and major events.
This is just great time for mens tennis, i do not remember time in my "short" history, when there was so many relevant contenders for grand slam titles. There is not just two, but at least six players who can make impact and gain trophy. Djokovic, Murray, Federer, Nadal, Wavrinka and one of DelPotro, Cilic, Nishikori, Dimitrov are ready to compete. That is just great.
