Is there any hope for...

[Murat Baslamisli]

.. a teenage slam champion in the next 2-3 years? Who do you think has the best chance? Who is closest to being ready physically? I would say Zverev is the closest but it is still a tiny chance. Him being 18 might help... Who do you got?

 

[Front242]

None look good enough imo.

 

[Federberg]

It's going to be a long long while... if ever. Tennis has changed. Sports have changed. Physical strength is at a premium now. Much tougher for a young guy to have an impact now. If one does crop up (and I don't think there's any on the horizon), he'll likely be a physical freak of some sort. 6ft 5, build like a open side flanker, and as fast as Usain Bolt. It'll be something we've never seen before. This thread sort of ties in with the discussion we were having about what the next dominant style will be. Whoever it is, will have to do something a little different

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

its a long shot but..borna coric has another 5 majors before he is 20 in nov2016

felix auger aliassime (nickname is 'small colin' via me on talktennis) age 14 (b.aug 8th 2000).

youngest player to win world rank points, is the other, anyone seen him ?..have a look on youtube, lost last night to 19yr old Japanese guy rank 140 in 3rd set qf challenger in Canada. qualified from challenger in april but withdrew from 1st rd (abdominal injury), won 3 qualifying matches this week then played 3 more in run to qf, talktennis folk worked out world rank will be in 700s come rank chart update.

small colin has another interesting fact he shares the same burfdayy as roger Federer. aug 8th 2000.

clearly no-one know at 15 how he'ill turn out, but if anyone can win majors before 20 then why not him ?. he's good. and beating adults already.

 

[Moxie]

its a long shot but..borna coric has another 5 majors before he is 20 in nov2016

felix auger aliassime (nickname is 'small colin' via me on talktennis) age 14 (b.aug 8th 2000).

youngest player to win world rank points, is the other, anyone seen him ?..have a look on youtube, lost last night to 19yr old Japanese guy rank 140 in 3rd set qf challenger in Canada. qualified from challenger in april but withdrew from 1st rd (abdominal injury), won 3 qualifying matches this week then played 3 more in run to qf, talktennis folk worked out world rank will be in 700s come rank chart update.

small colin has another interesting fact he shares the same burfdayy as roger Federer. aug 8th 2000.

clearly no-one know at 15 how he'ill turn out, but if anyone can win majors before 20 then why not him ?. he's good. and beating adults already.

IMO, you are the best scout of young talent around here, JLLB. I'll be looking out for your Small Colin. I like Coric as the best option for a teenager to win a Slam. He's currently 33 in the live rankings. I like his game and his head. Zverev is not as highly ranked but very tall (6'6"). (Currently #142, highest #74.) Christian Garin is 19 (20 next May,) so probably won't win as a teenager, but is placed to become a clay threat. (Currently #249.) I'll bring Francis Tiafoe back into the conversation. He's 17, ranked #293, but he got a WC into the FO, which is great experience on the Slam stage.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

yes..tiafoe, zverev, big kokk, that south Korean bloke heyeon chung or something?? is he 18 ?..there are a few teenagers floating around. any of them winning a major as a teen seems almost not possible..but we will see.

 

[herios]

.. a teenage slam champion in the next 2-3 years? Who do you think has the best chance? Who is closest to being ready physically? I would say Zverev is the closest but it is still a tiny chance. Him being 18 might help... Who do you got?

A big fat NO

 

[GameSetAndMath]

.. a teenage slam champion in the next 2-3 years? Who do you think has the best chance? Who is closest to being ready physically? I would say Zverev is the closest but it is still a tiny chance. Him being 18 might help... Who do you got?

In a wise move, ATP is planning to schedule a special "under 21 only" tournament in the week before the WTF. Recall that after the Bercy is over, there is a week gap before the WTF happens. This tourney will happen in that lull period. However, ATP is not planning to give any points to these guys in this tourney. It is just to showcase them. Hopefully, they will give them some moolah though.

Also, ATP is planning to use this tourney as a "test bed" to experiment with rule changes to the game.

 

[herios]

its a long shot but..borna coric has another 5 majors before he is 20 in nov2016

felix auger aliassime (nickname is 'small colin' via me on talktennis) age 14 (b.aug 8th 2000).

youngest player to win world rank points, is the other, anyone seen him ?..have a look on youtube, lost last night to 19yr old Japanese guy rank 140 in 3rd set qf challenger in Canada. qualified from challenger in april but withdrew from 1st rd (abdominal injury), won 3 qualifying matches this week then played 3 more in run to qf, talktennis folk worked out world rank will be in 700s come rank chart update.

small colin has another interesting fact he shares the same burfdayy as roger Federer. aug 8th 2000.

clearly no-one know at 15 how he'ill turn out, but if anyone can win majors before 20 then why not him ?. he's good. and beating adults already.

IMO, you are the best scout of young talent around here, JLLB. I'll be looking out for your Small Colin. I like Coric as the best option for a teenager to win a Slam. He's currently 33 in the live rankings. I like his game and his head. Zverev is not as highly ranked but very tall (6'6"). (Currently #142, highest #74.) Christian Garin is 19 (20 next May,) so probably won't win as a teenager, but is placed to become a clay threat. (Currently #249.) I'll bring Francis Tiafoe back into the conversation. He's 17, ranked #293, but he got a WC into the FO, which is great experience on the Slam stage.

You may forget about Garin. He will do not much. His results since in the 200's are not good.

 

[herios]

.. a teenage slam champion in the next 2-3 years? Who do you think has the best chance? Who is closest to being ready physically? I would say Zverev is the closest but it is still a tiny chance. Him being 18 might help... Who do you got?

Perhaps you should rephrase your question, when will a teenage player win ANY event? Because I forgot who was the last one who managed to win an event, it was THAT long time ago.
By the way, last one I think was Nishikori, who won Delray Beach in 2008.
On this long drought alone, it is kinda clear why we will not have any teenage slam champions any time soon.

 

[El Dude]

Do you mean winning a Slam as a teenager? Among players on the pro tour right now, I'd say no - not a chance. It simply won't happen.

But if you're asking who among the current teens will eventually win a Slam or three, then I'll say that Kyrgios, Coric, Zverev, Kokkinakis, Chung, Kozlov, Donaldson, Ymer, Rublev, Lee, Safiullin, Jasika, Halys...etc, all have a chance.

But I'm not really sure what you're asking.

 

[herios]

Do you mean winning a Slam as a teenager? Among players on the pro tour right now, I'd say no - not a chance. It simply won't happen.

But if you're asking who among the current teens will eventually win a Slam or three, then I'll say that Kyrgios, Coric, Zverev, Kokkinakis, Chung, Kozlov, Donaldson, Ymer, Rublev, Lee, Safiullin, Jasika, Halys...etc, all have a chance.

But I'm not really sure what you're asking.

I thought murat was clear. He said "teenage slam champion".

 

[tented]

Since Rafa was the last guy to do this, it's worth reviewing his career the year it happened: 2005. Here are a few excerpts from his Wikipedia page:

"2005: First Grand Slam title
At the 2005 Australian Open, Nadal lost in the fourth round to eventual runner-up Lleyton Hewitt. Two months later, Nadal reached the final of the 2005 Miami Masters, and despite being two points from a straight-sets victory, he was defeated in five sets by world No. 1 Roger Federer. Both performances were considered to be breakthroughs for Nadal.
He then dominated the spring clay court season. He won 24 consecutive singles matches, which broke Andre Agassi's Open Era record of consecutive match wins for a male teenager. Nadal won the Torneo Conde de Godó in Barcelona and beat 2004 French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria in the finals of the 2005 Monte Carlo Masters and the 2005 Rome Masters. These victories raised his ranking to world No. 5 and made him one of the favorites at his career-first French Open. On his 19th birthday, Nadal defeated Federer in the 2005 French Open semifinals, being one of only four players who defeated the top-seeded player that year (along with Marat Safin, Richard Gasquet, and David Nalbandian). Two days later, he defeated Mariano Puerta in the final, becoming the second male player after Mats Wilander to win the French Open on his first attempt. He also became the first teenager to win a Grand Slam singles title since Pete Sampras won the 1990 US Open at age 19. Winning the French Open improved Nadal's ranking to world No. 3.

Both Nadal and Federer won eleven singles titles and four ATP Masters Series titles in 2005. Nadal broke Mats Wilander's previous teenage record of nine in 1983. Nine of Nadal's titles were on clay, and the remainder were on hard courts. Nadal won 79 matches, second only to Federer's 81. Nadal won the Golden Bagel Award for 2005, with eleven 6–0 sets during the year. Also, he earned the highest year-end ranking ever by a Spaniard and the ATP Most Improved Player of the Year award."

He was having quite a year. It wasn't only that he won a GS as a teenager; he was winning a lot, his ranking was quickly rising near the top, he was beating the best players on the planet.

I post this not to turn it into a Nadal thread, but to point out the degree of accomplishments surrounding that initial GS win. It's not a must, of course, but it's likely that the next guy to win a GS as a teenager will need to be having a highly successful year -- and that's what I don't see.

Sure, we can hang our hopes on some of the young guns, such as Coric, Zverev, or Kokkinakis -- and I hope they do win GSs -- but none of them are having even close to the level of success Nadal was having at their age.

 

[Fiero425]

I think a few have the ability, but the problem will always be the final! Getting there is a lot easier than winning it; esp. when 1 of the BIG 4 has usually been there waiting! Most Major Finals are more mental; seeing as most 1st timers "melt" under the pressure long before they can get there! The reason we give this group at the top more credit than past eras is because they have consistently taken just about all major titles for nearly a decade with few exceptions! Back in the day you could just about always "count" on an upset or 2! It just hasn't happened that much until recently; esp. with Nadal at Wimbledon! :cover :nono :angel: :dodgy: :eyepop

 

[tented]

I think a few have the ability, but the problem will always be the final! Getting there is a lot easier than winning it; esp. when 1 of the BIG 4 has usually been there waiting! Most Major Finals are more mental; seeing as most 1st timers "melt" under the pressure long before they can get there! The reason we give this group at the top more credit than past eras is because they have consistently taken just about all major titles for nearly a decade with few exceptions!

This is an important point, which stresses how unlikely it is for a teenager to win a GS. Even if, say, Coric finds himself in the US Open final, he will most likely be facing a top seed, if not Djokovic or Federer. Does anyone really give Coric a chance in that match? Not me.

A teenager would require many unlikely things to occur even to make it to a GS final these days, nevertheless win one. If he's in the top half of the draw, he would need Djokovic to go out by the QFs, for example, in order to prevent the young gun from encountering him in a SF. In the bottom half, Federer would have to lose by the SF at the latest, to keep him out of the final.

Again, these aren't givens, but they're the kinds of things which would most likely need to happen for a teenager to win a GS these days. He would practically need to have it handed to him.

 

[Fiero425]

I think a few have the ability, but the problem will always be the final! Getting there is a lot easier than winning it; esp. when 1 of the BIG 4 has usually been there waiting! Most Major Finals are more mental; seeing as most 1st timers "melt" under the pressure long before they can get there! The reason we give this group at the top more credit than past eras is because they have consistently taken just about all major titles for nearly a decade with few exceptions!

This is an important point, which stresses how unlikely it is for a teenager to win a GS. Even if, say, Coric finds himself in the US Open final, he will most likely be facing a top seed, if not Djokovic or Federer. Does anyone really give Coric a chance in that match? Not me.

A teenager would require many unlikely things to occur even to make it to a GS final these days, nevertheless win one. If he's in the top half of the draw, he would need Djokovic to go out by the QFs, for example, in order to prevent the young gun from encountering him in a SF. In the bottom half, Federer would have to lose by the SF at the latest, to keep him out of the final.

Again, these aren't givens, but they're the kinds of things which would most likely need to happen for a teenager to win a GS these days. He would practically need to have it handed to him.

Honey, I just said that; just in less winding way with no proper names! uzzled :nono :angel: :dodgy: :ras:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

JMDP is almost a teenager when he reached USO. The widespread consensus (including my own thinking prior to that fina) was that Fed will teach JMDP a lessor and he was lucky to have a green horn across the net. But, what happened in that match. JMDP really took it to Fed with powerful groundies on both wings.

Moral of the story is that anything can happen.

p.s. I am not particularly impressed by Borna Coric despite his results. His game seems to be a conventional baseline game without much imagination. He is rising up by sheer consistency, that's all.

 

[Kirijax]

Tennis Australia offered sit down with Bernard Tomic and clear the air but Tomic refused them. It could be a long time before he plays for Australia in the Davis Cup again.

Article

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Since Rafa was the last guy to do this, it's worth reviewing his career the year it happened: 2005. Here are a few excerpts from his Wikipedia page:

"2005: First Grand Slam title
At the 2005 Australian Open, Nadal lost in the fourth round to eventual runner-up Lleyton Hewitt. Two months later, Nadal reached the final of the 2005 Miami Masters, and despite being two points from a straight-sets victory, he was defeated in five sets by world No. 1 Roger Federer. Both performances were considered to be breakthroughs for Nadal.
He then dominated the spring clay court season. He won 24 consecutive singles matches, which broke Andre Agassi's Open Era record of consecutive match wins for a male teenager. Nadal won the Torneo Conde de Godó in Barcelona and beat 2004 French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria in the finals of the 2005 Monte Carlo Masters and the 2005 Rome Masters. These victories raised his ranking to world No. 5 and made him one of the favorites at his career-first French Open. On his 19th birthday, Nadal defeated Federer in the 2005 French Open semifinals, being one of only four players who defeated the top-seeded player that year (along with Marat Safin, Richard Gasquet, and David Nalbandian). Two days later, he defeated Mariano Puerta in the final, becoming the second male player after Mats Wilander to win the French Open on his first attempt. He also became the first teenager to win a Grand Slam singles title since Pete Sampras won the 1990 US Open at age 19. Winning the French Open improved Nadal's ranking to world No. 3.

Both Nadal and Federer won eleven singles titles and four ATP Masters Series titles in 2005. Nadal broke Mats Wilander's previous teenage record of nine in 1983. Nine of Nadal's titles were on clay, and the remainder were on hard courts. Nadal won 79 matches, second only to Federer's 81. Nadal won the Golden Bagel Award for 2005, with eleven 6–0 sets during the year. Also, he earned the highest year-end ranking ever by a Spaniard and the ATP Most Improved Player of the Year award."

He was having quite a year. It wasn't only that he won a GS as a teenager; he was winning a lot, his ranking was quickly rising near the top, he was beating the best players on the planet.

I post this not to turn it into a Nadal thread, but to point out the degree of accomplishments surrounding that initial GS win. It's not a must, of course, but it's likely that the next guy to win a GS as a teenager will need to be having a highly successful year -- and that's what I don't see.

Sure, we can hang our hopes on some of the young guns, such as Coric, Zverev, or Kokkinakis -- and I hope they do win GSs -- but none of them are having even close to the level of success Nadal was having at their age.

Good post. It also tells me though that it will most likely take a specialist teenager to win a slam. Rafa was a clay monster...he won everything leading up to RG. Reminds me of Boris Becker, who was already becoming a monster on grass in the tournaments leading up to Wimby. I think the teenager who will win a slam will not be just a good player who catches fire in a slam. He will already be a great specialized player on one surface. And that probably means it will be a RG or a Wimby. Because hard courts are great equalizers. Tough to specialize on those.

 

[DarthFed]

I don't see it happening in the next few years but I also don't think it will be another 15 years before we see another one. A big part of the reason is that the tour figures to become a lot more wide open in the next few years when Djokovic and Murray will be declining and Fedal will either be gone or just about out the door.