Was anyone shocked by Zverev losing. Like. I expected him to pull it out. But I've been watching Kohlschreiber for 10+ years and he's still around because he ain't no slouch. And Zverev has never done well here yet. I just thought that it was possible. Zverev, for all his power and movement and solid play, still has a lot to learn. Especially on hard courts. Far from his best surface. Yes he beat Fed in Canada last year. But his other masters titles and best play comes on the clay. That's his best.
On the other hand, I just do not have the patience for everyone who doesn't have the patience for these young guys to do well in slams. And while I'm not a fan of his so I don't really want to see him do well, I'll take the time to say Zverev is incredibly talented. This young group of guys has a better chance of taking over because Fed, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray (and Wawrinka and DelPo) are all older now than when Dimitrov and Nishikori and Raonic and Goffin and those guys showed up. But also because they all have more talent (or in Nishikori's case, aren't only 5'11" and made of glass). But still don't expect any of the big 4, but especially Nadal, Djokovic or Murray to give up the ghost any time soon.
But. It's like we have to constantly remind everyone that Fed, Nadal and Djokovic are once in a lifetime people. Who got the benefit of being in a serious transition time in tennis. I mean, to an extent, they made it a transition time. But the game was also there for the taking. Safin was never gonna be dominant. Pete's back gave out and he retired at the end of 2002. Hewitt was fast and great at defense but simply didn't have the offensive power to hang with Fed once he was no longer a teenager. Still Federer struggled at the slams at first, but not for as long as some of these guys. He made the 3rd and 4th round very quickly. BUT he lost in the first round of Wimbledon 3 out of his first 4 years with the one year he didn't being the year he beat Pete and went to the quarters, after going to the French quarters that year (2001) and showing everyone what the future held. But it's so important to say that Fed struggled to gain ground for much the same reason that these young guys struggle to gain ground. More of the previous generations top players were still healthy enough to be winning and going deep at the slams. Fed played his first slam in 1999. Agassi dominated 1999. Pete took back over in 2000. Rafter. Ivanesevic. Courier was still playing. Chang too. Todd Martin. Kafelnikov. Rios. Brugera. Guga. Stich. Moya. Pioline. Henman. Rusedski. And then you had the young Hewitt. Plus more.
These kids today have the big 4. Wawrinka. DelPo. Cilic (who is part of Dimitrov, Raonic; but doesn't feel like it). Nishikori. The previous group of guys we thought would take over. And these older grizzled veterans who can go longer than ever because of racket tech and string tech and better physios and training. They can make their games better over the years. They've been at this 10 to 15 years longer than these guys. You can't just expect them to show up and blow everyone out of the water. It's ridiculous. We're basing these kids off of the big 4. And I've already spoken about Fed. Let's do Nadal.
THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER RAFA NADAL! I'm not saying there will never be another teenage slam champion. But the level of clay mastery that Nadal had at just 19 is simply unfathomable. He won the 6th slam he played. And never lost in the first round of a slam until 2013 Wimbledon. But all of that was made possible by his level on clay. One of a kind.
Djokovic again. Once in a generation. At least, he's supposed to be. He turned pro 7 years after Fed. Is 6 years younger. And only a year younger than Nadal. Not even. But these three playing at the same time just isn't supposed to happen. So of course it's going to make it nearly impossible for even incredibly talented teenager to break in. So it's a thing where, basing these new guys off of the big 4 or big 3 is ridiculous and also, those big 3 and 4 are still playing, with all the other seasoned pros, and it's just insane to wonder why these kids can't break through.
Dominic Thiem is a great example. It took him longer to get into grand slam play. He was 20. Started in 2014. But his first four losses were 19th seed Anderson at the AO, NADAL in the second round at the French, Saville, a qualifier at Wimbledon in 1st round (doesn't fit my narrative) and Berdych in the 4th round at the USO. Berdych ranked 6th at the time. Yes, Thiem made the 4th round of the US Open at the first time of asking. Coric and Zverev. Coric lost in qualifying once before qualifying at his second time of asking. Zverev qualified at his fourth time of asking. Coric lost to Estrella Burgos in 2r. No one special. But a Veteran who had spent his life trying to make the top 100. Then Chardy in 1r of 2015 AO. And 3rd round to Sock at 2015 French (would have had to play Nadal in 4r if he'd won). Zverev's first main draw and 1r loss was 2015 Wimbledon. Lost to Kudla. Another journeyman. But he's been around a while by 2015. Qualified a lot. Played a lot. Coric, at this tournament lost to seeded Seppi in the 2r. After taking two of 3 sets, lost 6-1 and 6-1 in the 4th and 5th sets. Seppi a really solid grass court player. At the US Open Coric lost to Nadal in the first round and Zverev lost to seeded Kohlschreiber. AND we've come full circle. So I'll end it there.
