What happened to...(Forgotten Players)

[El Dude]

I am doing one of my various tennis research projects, and came across a name or two that I had forgotten about. Which got me thinking about a thread idea...who are some players who are "forgotten," but had a moment in the sun, or at least recognition? That is, they came onto the radar for a bit, then disappeared?

Here are a few names to start:

Lucas Pouille. One of the older Next Genners (born Feb, 1994), reached #10 in early 2018. He's won five lesser titles, reached a Slam SF (AO 2019) and a couple QFs. Currently ranked #385. From what I gather, his career was derailed in 2019 due to an elbow injury, and then he had surgery, missed all of 2020, performed poorly in 2021 (5-14 in 13 events, #155), and has struggled this year, mostly playing on Challengers.

Kyle Edmund. Older Next Genner (born 1995), mainly memorable for the 2018 AO when he defeated Grigor Dimitrov in the QF, but lost in the SF to Cilic. Was briefly UK #1 (2018-19). Hasn't played much the last few years due to Covid, then injury.

Jack Sock. Lost Genner (born 1992). A surprising Masters title in 2017 Paris, in a weird tournament that saw a bunch of lesser names in the QF/SF/F (He defeated Filip Krajinovic in the final). He also reached the WTF semifinal that year, losing to eventual champion Grigor Dimitrov. 2017 was the year that the non-Slams began to fall to Lost and Next Gen. Anyhow, Sock has struggled with injuries the last four years, and never reached a Slam QF.

Going back a bit further...

Janko Tipsarevic, aka "the Other Serbian." He actually finished both 2011 and '12 at #9, but never won a big title and fell out of the top 40 for good in 2014, which he didn't play in. Retired in 2019.

Mario Ancic. Like Tipsarevic, born in 1984 and reached as high as #7. Was a pretty good player for a few years, reaching a WImbledon SF in 2004 when he seemed destined to be a fixture in the top 10, then a few QFs in 2006-08. Another guy whose career was derailed by injuries (and mono)...retired in 2010.

Anyone come to mind for you?

 

[britbox]

I am doing one of my various tennis research projects, and came across a name or two that I had forgotten about. Which got me thinking about a thread idea...who are some players who are "forgotten," but had a moment in the sun, or at least recognition? That is, they came onto the radar for a bit, then disappeared?

Here are a few names to start:

Lucas Pouille. One of the older Next Genners (born Feb, 1994), reached #10 in early 2018. He's won five lesser titles, reached a Slam SF (AO 2019) and a couple QFs. Currently ranked #385. From what I gather, his career was derailed in 2019 due to an elbow injury, and then he had surgery, missed all of 2020, performed poorly in 2021 (5-14 in 13 events, #155), and has struggled this year, mostly playing on Challengers.

Kyle Edmund. Older Next Genner (born 1995), mainly memorable for the 2018 AO when he defeated Grigor Dimitrov in the QF, but lost in the SF to Cilic. Was briefly UK #1 (2018-19). Hasn't played much the last few years due to Covid, then injury.

Jack Sock. Lost Genner (born 1992). A surprising Masters title in 2017 Paris, in a weird tournament that saw a bunch of lesser names in the QF/SF/F (He defeated Filip Krajinovic in the final). He also reached the WTF semifinal that year, losing to eventual champion Grigor Dimitrov. 2017 was the year that the non-Slams began to fall to Lost and Next Gen. Anyhow, Sock has struggled with injuries the last four years, and never reached a Slam QF.

Going back a bit further...

Janko Tipsarevic, aka "the Other Serbian." He actually finished both 2011 and '12 at #9, but never won a big title and fell out of the top 40 for good in 2014, which he didn't play in. Retired in 2019.

Mario Ancic. Like Tipsarevic, born in 1984 and reached as high as #7. Was a pretty good player for a few years, reaching a WImbledon SF in 2004 when he seemed destined to be a fixture in the top 10, then a few QFs in 2006-08. Another guy whose career was derailed by injuries (and mono)...retired in 2010.

Anyone come to mind for you?

Further back again... I used to follow the golden generation of post-Borg Swedes in the 1980s. Wilander and Edberg achieved too much to be ever forgotten, but all the following were top 10 players who may have slipped under the legacy radar.

Joakim Nystrom - born 1963, turned pro in 1980 and reached a top ranking of #7. Nystrom won 13 career titles but didn't progress beyond a QF in the majors. However, he won a Wimbledon doubles title with Wilander and 2 Davis Cups.

Mikael Pernfors - born 1963, turned pro in 1985 and reached a top ranking of #10. Won 3 career titles and made a French Open final, losing to Lendl in 1986. Sadly, he might be best remembered for losing to Connors at Wimbledon after throwing away a 6-1 6-1 4-1 lead.

Anders Jarryd - born 1961, turned pro in 1980. A top doubles player (former Doubles #1), Jarryd won 8 doubles majors partnering with Edberg, Simmonson, Seguso and Fitzgerald. He was also a pretty useful singles player, winning 8 titles and reaching a top ranking of #5.

Jonas Svensson - born 1966, turned pro in 1985. Svensson won 5 titles and reaching a top ranking of #10. Best performances in the majors, were back to back semi final appearances at Roland Garros.

Kent Carlsson - born 1968, turned pro in 1983 and reached a top ranking of #6. Carlsson won 9 career titles but plagued by knee injuries, he retired young.

I recall watching a good documentary about this class of Swedish tennis graduates on a plane journey once. They used to travel together a lot as a group - particularly in the earlier days.

 

[Tennis_Steve]

What an interesting thread.

I used to play in Stockholm with a guy who played and trained with Nyström and co. as a junior.
He was good!

Those years, Superpower Sweden!

 

[Kieran]

JJ was a Wimbledon semi finalist, we all know him by his initials, then he vanished. Interesting topic. There’s often lads who beep on the radar for a while, then they go radio-silence. I think it shows how difficult it to maintain a place at the top, even in the top fifty…

 

[britbox]

JJ was a Wimbledon semi finalist, we all know him by his initials, then he vanished. Interesting topic. There’s often lads who beep on the radar for a while, then they go radio-silence. I think it shows how difficult it to maintain a place at the top, even in the top fifty…

I can't think who you're referring to... JJ?

 

[Kieran]

I can't think who you're referring to... JJ?

Exactly, but you might remember him from the Wimbledon semi in 2013. Bloke reached the top 15 and was a prospect for a while:

https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jerzy-janowicz/j397/overview

 

[britbox]

Exactly, but you might remember him from the Wimbledon semi in 2013. Bloke reached the top 15 and was a prospect for a while:

https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jerzy-janowicz/j397/overview

Good call!

 

[Kieran]

Good call!

Gulbis could be another one who threw shapes then scarpered…

 

[britbox]

Gulbis could be another one who threw shapes then scarpered…

I'll never forget Gulbis mate. There was a bunch of whackos back in the day who predicted he'd be a contender for the next major. Approximately four times each year.

 

[El Dude]

Further back again... I used to follow the golden generation of post-Borg Swedes in the 1980s. Wilander and Edberg achieved too much to be ever forgotten, but all the following were top 10 players who may have slipped under the legacy radar.

Joakim Nystrom - born 1963, turned pro in 1980 and reached a top ranking of #7. Nystrom won 13 career titles but didn't progress beyond a QF in the majors. However, he won a Wimbledon doubles title with Wilander and 2 Davis Cups.

Mikael Pernfors - born 1963, turned pro in 1985 and reached a top ranking of #10. Won 3 career titles and made a French Open final, losing to Lendl in 1986. Sadly, he might be best remembered for losing to Connors at Wimbledon after throwing away a 6-1 6-1 4-1 lead.

Anders Jarryd - born 1961, turned pro in 1980. A top doubles player (former Doubles #1), Jarryd won 8 doubles majors partnering with Edberg, Simmonson, Seguso and Fitzgerald. He was also a pretty useful singles player, winning 8 titles and reaching a top ranking of #5.

Jonas Svensson - born 1966, turned pro in 1985. Svensson won 5 titles and reaching a top ranking of #10. Best performances in the majors, were back to back semi final appearances at Roland Garros.

Kent Carlsson - born 1968, turned pro in 1983 and reached a top ranking of #6. Carlsson won 9 career titles but plagued by knee injuries, he retired young.

I recall watching a good documentary about this class of Swedish tennis graduates on a plane journey once. They used to travel together a lot as a group - particularly in the earlier days.

Great list. To add a few more Swedes to your list, from that era:

Henrik Sundstrom - born 1964, reached the top 20 as an 18 year old in 1982, then stalled out for a bit. Was in the top 10 for about a year and a half in 1984-85, then tailed off shortly after. Only reached one Slam WF, won 5 minor titles, and was out of tennis in the late 80s. Another guy with injury problems.

Magnus Gustafsson - born 1967, reached top 10 briefly in 1991 and again in 1994. Like Sundsrom, just one Slam QF but more titles (14) and a much longer career - debuted in 1986 and played until 2001.

Magnus Larsson - born 1970, reached top 10 in 1995. In 1994 he reached the Roland Garros SF, losing to Alberto Berasategui. Most notable achievement was winning the Grand Slam Cup that year, beating Edberg, Agassi, and Martin before defeating Pete Sampras in the final.

Anyhow, in my generations scheme I was tempted to call the 1964-68 group the "Nordic Gen" because of Edberg and Wilander, plus all these other guys, but that isn't fair to Becker...so I'm going with Baltic Gen, because Sweden and Germany are both on the Baltic Sea. Thomas Muster and Michael Stich are probably the 4th and 5th greatest players of that generation, so two Swedes, two Germans, and one Austrian. Northern European might be more accurate.

And another forgotten guy:

Kevin Curren - American born 1958, won only 5 titles but reached #5 in 1985, and the AO Final in 1984 (lost to Wilander), Wimbledon final in 1985 (lost to a 17-year old Becker).The fun fact about Curren is that he's the last of the Borg generation (1954-58) to rank in the top 20, finishing #20 in 1989. He was the only guy of that gen in the year-end top 50 that year...Johan Kriek had fallen out the year before.

 

[Front242]

JJ was a Wimbledon semi finalist, we all know him by his initials, then he vanished. Interesting topic. There’s often lads who beep on the radar for a while, then they go radio-silence. I think it shows how difficult it to maintain a place at the top, even in the top fifty…

Foot injury, back injury, then knee injury and surgery. Such a shame. He's toast unfortunately and challenger circuit only now.

 

[Front242]

Gulbis could be another one who threw shapes then scarpered…

Never been the same since his shoulder issues but having a billionaire dad never did much for his motivation either. Loved his hoes too before he got married. Hell, maybe he still does

https://www.si.com/tennis/2013/02/28/ernests-gulbis-quotes

 

[kskate2]

A plethora of North American's and a few other blokes:
- Taylor Dent
- Sam Querrey
- Donald Young
- Ryan Harrison
- Gilles Muller
- Milos Raonic
- Vasek Pospisil
- Thomaz Bellucci
- Guillermo Coria

 

[El Dude]

I remember when Ryan Harrison and Bernard Tomic were the top young players...didn't last long. Part of Lost Gen, of course. Tomic hasn't played since the 2021 AO, and only 1 tournament in 2020 and '21. Harrison played Delray Beach in 2020-21, but only 7 tournaments in 2019 and thus not a full year since 2018, the last year he finished in the top 100.

I think I wrote a blog article called the "Donald Young Guns" when it was becoming clear that Lost Gen was bad. He was the first Lost Genner to be in the top 100...ranked #100 at the end of 2007, partially due to getting a walkover at the US Open vs Gasquet. He then fell out of the top 100 for a couple years.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I remember when Ryan Harrison and Bernard Tomic were the top young players...didn't last long. Part of Lost Gen, of course. Tomic hasn't played since the 2021 AO, and only 1 tournament in 2020 and '21. Harrison played Delray Beach in 2020-21, but only 7 tournaments in 2019 and thus not a full year since 2018, the last year he finished in the top 100.

I think I wrote a blog article called the "Donald Young Guns" when it was becoming clear that Lost Gen was bad. He was the first Lost Genner to be in the top 100...ranked #100 at the end of 2007, partially due to getting a walkover at the US Open vs Gasquet. He then fell out of the top 100 for a couple years.

Last time I checked Tomic playing on the challenger circuit, won a tournament in Mexico, in 2022 ,former no 17 ranked, I think his ranking is around the 800 mark.

 

[Moxie]

Man, I was trying to think of Tomic's name the other day and couldn't even come up with it.

Lukas Rosol. Hyeon Chung.

 

[El Dude]

A plethora of North American's and a few other blokes:
- Taylor Dent
- Sam Querrey
- Donald Young
- Ryan Harrison
- Gilles Muller
- Milos Raonic
- Vasek Pospisil
- Thomaz Bellucci
- Guillermo Coria

Add Mardy Fish to the list of Americans that couldn't fill big shoes.

 

[Jelenafan]

Kevin Curren - American born 1958, won only 5 titles but reached #5 in 1985, and the AO Final in 1984 (lost to Wilander), Wimbledon final in 1985 (lost to a 17-year old Becker).The fun fact about Curren is that he's the last of the Borg generation (1954-58) to rank in the top 20, finishing #20 in 1989. He was the only guy of that gen in the year-end top 50 that year...Johan Kriek had fallen out the year before.

ETA:
Kevin was South African born, or had the weirdest American accent I ever heard.

Of course there are always the French:

Arnaud Clement made the 2001 AO finals , had a chronic eye issue that made him wear sunglasses on court.

A relatively forgotten man it seems is Sebastian Grosjean. What a creative talent he was, pegged by many (including myself) to be the next #1 in the early 2000’s. Like his compatriot Guy Forget, he was better on faster surfaces than red clay, though he did reach 1 SF at Roland Garros, won 1 masters when the Paris Indoors was a fast slick indoor carpet and IMO the best French player on grass in the open era I ever saw.

From India Vijay Armritraj upset #1 Rod Laver at the USO , never quite had the drive or the hunger.

From the States:

David Wheaton from Minnesota. Had a great SF run at Wimbledon in 91, not a fluke as he beat good players Lendl, Pioline, Agassi,
among others. Tall for his time.

Jan Michael Gambil: Saw him live at the tourney they used to have in San Jose, CA. Reached the Qtrs of 2000 W. Beat quite a few former & future #1’s , but he always stood out to me as the American male version of Monica Seles, with his two handed shots off both wings.

From Thailand:

Pharadon Sichaphan: Wasn’t he the first top ten ranked Male Asian player? Had a big power game, beat a whole slew of top players in his day. Good trivia is that he was the first player to defeat Nadal in any Grand Slam singles match at Wimbledon.

 

[britbox]

Man, I was trying to think of Tomic's name the other day and couldn't even come up with it.

Lukas Rosol. Hyeon Chung.

I think you followed Chung's progress a little more than most, if I remember rightly?

 

[britbox]

Chris Lewis - former 1983 Wimbledon finalist.

We did an interview with him on the old format site back in the day.

I've reposted it here:

TF BFP: Chris Lewis Interview

@El Dude's thread on Forgotten players, reminded me of Chris Lewis, the Kiwi Wimbledon Finalist of 1983 (losing to McEnroe). In the early days of TF, we got a few interviews with various people from the world of tennis (players, umpires, mentors, coaches etc), and we got one from Chris who gave...

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