The Next Generation of Tennis Stars: Can Zverev, Thiem, and Tsitsipas Keep Up?

It wasn’t that long ago that Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas were predicted to have a bright future. Zverev won his first Masters in Rome in 2017 when he was just 20 years old, subsequently rose to the top ten in the world rankings and won the ATP Finals at the end of the year. Tsitsipas followed suit in 2019 at the age of 21: climbed into the top ten, triumphed in London.

Like Dominic Thiem (top ten for the first time at 22), Daniil Medvedev (23), Andrey Rublev (22), Matteo Berrettini (23), Casper Ruud (22) and Taylor Fritz (24), they were among the elite of tennis at a young age -Sports, won 1000 competitions and thus naturally rose to the favorites for the Grand Slam events.

Alone: ​​At the four major tournaments of the calendar year, the old masters still set the tone.

Only Thiem and Medvedev managed to break through the phalanx of the “Big Three” – Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer – in New York in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Zverev part of the “Lost Generation”?

In 2023, only Djokovic will be left of the old guard. It’s still not enough for the “Lost Generation” to make the big splash – because they are being overtaken by the next generation.

Carlos Alcaraz (20) has overtaken the Zverev generation by winning titles at the US Open 2022 and Wimbledon 2023.

With Holger Rune (20/fourth in the world rankings) and Jannik Sinner (22/currently seventh, was already sixth), two more youngsters are overtaking her.

Lorenzo Musetti (21/18) is another promising candidate, Ben Shelton (20/19) was already in the semi-finals in New York. Félix Auger-Aliassime (23/14) has already shown great potential, but is having a weak season.

The pressure leaves traces

For Zverev and Co., the “championship window”, as the time period for a possible title win is called in US sports, seems to be closing.

In addition to brilliant sporting performances, Tsitsipas, Rublev, Fritz and Zverev – currently all in the top ten – sometimes lack physical ailments as well as the right mental condition at Grand Slams. Keyword: (self-made) pressure. For example, there is no other explanation for Rublev’s series of nine lost Grand Slam quarterfinals.

On the other hand, tennis legends often criticize Zverev and Co. for their lack of bite for the big hit. Eurosport expert Boris Becker recently told the German number one in the Eurosport podcast Das Gelbe vom Ball not to rest on his laurels in his comeback season.

“He can’t be satisfied with a semi-final or a quarter-final. His goal has to be: I want to win a Grand Slam tournament. I want to be number one in the world rankings – and why not?” said Becker about Zverev, who After his ankle injury in Paris, he was at least in the semi-finals of a major again.

Becker sees Zverev again “in the concert of the greats”

In New York, his round of 16 victory over Sinner was a confirmation “that he can really keep up with the very best, both physically and playfully.”

A lap later, Zverev had no chance against Alcaraz. The six-time Grand Slam winner said that Zverev is “playing in the big leagues again,” but he will have to “step it up a notch” by next year at the latest.

Becker: “That’s always the damn thing: If you play well one year, then you don’t just have to confirm it the next year, you want to improve. That’s why I really hope that he gets into the Grand Slam tournament again Finals are coming, maybe even winning one.” Because: Zverev is “really good enough for it. That has to be the motivation too.”

Zverev, Thiem and Tsitsipas didn’t get the spotlight

Realistically speaking, there were only three candidates for a Grand Slam victory in 2023: Djokovic, Alcaraz and Medvedev. Tsitsipas has now also recognized this, and he is a little sad about his chances.

Becker “speechless”: Djokovic is pushing the boundaries

“There was a gap, roughly between 2018 and 2020… before Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune. Then the whole spotlight was on me, Zverev and Dominic Thiem,” said the Greek to “Kathimerini” in his home country. However, the “Big Three” won ten of the eleven Grand Slam tournaments held during this period.

Tsitsipas himself failed in the final of the French Open in 2021 after a 2-0 set lead against Djokovic (7:6, 6:2, 3:6, 2:6, 4:6), as well as this January at the Australian Open (3:6 , 6:7, 6:7).

And now new stars are on the way. “Now the scene has changed. We’re not that young anymore. Young players have enormous energy, thirst and no fear. They play freely and don’t worry about anything,” says the now 25-year-old about the youngsters. After the failures of the past, what his generation lacks above all is carefreeness.

Tsitsipas: The carefree attitude is gone

However, your own perspective has also changed. “The key for me is the balance between private life, building a relationship and developing your career with the help of this person,” he said, referring to his ongoing search for a coach.

As a child he was “addicted” to tennis. But he also says: “He took something from me.”

That doesn’t mean that he is already satisfied with what he has achieved, the Greek added. However, the focus is on “improving myself as a player”. Winning a Grand Slam title and being number one in the world is “by no means everything anymore” for him. This may no longer happen for him and others of the former “Next Generation”.

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2023-09-22 08:54:00
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