TENNIS FUTURE IS NOW: NEXTGEN STARS MAKING PLENTY OF NOISE AT UPSIDE-DOWN 2017 U.S. OPEN

Written by: Staff on 1st September 2017

TENNIS FUTURE IS NOW: NEXTGEN STARS MAKING PLENTY OF NOISE AT UPSIDE-DOWN 2017 U.S. OPEN

epa06174791 Andrey Rublev of Russia hits a return to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria on the fourth day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2017. The US Open runs through September 10. EPA-EFE/ANDREW GOMBERT |

By Ricky Dimon

To say the ATP is overdoing it with all the “#NextGen” hype would be an exercise in the understatement. Even the ATP knows it. It’s been getting out of hand for a long time now.

The good news for any of you who feel the same way is that “Next”Gen may not be necessary for much longer. “Next”Gen is becoming the “Now”Gen.

At this year’s U.S. Open, the youngsters are creating the excitement on the men’s side. Yes, 36-year-old Roger Federer has played his part, too, but for the most part it has been all about the young guns so far. Among the 32 men in the third round are Andrey Rublev (19 years old), Borna Coric (20), Denis Shapovalov (18), and Kyle Edmund (22).

Rublev picked up the first top-10 win of his career on Thursday afternoon, stunning Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-3.

“Before (it) was (during the) juniors,” the Russian said when asked about why he has not lived up to the hype until now. “The way I was working, it was not the way to be (a) pro tennis player. Now last year I change everything completely. I change the team completely. In that moment starts the real work. And now I improve in this year. I improve much more than in all my tennis career. This is it.”

Shapovalov has improved drastically in the last month alone. The Canadian upset Rafael Nadal en route to the Montreal semifinals, qualified for the main draw of this U.S. Open, and has defeated fellow up-and-comer Daniil Medvedev and No. 8 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“I played unbelievable today,” Shapovalov said after beating Tsonga during Wednesday’s night session in Arthur Ashe Stadium. “Very high level. Yeah, I don’t know why, but I just managed to stay loose and go for my shots the whole match…. It’s been a long progress. I don’t think I was always mentally solid as I am today. I’ve been working extremely hard on it with my team. I think it’s improved quite a bit.”

Next up for Shapovalov is Edmund, who has not dropped set in victories over Robin Haase and Steve Johnson. Shapovalov-Edmund won’t be the first intriguing clash between youngsters. On Wednesday evening, Coric ousted fellow 20-year-old and No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev in a wildly entertaining contest complete with countless grueling baseline rallies.

Borna Coric of Croatia hits a return to Alexander Zverev of Germany on the third day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 30 August 2017. The US Open runs through September 10. EPA-EFE/RAY STUBBLEBINE

“It’s that NextGen thing,” the Croat said when asked if he has a “rivalry” with Zverev and other players in their generation. “You know, what ATP is promoting–also what we are promoting. I think it’s actually quite cool. I think it does help us, as well, to put us on the map…. I don’t know. I don’t see it as a big rivalry. I think we all have our paths, our careers. We need to go in our way. I’m trying not to look at the other guys, trying to look at myself, to improve my game, to improve my tennis.”

Coric, and many others, are doing a darn good job in the department of improving. Even some of the NextGen losers at this U.S. Open impressed to no end. Frances Tiafoe took Federer to five on Tuesday night, Taylor Fritz pushed Dominic Thiem to 7-5 in the fourth on Thursday, and Jared Donaldson almost came back from two sets down against Lucas Pouille before losing 6-4 in the fifth.

Is changing of the guard here? Federer, for one, predicted during his Thursday press conference that such a change was still a few years away. And who’s to argue with Federer? The guy knows what he’s talking about–and, after this U.S. Open he and the 31-year-old Nadal will be ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in some order. The old guys are not done yet.

But they know as well as anyone that the NextGen is coming. And coming fast.