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- Reilly Opelka is essentially the most highly effective and efficient server within the males’s sport. He’s presently World No.18.
- Cameron Norrie is a wall on defence. He’s presently World No.11.
- Casper Ruud can be dominant and hits a stable forehand. He’s presently World No.8.
- Carlos Alcaraz has energy, smarts, creativity and fireplace that propelled him up the rankings with blinding pace. He’s presently World No.6 (and headed straight to the highest).
- Novak Djokovic is the ATP’s prime returner, and his quickness, drive and talent to adapt to totally different surfaces make him the wide-ranging participant he’s. He’s presently World No.1.
A bit of nearer to residence:
- Denis Shapovalov is fantastically proficient and has a hearth backhand, nice showmanship and a conceit that works for him. He’s presently World No.15.
- Félix Auger-Aliassime is the epitome of cool, calm and picked up, regular from the baseline and wonderful on serve. He’s presently World No.9.
Whereas we’d all like their studying curves to be a bit of quicker, the younger veterans have definitely made a spot for themselves among the many world elite. They thrill us and preserve us glued to our TVs, tablets and telephones as we comply with their progress and achievements among the many better of the very best.
After I first began fascinated by this piece, I browsed by means of the High 20 and thought of every participant’s skills and rating.
They’re all nice, however not essentially in each facet of the sport. The closest man to ATP perfection is the chief of the pack, Novak Djokovic.
If we glance past the latest controversy that’s plagued him, we should acknowledge that he’s masterful. And remarkably so.
Regardless of operating behind his rivals as a result of that aforementioned controversy, he’s shortly catching up so far as his type. He can attribute his 27-month reign to his skill to align each high quality wanted in tennis on the common.
That’s one thing none of his rivals have been in a position to do, as skilled, legendary or doubtlessly proficient as they might be.
However again to our Canadians.
This season, they hit the bottom operating on the ATP Cup. Since then, Félix has been the extra constant of the 2, though Indian Wells and Miami have been a little bit of a bust, and his begin on clay did not impress.
Final week in Rome, we might have cherished for unfortunate Friday the thirteenth to throw up a couple of roadblocks for his or her respective opponents within the quarters. Nonetheless, our heroes put up valiant battles in opposition to two massive gamers. Shapovalov fell 7-6 (7), 7-5 to Ruud, and Auger-Aliassime misplaced to Djokovic 7-5, 7-6. Each matches have been thrilling to look at.
The Canadians have confirmed they’ve what it takes to make it within the massive leagues. Even together with his persistent foot damage, Rafa Nadal and his aura have the facility to discourage quite a lot of gamers, however Shapo discovered a method to get handed him for the second time in his profession. What’s extra, he did it on the Spaniard’s favorite floor.
Denis and FAA nonetheless make too many unforced errors, double faults and unhealthy choices, however because the months and years go by, they’ve fewer and fewer unhealthy habits and are including increasingly more constructive components to their video games.
Shapovalov will be inconsistent, however there’s so much much less yelling on the courtroom since he’s discovered a method to channel his internal zen. He slipped up in Rome, however the way in which he’s in a position to claw his manner again right into a match is proof he’s obtained issues below management.
As for Félix, his reliable forehand serves him effectively. In Rome, he began to throw in a couple of extra drop photographs, and his persistence in lengthy rallies is admittedly beginning to repay. I don’t suppose it’s essential to repeat that he’s among the many quickest and most athletic gamers on the tour—two bodily skills that make him an distinctive participant.
The time when Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov can tick off many of the containers on the ATP report card by which solely the best gamers are measured isn’t far off.
Earlier than you realize it, they’ll be fixtures within the High 10 and the High 5.
Novak bats a thousand
Novak Djokovic will keep in mind 2022 for lots of causes.
His yr obtained off to a nightmarish begin, however the clay courts the place the Djoker returned will at all times stay the place the place he hit 1,000 wins—one thing solely 4 ATP legends achieved earlier than him.
His 1,000th got here within the semis in Rome, the ultimate stopover en path to Roland-Garros, with a win over Casper Ruud (6-4, 6-3).
The very subsequent day, Djokovic hit no.1,001 when he overpowered Stefanos Tsitsipas within the closing (6-0, 7-6(5)). The win additionally made him the primary participant in historical past to triumph at six totally different Masters 1000 occasions with out dropping a set.
After only one match on the onerous courts in Dubai, the World No.1 launched into a run worthy of his rating. A month later, his file was 10–3.
Djokovic grew to become the fifth member of the choose group of males with 1,000 wins, becoming a member of the ranks of among the largest names within the sport.
Participant Document Win %
- Jimmy Connors 1,274–283 81.8
- Roger Federer 1,251–275 81.9
- Ivan Lendl 1,068–242 81.5
- Rafael Nadal 1,051–212 86.6
- Novak Djokovic 1,001–203 83.0
By the way, check out the win percentages. Nadal leads the group, adopted by Djokovic and Federer.
It’s fairly exceptional that there are three lively gamers within the High 5, and there’s little likelihood they’ll be ousted any time quickly. Following them on the listing is Andy Murray with 701.
So far as the youthful technology, 25-year-old Alexander Zverev is forward with 331. There’s additionally Carlos Alcaraz, who appears poised to win typically and for a very long time. He’s solely 939 wins away from 1,000.
Let’s circle again in a couple of years.
Tsonga’s farewell
He’s mentioned it again and again: Roland-Garros will likely be his final match. Certainly, the French Open is the place all of it started for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
He performed in his second to final occasion on Might 16, about 465 km south of Paris, on the clay courts in Lyon, the place he misplaced to Alex Molcan of Slovakia (6-4, 6-4).
On the post-match presser, Tsonga mentioned: “Roland-Garros, I may virtually tattoo it on my physique. At 11 or 12 years previous, I had my first observe classes there. I performed in French competitions there till I used to be 14 or 16 years previous, earlier than I educated there. I knew each nook of the previous stadium. It’s clearly symbolic to complete on the French Open.”
The Frenchman was honoured after the match in Lyon. His spouse Noura El Shwekh, their son Sugar, his sister Sasha, his brother Enzo and match director Thierry Ascione, Tsonga’s pal, coach and enterprise companion of their All In tennis academy, have been in hand.
Again in 2008, 22-year-old Jo-Wilfried Tsonga shook the ATP when he battled his manner into the finals of the Australian Open—the closest he’s ever gotten to a Slam crown. He obtained so far as the semis at residence in Paris in 2013 and 2015.
Tsonga rose as excessive as World No.5 in 2012 and has lifted 18 ATP winner’s trophies and the 2017 Davis Cup.
Let’s want him the very best of luck at Roland-Garros. Tennis will miss him.
It’s Isnerman!
No, Isnerman isn’t a superhero franchise you might have missed.
It’s truly the enjoyable nickname of the unbelievable doubles group that got here so, so near profitable the boys’s title in Rome on Might 15.
John Isner, Diego Schwartzman and the 38 centimetres (or, for those who desire, 1’3”) that separate them joined forces on the final clay courtroom competitors forward of Roland-Garros. Their alliance made for comical images and offers new which means to the expression opposites entice in tennis.
Because it seems, they make a terrific group!
Within the Everlasting Metropolis, Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic of Croatia discovered Isnerman far much less amusing.
Final season’s no.1 males’s duo was pushed to the restrict within the closing and needed to dig deep to seal their three-set win (6-2, 6-7 (6), 12-10).
Pavic and Mektic are No.3 and No.5 in doubles, respectively. Schwartzman and Isner are No.125 and No.20.
Beforehand, we’d solely seen Isnerman shake fingers earlier than and after they went head-to-head of their singles matches or on the observe courts, the place they generally prefer to ham it up for the cameras.
On the 2018 Laver Cup gala in Chicago, Schwartzman even launched his teammate as his long-lost twin.
Going into Rome, Diego Schwartzman had solely competed in six doubles matches in 2022 (2–4). Fortunately, he was in a position to depend on 37-year-Isner, who performs so much and wins so much.
This season, the American has been a contender in seven doubles occasions. He appeared in six out of six semis at common tournaments (the seventh was ATP Cup), reached the ultimate in Rome and received back-to-back titles at residence within the US, in Indian Wells and Miami.
If that weren’t sufficient, he has an general file of 23–5 with 5 totally different companions: Schwartzman, Taylor Fritz (ATP Cup), Jack Sock (Dallas, Indian Wells), Hubert Hurkacz (Miami and Madrid) and Hans Hach Verdugo (Acapulco).
John Isner is a lot greater than the servebot label he’s caught with: he’s a wonderful, well-rounded participant who constantly reaches nice heights.
Electronic mail: privard@tenniscanada.com
Twitter: @paul6rivard
Observe all our Canadians in motion here.
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