With the legends of the game still very much at the forefront of the sport, tennis’s next generation of players has also proven that the future of the of the game is now.
Irrespective of the current success of Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the next generation of players, which consists of Naomi Osaka, Denis Shapovalov, Bianca Andresscu, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitispas have all shown credible resolve and mental fortitude throughout their young careers.
As the top bookmakers predicted, Osaka’s rise to fame started at the BNP Paribas Open last March, and was carried through to her back-to-back Major victories in New York and Melbourne.
Currently ranked No. 1 in the world, the future is clearly now for the 21-year-old Japanese star.
Onto a trio of Canadian upstarts, which have captivated the sport as a whole. Shapovalov, Andresscu and Auger-Aliassime have all shown their class on court in recent times, and there’s no telling how high each will go when its all said and done.
For Shapovalov, his ascent to the premier positions of the sport began at the Rogers Cup in 2016. Proving that his victory over Nick Kyrgios was no lucky matter, Shapovalov followed up his performance in Toronto the next year by defeating Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro in Montreal. Currently ranked No. 23 in the world, Shapovalov continues to tread in the right direction.
Perhaps the most promising of the three Canadian stars in 18-year-old Andreescu. Winning the title in Indian Wells earlier in March, the Toronto native has already defeated the games elite on numerous occasions. Upending three-time Major winner Angelique Kerber twice in 2019, Andresscu has more than proved that her powerful forehand and will-to-win is right up there with the best in the game.
As for Auger-Aliassime, his rise into the top 50 this year has been nothing short of outstanding. Reaching the finals of the event in Rio, FAA as he’s known in the tennis world also recorded impressive victories in Indian Wells and Miami in March. The muscular Montreal native has everything to succeed at the top of the men’s game, and it’s really only a matter of time before reaches the world’s top 10.
Finally, perhaps the most talented of bunch is Greek star Tsitsipas. Upending Federer in Australia in late January, the current world No. 10 stands at 17-6 on the season and holds one career title. His eclectic game, which is harnessed by an effortless one-handed backhand, has many tennis purists around excited as what the future may hold for this 20-year-old.
Even though tennis still has it’s top stars in check, there’s no denying the next generation of superstars are not only on the way, but they are here now.
