2024 Predictions and Questions (and 2023 impressions/wrap-up)

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I think Fed blowing the 2004 Olympics is so much worse than 2012. That was a peak Fed year. It's one thing to lose to a great champion (like Kuerten at the French Open), but losing to a teenage Berdych is something that shouldn't happen at a big tournament during his peak.

 

[kskate2]

It’ll make me lose interest in tennis if this happens. Seriously..

Watching the NextGen finals and they seriously need to learn some tennis etiquette. It looks like they let a field trip of kids enter the stadium in the middle of the TB. It halted play for about four minutes. And there's so much noise & chatter going on there's like a loud hum during all the points.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Watching the NextGen finals and they seriously need to learn some tennis etiquette. It looks like they let a field trip of kids enter the stadium in the middle of the TB. It halted play for about four minutes. And there's so much noise & chatter going on there's like a loud hum during all the points.

Keli @kskate2 Just hold tight NADs is returning soon.. At least you TRY to watch these new youngsters

 

[kskate2]

Keli @kskate2 Just hold tight NADs is returning soon.. At least you TRY to watch these new youngsters

I have to. We'll be talking about these youngsters soon enough while all the greats are performing their swan songs.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I have to. We'll be talking about these youngsters soon enough while all the greats are performing their swan songs.

I won't be doing to much talking about them. When Rafa goes ... I most likely be joining the Cyperspace for the search for Darth Fed!

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

The thing I enjoyed the most about Federer is his win against Rafa in 2017 AO final. That was my top moment as a fan. Roger was 35. No one thought it would be reasonable to expect him to win that day. And rest was pure magic.

 

[Fiero425]

The thing I enjoyed the most about Federer is his win against Rafa in 2017 AO final. That was my top moment as a fan. Roger was 35. No one thought it would be reasonable to expect him to win that day. And rest was pure magic.

While Novak was on the shelf hurt, Federer & Nadal took advantage of that absence in 2017 to create a "Fedal Redux," reminiscent of the 2000's! To this day I'm still amazed Roger was able to pull off 5 or 6 wins over Rafa after being his pigeon for years! After the 2018 AO, Roger should have retired! Making that 2019 Wimbledon final, dropping yet another match to Novak after having 2 more MP's only to go down in flames to his MASTER wasn't worth it!

 

[El Dude]

I won't be doing to much talking about them. When Rafa goes ... I most likely be joining the Cyperspace for the search for Darth Fed!

Funny, but...I gotta say, AP, this sort of attitude about tennis kind of baffles me. Tennis is so much more than any one player (or even three). I get it - I miss Roger, but life goes on. In a way, it is sort of a relief as I get to just focus on the tennis without the weight of wanting "my guy" to win as I still haven't fully bonded with any young pup. And I think you can make an argument that while the Big Three were/are amazing, we're well past due for something new.

Didn't you follow and enjoy tennis B.R. (Before Rafa)? Or did you start within the last couple decades?

 

[El Dude]

TOP 5 BIGGEST QUESTIONS OF 2024 (MEN'S TENNIS)

In no particular order...

How will Rafa return? This is especially important for clay season, as I don't expect him to do much early on...just getting back into the pace of things. We haven't really seen a great player miss a full year in, well, I don't know how long. The best player in recent decades who missed that much time at once is probably Del Potro; literally no all-time great missed a full year at once in the Open Era - not even Agassi in '97 or McEnroe in '86. So for Rafa, at 37 years old, it is a bit like jumping on a moving train. If anyone can do it, he can, but it is a tall order.

Will Holger Rune (ever) put it all together? I've gone on record as saying I like Holger's upside as much or even more than Alcaraz's. It is not that I think he has a legit chance of a better career, but that I see a peak level that is reminiscent of Stanimal - just ferocious. Funny how he had those dust-ups with Stan. Anyhow, if he ever figures out how to harness his power, he's going to be the most feared player on tour. If not, well, he might be relegated to erratic spoiler.

Does Carlos Alcaraz have another gear (and if so, will he unlock it in 2024)? I think he does, but in conversations about his blossoming greatness, the specter of Lleyton Hewitt has been mentioned. The pesky Aussie wasn't a fluke - he was a legit elite player for half a decade or so whose peak just happened to fall on a weak part of tennis history, between the reigns of Sampras and Federer. But despite winning his only two Slams and Tour Finals in 2001-02, and adding a Masters in 2003, he didn't really start declining until 2006, it is just that the game passed him by: Roger and then Rafa were just so much better. I don't think Carlos will be another Hewitt - he's already better than Lleyton ever was - but until we see that stratospheric level, he might end up more in the Edberg/Becker class than the Lendl/Sampras class (not to mention Big Three class). But time will tell and we'll know more a year from now.

How much better will Jannik Sinner get? If the Next Gen Big Three was Medvedev-Zverev-Tsitsipas (or Thiem), then the Millenial Big Three is looking like Alcaraz-Rune-Sinner. I have pointed out how Jannik's rise in Elo is almost exactly the same as Roger Federer's at the same age, who was a late bloomer relative to Nadal and Djokovic. But unlike those two, for Roger it came together all at once. Roger's rise in 2001-03 was relatively slow and his results inconsistent; but then he supernova-ed in 2004. Jannik will be the same age in 2024 as Roger was in 2004. Now I'm not saying that Jannik is going to be anywhere as good as Roger, just that he's a similar sort of player in terms of developmental arc, and over the last half year, things really seemed to come together for him. Consider that since from Wimbledon on, he was 29-5 (ignoring walkovers), an 85.3%...which is a prime year from the Big Three. If he maintains that level for all of 2024, he's a #1 candidate.

Will Novak start slipping? He's shown literally no signs of that...or rather, only moments where the best of the young group (Alcaraz, Rune/Sinner/Medvedev in a good moment) hold muster. But Father Time and all. Novak will turn 37 next year, which is what Roger turned in 2018, the last year he won a Slam. Unlike Roger, Novak doesn't have equals 5-6 years his junior to contend with - just a wild and woolly pack of lesser Next Genners and rising Millennials. But with his 2023 season--which I rank as the third best of his career after only 2011 and 2015 (though much closer to his other peak years of 2012-14, 2016, and 2021 than those two historic seasons)--he enters 2024 as, still, the player to beat, a half step ahead of that Alcaraz kid. So while I don't foresee a sharp decline in 2024, it could be the year that he's finally dethroned. Meaning, a year from now will we finally be able to say for the first time since 2003, that one of the Big Three is not the best player in the world?

There are other questions and players to consider -- how good is this Ben Shelton kid? With his Basel title, did FAA right the ship? What is the upside of Arthur Fils? Etc. But the above five are the biggest in terms of potential impact, depending upon how they're answered.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

While Novak was on the shelf hurt, Federer & Nadal took advantage of that absence in 2017 to create a "Fedal Redux," reminiscent of the 2000's! To this day I'm still amazed Roger was able to pull off 5 or 6 wins over Rafa after being his pigeon for years! After the 2018 AO, Roger should have retired! Making that 2019 Wimbledon final, dropping yet another match to Novak after having 2 more MP's only to go down in flames to his MASTER wasn't worth it!

Djokovic is indeed Federer's master. He is so hard to beat.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Djokovic has a couple years left in him. He is still better than most young players and would continue to cause them trouble for a while more. Aren't you guys excited at all about Stefanos Tsitsipas?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Djokovic has a couple years left in him. He is still better than most young players and would continue to cause them trouble for a while more. Aren't you guys excited at all about Stefanos Tsitsipas?

Not at all, wake me up when Tsitsipas finally cuts the apron strings of his over bearing father and gets a proper coach! he has major faults in his game, bhand and backand slice that need improving.....I have never been a fan.

 

[Kieran]

While Novak was on the shelf hurt, Federer & Nadal took advantage of that absence in 2017 to create a "Fedal Redux," reminiscent of the 2000's! To this day I'm still amazed Roger was able to pull off 5 or 6 wins over Rafa after being his pigeon for years! After the 2018 AO, Roger should have retired! Making that 2019 Wimbledon final, dropping yet another match to Novak after having 2 more MP's only to go down in flames to his MASTER wasn't worth it!

He was 38 in that final. Novak should be on his knees praying thanks for that. He even admitted Roger was the better player. At 38. I can’t remember anyone getting so many safe matches to win so many big titles, Berretini and Nick were still ahead for him. But how do you get to laugh at Federer who got that far aged 38?

In 2017 Novak missed only one slam. Unfortunately he never got to play Rafa, anywhere. A few times when Rafa was seriously struggling with injury Novak bolstered the H2H record in his favour. No worries, we never complain..

 

[the AntiPusher]

Funny, but...I gotta say, AP, this sort of attitude about tennis kind of baffles me. Tennis is so much more than any one player (or even three). I get it - I miss Roger, but life goes on. In a way, it is sort of a relief as I get to just focus on the tennis without the weight of wanting "my guy" to win as I still haven't fully bonded with any young pup. And I think you can make an argument that while the Big Three were/are amazing, we're well past due for something new.

Didn't you follow and enjoy tennis B.R. (Before Rafa)? Or did you start within the last couple decades?

Yes there was life before Rafa , McEnroe and Sampras..as a little kid I saw the genius and fire in Mcenroe's game. Pete Sampras was everything I could want to be as an athlete. The grace, athleticism, TRUE grit and the "hammer of Thor serve that was just a pure gift from heaven. I really like Roger's brilliance but I couldn't enjoy his success because of Nadal. Rafa was something I never seen before. The fury, the passion but the ability to problem solve while all that appeared TRUE around him when his fate seemed truly sealed yet he refused to loose. E g. AO comeback over Medvedev was just everything we have been a WITNESS too during the era of the Big 3. Sure , there's always going to be another once in a generation player (E.g. in the NBA Dr J, David Thompson, Michael Jordan, Kobe , LeBron and Stephen Curry) but Nadal was just the Ultimate warrior on the tennis courts. I hope THIS explains things somewhat. Cheers

 

[the AntiPusher]

The thing I enjoyed the most about Federer is his win against Rafa in 2017 AO final. That was my top moment as a fan. Roger was 35. No one thought it would be reasonable to expect him to win that day. And rest was pure magic.

Was it truly "pure magic" or (MTO ?)bathroom break that "iced" Rafa that Roger recently admitted that he wasn't injured in the fifth set. You can go vet the latter for yourself.

 

[Fiero425]

He was 38 in that final. Novak should be on his knees praying thanks for that. He even admitted Roger was the better player. At 38. I can’t remember anyone getting so many safe matches to win so many big titles, Berretini and Nick were still ahead for him. But how do you get to laugh at Federer who got that far aged 38?

In 2017 Novak missed only one slam. Unfortunately he never got to play Rafa, anywhere. A few times when Rafa was seriously struggling with injury Novak bolstered the H2H record in his favour. No worries, we never complain..

I sometimes just have a problem w/ a champion hanging on too long! Just b/c they school some kids, it seems to be ok! I'm one that wished Fed left early unlike someone like Connors that lived off a good run at the USO to sustain and justify dropping tourneys & matches to "also rans," WC, qualifiers, & other no names outside the top elite! IMO JC was taking up a spot in the draw for someone more worthy and maybe deserving of an opportunity! The same is going on now w/ Murray! He's getting all he got out of all those WC, but still hasn't done much of anything outside of upsetting a kid or 2, then summarily getting drubbed later b/c he took over 3 or 4 hours to win a match that was probably gifted at the end! Defensive tennis by him is only entertaining for so long!

 

[the AntiPusher]

I sometimes just have a problem w/ a champion hanging on too long! Just b/c they school some kids, it seems to be ok! I'm one that wished Fed left early unlike someone like Connors that lived off a good run at the USO to sustain and justify dropping tourneys & matches to "also rans," WC, qualifiers, & other no names outside the top elite! IMO JC was taking up a spot in the draw for someone more worthy and maybe deserving of an opportunity! The same is going on now w/ Murray! He's getting all he got out of all those WC, but still hasn't done much of anything outside of upsetting a kid or 2, then summarily getting drubbed later b/c he took over 3 or 4 hours to win a match that was probably gifted at the end! Defensive tennis by him is only entertaining for so long!

Jimmy's game was based on being the ultimate grinder of a tennis player without really any weapons that could win him free points. Father time finally ended the grind for JC

 

[Kieran]

I sometimes just have a problem w/ a champion hanging on too long! Just b/c they school some kids, it seems to be ok! I'm one that wished Fed left early unlike someone like Connors that lived off a good run at the USO to sustain and justify dropping tourneys & matches to "also rans," WC, qualifiers, & other no names outside the top elite! IMO JC was taking up a spot in the draw for someone more worthy and maybe deserving of an opportunity! The same is going on now w/ Murray! He's getting all he got out of all those WC, but still hasn't done much of anything outside of upsetting a kid or 2, then summarily getting drubbed later b/c he took over 3 or 4 hours to win a match that was probably gifted at the end! Defensive tennis by him is only entertaining for so long!

Federer reached the semis in Paris and the final at Wimbledon. It’s hardly the same…

 

[Fiero425]

Federer reached the semis in Paris and the final at Wimbledon. It’s hardly the same…

Bravo! Fed added yet another record Novak will break w/i a few years! The name of the game is winning, not making SF's & finals as the BOAT!

 

[Kieran]

Bravo! Fed added yet another record Novak will break w/i a few years! The name of the game is winning, not making SF's & finals as the BOAT!

Come off it brother, you’re talking what my old gaffer used to call widdle talk. Widdle being a euphemism for urine. Federer was a good serve from winning Wimbledon, but you’re saying that’s not good enough?

For a 38 year old?!

Novak has enough records for losing GS finals, he won’t be caught on that one..