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The mens tour has been a picture of consistency for the past decade and more. The top men have hogged all the important titles on offer gaining a stranglehold on the silver and glory that goes with it. Incredibly just seven men have captured the 38 grand slam titles since Marat Safin won the Australian Open in 2005. Of these, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have accounted for a whopping 27 of those titles.Novak Djokovic went on a tear in 2011-12 to capture six titles, while Murray snatched two of them, most notably Wimbledon last year. The only others to taste grand slam success were Juan Martin Del Potro (US Open 2009) and Stanislas Wawrinka (Australian Open 2014).But the golden generation is ageing and many are beginning to wonder who might break through from the younger lot. It is time for someone to step up to the plate on the biggest stages to provide the game with an alternative story line.In this feature we look at the youngest men inside the top 100 and speculate about their ability to break into the fortress of the legends that rule the game today.
#5 Bernard Tomic; Rank 86; Age 21
It is a pity that we are still discussing Tomic among a collection of players who are striving to make a mark. Nearly two years ago, the Aussie was already ranked 27th in the world and creating waves around the circuit with his free flowing game. But his young head played games with him and his volatile parent added some unsavoury ingredients to a potion that went horribly wrong. After spending much of last year in a series of unnecessary controversies, it finally appears though that Tomic has perhaps learnt his lessons.
Although he hasn’t done much of note since reaching the finals at Sydney at the start of the season, Tomic has a game to trouble the best. And the sight of the Wimbledon lawns seem to bring out the best in him. Tomic has already reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, where he took a set off Novak Djokovic in 2011. Even last year, he offered stiff resistance to Tomas Berdych before making an exit in the round of 16.
Tomic will gain an opportunity to exact revenge over Berdych, if he can get past Evgeny Donskoy in his first round match. The Czech is already through to the second round, having beaten Victor Hanescu 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. We will soon know if Tomic is ready to be a better student of the game.
#4 Jack Sock; Rank 77; Age 21
Jack Sock is widely considered by tennis experts such as Brad Gilbert and John McEnroe as the next big American hope. Sock packs a mean forehand to accompany him on his journey to stardom. The young man has an imposing presence around the court having gained confidence from rising nearly 100 places from his ranking of 168, in February 2013.
Sock has made the second round of the Australian Open this year, where he suffered a tough loss to Gael Monfils. He caught the attention of the tennis world again at the French Open, where he succumbed to an inspired Dusan Lajovic, another young and upcoming star from Serbia.
Though Sock lists clay and hard courts as his favourite surfaces, there is no doubt that he has the game to cause a few upsets on the green grass of Wimbledon. The draw may have been kinder, but he will take his chances against Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert. If he gets through that first round, he will probably have the big serving Milos Raonic across the net to play out a promising second round encounter.
#3 Jiri Vesely; Rank 68; Age 20
Touted as a talent to watch at a very young age, Jiri Vesely has been scaling the ladder with a steady run on the tour. The 20-year old started outside the top 250 last year, but had broken into the top 100 by the end of July last year. The Star of Tomorrow awardee last year is watched with great eagerness back in the Czech Republic and around the world.
Vesely drew attention by reaching the round of 32 at the Indian Wells Masters before losing to Andy Murray earlier this year. Though he lost in the first round of the Australian Open, it took a good game from Milos Raonic to force the young man out of the French Open in the second round.
It was surprising to see Vesely stay back in Prague for the challenger on clay, but it may have been a decision prompted by the need to appease his sponsors back in his country. Vesely has a relatively easy opener against Victor Estrella Burgos, before a potential second round clash against Gael Monfils.
#2 Pablo Carreno Busta; Rank 60; Age 22
The ATP Newcomer of the Year awardee last season was a revelation. The Spaniard enjoyed an incredibly successful year – starting the year ranked 715 in the world, Carreno Busta played an astounding 110 matches, winning 92 of those to leapfrog to 64th in the world. His appetite for work and streak of consistency thrust the young man into public conscience.
Carreno Busta may have suffered first round exits at the first two grand slams this year, but he did showcase his promise by making a run to the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters, before losing to Novak Djokovic. While clay is indeed his favoured surface, his sheer determination and willingness to stretch make him a threat.
The Spaniard has a tough draw at Wimbledon – going head on against his compatriot David Ferrer in the first round. But Ferrer hasn’t played since his loss to Rafael Nadal at the French Open and could prove to be vulnerable in his first match on grass. If Carreno Busta can take advantage, he could play either Daniel Evans or Andrey Kuznetsov in the second round. That reads like a great opportunity for the young man.
#1 Dominic Thiem, Rank 57, Age 20
The Austrian is an exciting talent, with the ability to strike the ball brutally hard off both the flanks. Thiem is the youngest member of the top 100 club and there is near unanimity among pundits, who believe he is a serious contender to rise up the rankings very soon.
Though he has made second round exits at both the Australian and French Opens this year, his talent was out in the open for everyone to see. His victory over Wawrinka in the Mutua Madrid Open drew rave reviews including one from the man he defeated.
Thiem plays another promising young man – Luke Saville before wading into a red hot Grigor Dimitrov in the second round. Irrespective of the result of that match, it offers a great chance for us to take a peek into a rivalry that could dominate headlines for the next few years.
