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With the Big Four’s seemingly eternal dominance looking in serious jeopardy, the current generation are ready to seize their opportunity.
3-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray is still struggling for match fitness following hip surgery. Roger Federer’s alarming form during the second half of last season puts a dent on his chances of winning another Major.
Rafael Nadal went under the knife during the latter part of 2018, and only Novak Djokovic seems to have regained his 'mojo'. That has opened the door for a potential first time Grand Slam winner in 2019, and here are the players who could make their mark.
Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev's Grand Slam record is one of tennis' most mysterious stories. The German has been the best of the NextGen players and is primed to become world number one in the not too distant future.
But he has failed to deliver in the four Majors of the year. Despite collecting an impressive three Masters 1000 titles, and the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals, he has massively under-performed at the Slams.
Something is definitely going to change for Zverev in 2019. His losses have been largely due to complacency, tough luck of the draw, and injury (as was the case in the French Open in 2018). Zverev has a dangerous game and can trouble any of the top three players. His terrific win over Djokovic at the Nitto ATP Finals showcased his mental strength and his ever-improving baseline game.
Djokovic may be the favorite for the 2019 Australian Open, but he will be very wary of Zverev especially if he overcomes the barrier of early losses in Melbourne.
Karen Khachanov
Karen Khachanov is arguably one of the most unorthodox tennis players on tour. A strapping 6ft 6in power hitter with fleet movement on the court, he is the biggest male talent to come from Russia since Marat Safin. It is no surprise to see the 22-year-old model his game around that of Safin, his childhood hero.
His biggest highlight in 2018 was ending Novak Djokovic’s 22-match winning streak in Bercy thus winning his first Masters 1000 title of his burgeoning career.
Khachanov is yet to move past the fourth round of a Grand Slam, but that is partly due to his inexperience on the big stage, and some really hard draws. However, there can be no doubting his abilities.
2019 promises to be a big year for the big-hitting Russian who could enjoy some Grand Slam success.
Borna Coric
It seems like a distant memory when a 17-year-old Borna Coric burst on to the scene in Basel four years ago, stunning Rafael Nadal in straight sets. While Coric has made enormous progress in terms of his ranking over the last two years, his inconsistency in Grand Slam matches has shown that there is work to be done.
Coric boasts a very impressive resume, with victories over Nadal, Federer, Wawrinka, Zverev, and Murray under his belt. He is currently ranked number 12, which is his career best till date. He reached his first Masters 1000 final this past season, losing to an in-form Novak Djokovic in Shanghai.
The Croat beat Roger Federer in the Halle final, a key indicator that his game does also suit the grass courts, but he is most likely to win his maiden Grand Slam on the hard courts of Melbourne or New York.
Kyle Edmund
Kyle Edmund had spent nearly two years languishing in the shadow of fellow Brit Andy Murray. However, he made an explosive start to the 2018 season when he reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and pocketed over $500,000 in prize money for his efforts.
He notched some very impressive wins over Kevin Anderson in Australia, and Djokovic and Goffin in Madrid.
He is the current British number one, having taken that spot from Murray who had held it since 2006. He succumbed to injury during the second half of the 2018 season, and we never really saw the best of Edmund.
The South African-born youngster has had enough time to recuperate though and will be eager to repeat his exploits of 2018 when the season starts.
Dominic Thiem
Of all the players on this list, only Dominic Thiem has managed to reach a Grand Slam final. He was denied ultimate glory by the King of Clay Rafael Nadal at the 2018 French Open.
The Austrian plays ever so well on clay, and it is no surprise he is currently the bookmakers’ third favorite behind only Nadal and Djokovic to win the 2019 French Open. Thiem’s game is suited to clay. The high bounce on the red dirt gives him plenty of time to steady himself and generate as much power as he can.
The 25-year-old will surely have many more opportunities to win the French Open, and do not discount him in 2019.
