Young guns winning titles; the new generation building on Alcaraz triumph
Was this the week that the kids took a major step forward on the ATP Tour?
Auger-Aliassime, Rune, Musetti, 2022 | © Tennis Majors
The exploits of 19-year old Carlos Alcaraz this year put everything young players do on the ATP Tour in a slightly different perspective but on Sunday, in three finals in three European cities, it was hard not to come away with a feeling that the new generation are making big inroads.
While Felix Auger-Aliassime, who won his second title in as many weeks in Antwerp, is 22, wins for the 20-year-old Lorenzo Musetti in Naples, over Matteo Berrettini, and perhaps most explosively of all, the victory of 19-year-old Holger Rune over Stefanos Tsitspas in Stockholm were more evidence of the changing of the guard.
Now, of course, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are still here, and let’s not forget they won three of the four Grand Slams in 2022. Injury issues aside, they’re likely to still be ones to beat in 2023.
But as we head toward the end of this year and begin thinking about the next, Rune, Musetti, Auger-Aliassime and indeed Seb Korda, who lost to Rune in what was his second straight final, look ready to take the next steps.
New brood inspired by Alcaraz
Seeing what Alcaraz did at the US Open, and before that in Miami and Madrid, can only have been an inspiration for the other players of his generation, especially Rune and Musetti, who are roughly the same age (Rune is less than a month older than him). Korda also owns a win over Alcaraz, having beaten him in Monte-Carlo this year.
When you see a player of your age doing great things, and you’ve grown up alongside him, effectively, then the tendency is not to be overawed; instead, it’s natural to think: “if he can do it, then maybe I can too”.
At Roland-Garros in the summer, Rune was asked if what Alcaraz was doing was an inspiration.
“I think he deserves all the attention that he’s getting. I mean, he’s been doing some incredible things, beating Novak, Rafa, all these guys,” he said. “He deserves it, and he’s also improving a lot every time. So, you know, for me it’s not a problem. He deserves it. About me, I mean, I’m going at my own pace, at my own kind of way, and, you know, improving at my own time. It’s great. Everybody has their own journey, and this is mine.”
When Patrick Mouratoglou announced that he would be working with him until the end of the year, while Simona Halep recuperated (before the news that Halep has tested positive for a banned drug), he said how driven he found the Dane to be, how dedicated he is to his goal of being world No 1. These kids have no fear.
Wins over “mid-generation” will help confidence
Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini and, in particular, Daniil Medvedev have shown that they are top players. Medvevev may be the only one of them to win a slam but the other two have made slam finals and won big titles.
But from the point of view of the likes of Rune and Musetti, in particular, beating two of those three this weekend is something that can only inspire confidence.
Musetti knows that Berrettini was struggling a little with a foot injury in Naples but he never faltered, showing his talent is matched by his drive as he won his second title.
So too Rune, who produced perhaps an even bigger win over Tsitsipas in Stockholm. The Greek has reached seven finals in 2022, making him one of the very best in the world but Rune was unfazed, playing, as he said, almost perfect tennis to win his second title.
Auger-Aliassime, Musetti finding ways to win
In different ways, both Felix Auger-Aliassime and Lorenzo Musetti have taken their time to find their very best form, at least in terms of winning titles.
Auger-Aliassime’s woes in finals are well-documented, losing his first eight finals before winning his first title in Rotterdam earlier this year. But in some ways, the fact that he’s been through the ringer, mentally, at such a young age, and now come back to win three titles, says a lot about his mental strength and potential for the future.
Musetti, likewise, was criticised for his perceived lack of mental strength, and perhaps a lack of physical prowess too, as he struggled to turn his early promise into titles. But he’s now won two titles this year and, like Rune and Korda, is ranked inside the world’s top 25 already.
“I think it was the perfect week,” said Musetti after his win in Naples. “I didn’t lose a set so I’m really happy about that, and I’m really happy about the game I showed. Sometimes you have to work hard to bring success and consistency in my game, so I’m really proud of myself and my team.”
Grand Slam success is also helping
Felix has reached a semi-final at a Grand Slam already, at the US Open last year, while Rune made the quarters at the French Open and Musetti has been to the last 16 at Roland-Garros.
Proving to themselves they can compete with the best, and have some big wins along the way, will go a long way and they will expect to at least match those performances, and in the case of Rune and Musetti, improve on them in 2023.
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