UK: 18+ USA: 21+ | Begambleaware.org | T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly
We all know it’s coming, we just don’t know exactly when. Of course, I’m referencing the inevitable takeover of the Next Gen with respect to the ATP Tour. It’s undoubtedly going to happen soon, but the question is, will 2024 be the season that it officially happens?
My current stance on this question is that yes, 2024 will be the season that the Next Gen takes over. And naturally, I’m going to fully justify my stance on this question through the proceeding sections. That said, I completely understand that there are tennis fans out there who believe the complete opposite.
But isn’t that what we all love about the game of tennis? We can all view the same information and form totally different opinions. However, I’m going to supply you all with 5 key indicators that the Next Gen takeover is imminent. And let’s be honest, it’s been knocking at the door long enough.
Of course, it will be great fun to watch the battle between the old greats and the Next Gen throughout the ATP schedule 2024 regardless! So, with that in mind, let me now share my two cents on why the Next Gen takeover will occur in 2024.
The 2024 Next Gen takeover – what must occur for it to be official?
Contents
It goes without saying that the key factors that determine whether the take over has arrived are somewhat subjective. That’s perfectly normal, but I believe there are certain facts and statistics we can look at to gauge whether the Next Gen will knock the top dogs off their perch in 2024. And as they say, statistics never lie.
Once again, I believe that 2024 will be the season for the Next Gen to start dominating the men’s game. I say this because of what needs to occur, as outlined below:
- Majority of Grand Slams won by Next Gen
- Next Gen player to be solidified as world number 1
- Legends of the game are no longer a threat
- Next Gen winning most Masters 1000 events
- Next Gen beating the world’s best players regularly
To clarify, while these things could all occur in the 2024 season, I don’t think they all need to happen simultaneously. In fact, if the majority of these points materialize in the 2024 season, I believe it’s fair to say that the Next Gen takeover is here.
Now, this is merely to give you an idea of the kinds of things we will be looking at as the 2024 season progresses. However, the main point still needs to be addressed – why do I think that 2024 is the year that this will happen?
Let’s get into the finer details now.
The 5 indicators confirming the Next Gen takeover will happen in 2024
As you’ve no doubt gathered from the information shared so far, the Next Gen takeover will happen. This in itself is guaranteed. But views are still split as to when this will occur.
Of course, I’ve stressed the five points above that will give us all a pretty good idea that the Next Gen takeover has arrived. However, these are all ‘potential’ things to look out for in 2024. On the other hand, when it comes to indicators that 2024 will be the breakthrough season for the Next Gen, these are all factual.
Anyway, I’ve described the scope of the current Next Gen situation enough. And I’m sure you are eager to learn exactly why 2024 will be the takeover season. So with that in mind, let me now cover these indicators in detail.
Jannik Sinner’s Australian Open triumph
One of the most significant indicators, in my opinion, is the fact that Jannik Sinner has just won the 2024 Australian Open. Not only did he break the streak of the world number one in Melbourne, but he also recovered from a 2-0 deficit in the final to grab his first Grand Slam title.
Additionally, this is the third time that he has beaten Novak Djokovic – the first in a Grand Slam event, however. And just to clarify, Sinner definitely falls under the description of a Next Gen player. At the time of writing, he is just 22 years old, and in addition to Carlos Alcaraz, he has enjoyed the most success of all Next Gen players so far.
This isn’t the only important factor concerning Sinner’s Australian Open triumph either. Sure, he beat Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, which is obviously significant. But the fact that he then beat Daniil Medvedev in the final by overcoming a 2-0 deficit is huge.
Of course, Medvedev has been the most consistent player outside of Djokovic and Nadal in Grand Slams in recent times. So Jannik Sinner has shown the world that the Next Gen is here, and he has certainly earned his spot in the Six Kings Slam 2024.
The structure of the ATP Top 10 rankings
Closely following the significance of Sinner’s slam success in Melbourne, I believe that the current rankings are a clear indicator too. At the time of writing, there are three Next Gen players inside the top 10. These guys include Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Holger Rune.
The oldest of these three players is Jannik Sinner, at 22 years of age too, which tells a clear story. Furthermore, at 20 years old, Alcaraz is already a two-time Grand Slam champion, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Holger Rune joins them within the next year or two. As for the other top 10 players, besides Medvedev who is 27 years old, everyone else is 26 years old or younger.
Yes, this doesn’t make them Next Gen players, technically speaking, but it shows that the next wave of players is here.
Novak Djokovic showing signs of vulnerability
There’s been a running joke between Novak Djokovic and the Next Gen players for quite some time now. In fact, he has been questioned about the Next Gen crowd many times in the media, even before the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner really established themselves. So even if he didn’t want to focus on such a topic, Djokovic has been forced to acknowledge the Next Gen takeover.
That said, the man has done an incredible job at keeping the Next Gen players at bay for the last few years. And with Nadal dropping off through injury, Djokovic has defended the throne single-handedly. Even if you’re not a Djokovic fan, you have to respect that these efforts have been superhuman.
However, the 36-year-old is now showing the first signs of vulnerability, in my opinion. I first thought this when Alcaraz took him down in the Wimbledon final, as this ended Djokovic’s aura of invincibility on Centre Court. Then again, this was a five-set thriller, and Djokovic had the win on his racket.
But when he lost to Sinner in Melbourne, something just seemed ‘off’. He hit 50+ unforced errors, he was struggling physically, and even the legendary mental strength of Djokovic seemed to wobble.
The impending retirement of Rafael Nadal
If you followed tennis in 2023, it was a pretty tough watch for Rafael Nadal fans, which many of us are. The Spaniard was written off for pretty much the entire season, which led to speculation of his retirement. And later in the 2023 season, Nadal essentially confirmed that 2024 will be his swan song on the ATP Tour.
Of course, Nadal is part of the famous big three, which became the big two following Federer’s retirement. These three were so incredibly dominant in the men’s game that any talk of a Next Gen takeover was just ridiculous at the time. But when Federer retired, a huge door was opened for younger players to make a name for themselves.
That said, Nadal and Djokovic still posed massive obstacles, yet the King of Clay is going to retire in 2024. So of course, this means that another unstoppable force in the men’s game is stepping aside.
As a result, Roland Garros, all of the clay court Masters 1000 events, and other Grand Slam titles are now that much closer for Next Gen players.
The rise of Alcaraz, Rune, Sinner, Shelton and others
The last of the 5 indicators for a 2024 Next Gen takeover involves a few names I’ve discussed above. Once again, generational talents such as Sinner, Rune, and Alcaraz are already established on the ATP Tour. As top 10 players, nobody can deny that they have already made the breakthrough to the top of the men’s game.
However, it’s not just the Next Gen players who are ranked inside the top 10 that confirms my belief that 2024 will be the year they take over. Looking just outside of the top 10, you have guys like Ben Shelton, Jack Draper, Arthur Fils, Lorenzo Musetti, and many other players who are very exciting. These guys are all in their early 20s, which puts them officially in the Next Gen bracket.
So really, if even a fraction of these players make it into the top 10 in 2024, it would be impossible to say that the takeover hasn’t arrived.
Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!
