Today is the 27th of January 2022, and as all tennis fans do in the first month of the year, I’ve been enjoying the Australian open everyday. The reason I specified today’s date is because it is the eve of one of the most spectacular days of the season, the semi finals day. Usually, the games happen one day apart, but this time, we’ve got both the games on the same day. The first game is between Rafael Nadal and Mateo Berrettini, which is scheduled for a 9am(IST) kick-off, and the second game is between Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas which is scheduled at 2:00pm(IST). Before getting into the semi final clashes, I want to talk about the whole tournament in general. The tour began with a shocking news, as the 9 time champion and world number 1 Novak Djokovic was deported for violation of covid-19 protocols. I was predicting that Novak was gonna win this grand slam and and become the first player to win 21 titles, but what happened to him was highly unfortunate. With the world No.1 out of the title race, the door was now wide open for all the other amazing talents. In a way, I feel that Novak’s absence is good thing because if he had been playing, the he would be the obvious winner, because…….. C’mon man…..He’s Novak…Arguably the greatest hard-court player ever. Things felt a lot more interesting this time, and the fans were ready. Some of the players that I was looking forward to watching were Rafa, Medvedev and Zverev; Rafa is my favorite player of all time and the other two are my favorites from the new gen. This might sound cliched, but I felt like the level of competition has been incredibly high this year. The kind of tennis that the next gen players are producing is unbelievable! Here are some of the things that I love about the younger generation:
- Their high level of athleticism
I’ve always felt that tennis is one of the hardest sports to play. I’m saying this only from the viewers perspective because I’ve never picked up a tennis racquet in my life(I would love to, but have never gotten the chance). I’ve played a lot of cricket, badminton and football, and I feel like tennis requires a lot more from a player than the rest(except for football). So, from a fan’s point of view, the way the players are able to play the long hours, cover so much ground and maintain their stamina is amazing to watch. What astonishes me is the fact that these players approach the fifth of the match set with the same level of energy they had in the first! Their ability to cover all ends of the court is what I find special in the next gen. I’ve looked at so many long rallies and went crazy! Like…how is he able to run back and forth so easily? How is he able to stretch so far out!? I usually have those reactions while watching Novak play, but the next gen is now slowly coming up, and I’m loving it.
2. The speed and accuracy in their serves
This is another point that I would like to emphasize. Most of these younger players are incredible servers. I always used to wonder, What do you do when the ball is coming at you like a bullet? Not much! And as we all know, speed without accuracy is useless. But when you add speed with a perfect aim, you’ve got a dangerous weapon. I was watching the Nadal vs Shapovalov match the other day(the quarterfinals), and I was amazed by the confidence by which the youngster was serving, especially in the decider. Ace after Ace after Ace, Nadal was barely moving on the other side. There are a lot of players who’ve got a strong serve; Medvedev, Kyrgios, Berrettini are some of the examples. Now you know why they ace every test that is put in front of them 😜
3. Their Never give up attitude
We’ve seen a lot of five setters, we’ve seen a lot of games going on for a long time and we’ve seen players toil relentlessly for hours. These players never give up under any circumstance. Even if the odds are against them, the still keep fighting for it and they still manage to find a way. When I say the words ‘never give up’, the first person that comes to mind is Rafa Nadal. Growing up, I used to watch a lot of his games, and I became a big fan of his attitude and his passion for the game. Doesn’t matter what kind of a situation he is in, you can never count him out because he always gives a 110%. That is what makes him great. In his recent quarter final clash against Shapavalov, when both the players were at two sets a piece, Rafa seemed to have a discomfort with his stomach, and looked like he done and dusted. Shapavalov made full use of this capitalized on the oppurtunity. From two sets to love down, he made it two sets all. It was now a do or die situation for Rafa. But despite the loss of momentum and painful injury, he kept on fighting till the end, and went on to win the match. This is one of the many examples from his historic career. People like him are an inspiration to the younger generation, and you can see that the players are learning from the greats. They are relentless in their pursuit of greatness. If you watched Medvedev’s performance last night, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Now let me come back to the semi final clash. First match is between Rafa and Berrettini. The wisdom of experience vs the exuberance of youth. Rafa’s experience in these type of situations will be his strength. And as I said earlier, he’s gonna fight with everything he’s got. And as far as Berrettini is concerned, his serve is a big plus for him. I saw Rafa struggle a little with strong serves in the last few matches, so if the Italian could keep hitting those perfect serves often, he could pose a threat. And the more unforced errors he makes, better are his chances.
The next game is between the Greek freak and the Russian warrior- Tsitsipas and Medvedev. Tsitsipas’ gameplay was impeccable in the quarters. If he could bring that same fire to the quarters, he’ll go home with the victory. Medvedev, on the other hand, is a warrior. He’s been the best player in the tournament in my opinion, and has already proven that he can deliver in the big nights. I’m pretty sure this is going to be a heck of a contest.
I’m not a big fan of making predictions. So let’s wait and watch. Thanks for reading. means a lot to me 😊✌
Wordsbykenaniah 