Who are the next generation of tennis superstars?
Tennis players have long been recognised for their athletic prowess, and because it is a game of individuals, there are some names that will forever be associated with their on-court success. Early champions such as Billy Jean King and Fred Perry made headlines as they won awards and championships, and they set the scene for the next generation of tennis stars to make headlines and become household names.
In recent years, there have been some players that have consistently performed well in both national and international competitions, earning themselves multiple titles and international acclaim. Commentators have called this the ‘Golden Age’ of tennis with players such as Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams consistently outperforming their opponents.
Although these players have been responsible for some of the most exciting matches in tennis history, any fan of tennis betting will know that they have consistently attracted favourable odds even when playing other world-class competitors. But the rigours of playing at such a high level mean that there are always younger players nipping at the heels of even the most talented champion, and there are plenty of up-and-coming players to watch out for in the coming seasons.
Bianca Andreescu
For many players, a win against Serena Williams would be a dream come true, but this was just one of the highlights of Canadian player Bianca Andreescu’s career to date. Currently ranked at number 70 in the world, Andreescu has been playing since she was seven when she was living in her parents’ home country of Romania.
Since moving back to Canada at age eleven, she trained at Tennis Canada’s National Training Centre in Toronto before making her debut on the International Tennis Federation ITF circuit in Canada in 2015. In 2016, she won one singles and one doubles title on the circuit before going on to reach the quarter-finals in Washington DC. She also won the 2019 WTA Newcomer of the year award and finished her second top 10 season in 2020.
Sumit Nagal
Since winning the Wimbledon boys’ doubles title in 2015 with his partner Ly Hoang, Sumit Nagal has been tipped as one of the next generation of tennis superstars. Aged 23, he is now ranked 122 in the world since he made it to the second round of the US Open in 2020, but he has been on India’s Davis Cup team since 2016.
As the highest-ranked singles player in India, Nagal originally trained under former Indian number one Mahesh Bhupathi at his training academy in Bangalore. When that training programme ended, he moved to Toronto to train with Bobby Mahal, and he subsequently went on to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, winning against Denis Istomin before being knocked out by Danii Medvedev.
Coco Gauff
When she beat Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon in 2019, Coco Gauff instantly became a player to watch, and given that she was only 16 at the time, it’s no surprise that she has gone on to secure some impressive wins. She is currently the youngest player to be ranked in the top 100 by the WTA and recently achieved her career high ranking of world number 13 in singles and number 5 in doubles.
Hailing from Florida, USA, Gauff started playing tennis at the age of six and has cited the Williams sisters as her inspiration to pursue tennis from such a young age. She is likely to become one of the highest-paid female athletes in the world this year as her career shows no signs of slowing down and Gauff is on track to break more records with a slew of potential wins coming up this season.
Jannik Sinner
During his early life in the South Tyrol region of Italy, it was clear that sports were going to play a significant role in Jannik Sinner’s life as he was keen on football, skiing, and tennis. His on-court skill attracted attention as soon as he began playing seriously, and in 2020, he became the youngest quarter-finalist since Novak Djokovic to compete in the men’s singles event at the French Open.
At only 20 years old and standing at 188cm tall, Sinner’s athletic prowess is not to be underestimated and he has been ranked number 12 in the world by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He won four singles titles in 2021 and one doubles title, with a total of 49 victories during the season as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in 2022 at the age of 20.
As a sport that is growing in popularity and appealing to more and more fans worldwide, tennis has always been a sport where individuals can truly excel, and these players are proof that this trend is continuing with some truly exceptional athletes emerging on the circuit.