What Top Young Tennis Stars Must Do to Take the Next Step in 2015
The next generation of tennis stars emerged in 2014. If you listen closely, you can hear them breathing down the necks of the old guard, ready to take over at the top of the game.
On the men's side, Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov all enjoyed the best seasons of their young careers and broke through for the first time at the Grand Slam level.
Simona Halep and Eugenie Bouchard became the darlings of women's tennis, waging an intense competition to see who could one-up the other.
All those players—each one presently under 25 years of age—have the potential to dominate tennis for the next decade. To reach their potential, they'll have to iron out weaknesses in their games.
The following slideshow will examine those five young stars and what they must do in 2015 to live up to the hype. Should they make progress in these areas, the future of tennis will be on their rackets.
Kei Nishikori: Improve Durability
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He can hit winners from anywhere on the court, his elite foot speed and quickness make him a dangerous offensive and defensive shot-maker.
Meet Kei Nishikori.
The 24-year-old Japan native channeled the style of Novak Djokovic and became one of the most dangerous players on the ATP Tour this past season.
Nishikori's impressive 2014 resume includes his first Grand Slam final (U.S. Open) and appearance at the World Tour Finals, a Masters Series final (Madrid), four titles (Memphis, Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo), a 54-15 record and the year-end No. 5 ranking.
As stellar a year as Nishikori had, it could have been even better.
Injuries are the one opponent he's had no answers for in his career. Nishikori has proven brittle and unable to stay healthy, and his body suffered repeated maladies this season.
"@keinishikori is complete player & would have been Top10 for last 2 yrs but for injury. Potential much in evidence winning Delray in 2008
— Richard Ingham Evans (@Ringham7) September 6, 2014"
Nishikori sustained injuries to his hip, back, groin, toe and foot in 2014. They predictably hampered his movement and forced him to withdraw or retire from tournaments. In the Madrid final, he had Rafael Nadal on the ropes before a back injury ended his title hopes.
There's no telling how far Nishikori can go. He has the talent to beat anyone on tour, evidenced by 11 wins over top-10 players this year. But he won't achieve that potential if he can't stay healthy.
In 2015, Nishikori needs to prove he can be a durable player. Part of it is committing to fitness, part of it is luck. If he finds either, look out.
Simona Halep: Play More Aggressively
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A new force announced her presence in women's tennis this year: Simona Halep.
The diminutive 5'6" Romanian looks small on the court, but her game is mighty.
Halep reached her first career Grand Slam quarterfinal in Australia, a feat she surpassed at the French Open with a run to her first major final. She even added a semifinal run at Wimbledon for good measure.
In that Roland Garros final, Halep nearly took down eventual champion Maria Sharapova, but lost in a thrilling three-set match.
The rest of her year wasn't bad either, as she won a title in Doha and reached the final of both the WTA Championships and Madrid.
When Halep plays aggressive tennis and goes for her shots, she can beat anyone on tour.
"Just witnessed a 6-0,6-2 win by Simona Halep who was solid, aggressive, and quick...over Serena, who couldn't find her game...more surprises
— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) October 22, 2014"
But too often in big matches, she falls back on her old, passive style.
After that win over Serena in the round-robin stage of the WTA Championships, Halep was dominated in their finals rematch.
Being more aggressive is a quality of her game Halep still hopes to improve, as Ben Rothenberg noted for The New York Times.
She's an extremely fit player with superb baseline skills and defensive prowess. Halep won't miss too many shots when's she's playing safe.
The problem is safe tennis doesn't win majors.
That shortcoming has also plagued Caroline Wozniacki, a similarly defensive-minded player who's yet to win a major.
An old cliche generally rings true on the court: fortune favors the bold. For the 23-year-old Halep to consistently beat the best and win majors, she'll have to take more chances and dictate points.
Milos Raonic: Develop Confidence in Backhand
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Milos Raonic's game keeps improving at a rapid pace.
In 2014, he reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal and semifinal, made his first appearance in the World Tour Finals and finally cracked the top-10 rankings.
The 23-year-old Canadian used his monstrous serve and devastating forehand to great effect, collecting 49 wins and a title in Washington during the season.
Importantly, one of the biggest weaknesses in his repertoire—the backhand—saw gradual progress throughout the year.
Now, he needs to become more confident in the shot.
Opponents attack Raonic's backhand early and often during matches. In the past, it was his Achilles' heel, as he often faltered the longer points went.
With the help of coach Ivan Ljubicic, Raonic has worked on his fitness and movement, which allows him better positioning to hit backhands, as detailed by Jeff Donaldson of The Tennis Island.
Still, the shot remains the shakiest part of Raonic's game.
""If I had a pound for every backhand return Milos Raonic made in Basel this week....I'd have about 2 pounds." #EPIC
— The Tennis Nerds (@TheTennisNerds) October 24, 2014"
Raonic needs to trust his backhand more. Sure, there will be plenty of unforced errors. But when he constantly runs around the shot to hit forehands deep in the ad court, he leaves himself vulnerable.
Developing and sticking with his backhand will expand Raonic's game and make him tougher to exploit. Once he's confident in the shot, Raonic will be ready to win multiple majors.
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Eugenie Bouchard: Handle Pressure
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No player took to the spotlight in 2014 like Eugenie Bouchard. She's tennis' new golden girl, landing countless television interviews and magazine covers.
Her popularity soared throughout the season as she kept going further and further in Grand Slam tournaments.
Playing just her second full-season on the WTA Tour, Bouchard reached her first major semifinal in Australia, a result she matched at the French Open.
In her sixth career Grand Slam tournament appearance, she reached the final at Wimbledon. Bouchard lost, but she became a household name.
And then her results fell off a cliff.
With newfound fame and the strain of a long year weighing on her, Bouchard struggled to consistently win after her Wimbledon run. She crashed out of both Montreal and Cincinnati in her first match before a dispirited fourth-round exit at the U.S. Open.
This fall, her slump continued. After reaching the finals in Wuhan, Bouchard dropped five of her last six matches for the year—all straight-set losses.
On the court, Bouchard seemed more listless and lacked the youthful energy she exhibited earlier in the year.
Early in the summer, Bouchard suffered a knee injury which possibly lingered and affected her play during those losses.
As she enters 2015, the luster of Bouchard's breakout season is starting to fade. Doubts are starting to creep into her game. The knee injury slowed her down, but the root of the struggles may be more mental than anything.
All the success Bouchard achieved in 2014 put a target on her back. She's not only expected to be one of the faces of women's tennis, she's expected to win.
That pressure would be enough to wear any player down, let alone a 20-year-old like Bouchard.
To start meeting the expectations, she'll have to play beyond her years.
Grigor Dimitrov: Find Consistency
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As bright a future as Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic each have, Grigor Dimitrov has the talent to usurp them both.
Arguably the most exquisite shot-maker on tour, Dimitrov can hit breathtaking shots on both the forehand and backhand side. Whether it's a piercing forehand or wicked slice, the Bulgarian has all the tools in his arsenal.
He's a fleet-footed, nimble and agile 23-year-old who came into his own this year.
Dimitrov reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open and later his first major semifinal at Wimbledon. Peppered throughout the year were titles at Acapulco, Bucharest and Queen's Club—each one on a different surface.
His 50-18 record was enough to earn him the year-end No. 11 ranking, though he spent plenty of time inside the top 10 during the season.
Here's what Peter Bodo wrote for ESPN on Dimitrov's leap forward in 2014:
"That versatility wouldn’t mean nearly as much were it not for a great improvement in Dimitrov’s consistency. His final match record was an outstanding 50-18, and over the course of the past 11 months he seemed to develop the reliability and focus that gets you into the top 10 and keeps you there.
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Still, Dimitrov can find even more consistency.
Though he made deep runs in Australia and Wimbledon, he crashed out of the first round at the French Open and the fourth round of the U.S. Open. At the Masters Series level, he advanced past the third round at only two of the nine events.
For Dimitrov, the key is to keep grinding and working. He's already pumped up his fitness with the help of coach Roger Rasheed; he'll just need to polish up the rest of his game.
Once Dimitrov can channel his best tennis at every event he plays, there will be no stopping his quest for Grand Slam glory.
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