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Carlos Alcaraz US Open 2022

Five best young male tennis players 2022


Men’s tennis has been dominated by the same names for quite a while now. Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic have hovered up most of the major titles in recent years – but there seems to be a changing of the guard on the near horizon.

Carlos Alcaraz (more on him in a moment) won the US Open this year and climbed to the top of the men’s rankings. He became the youngest ever male player to achieve that honor and has quickly become one of the favorites on all the best tennis betting sites. With Federer announcing his retirement, it really does feel as though we are witnessing the next generation of players coming through. So who should we be keeping an eye on?

Carlos Alcaraz, Spain

Let’s start off with the latest tennis sensation from Spain. Alcaraz is anything but an unknown quantity now but it is easy to forget that he is still only 19 years old. He only turned professional in 2018 and has swiftly risen through the rankings to the lofty position he finds himself in today.

Alcaraz compares well against the greats as well, currently ahead of both Djokovic and Federer when it comes to winning championships and progressing at majors. His speed on the court is a major plus and the power of his forehand shots gives him a distinct advantage. There is no reason why he shouldn’t remain at the top of the game for some time to come.

Jannik Sinner, Italy

Sinner is slightly further down the ATP rankings than Alcaraz, currently sitting at 12th. But his performances this year have shown that there is much promise with this Italian 21-year old. He reached the quarterfinals of the Australian and US Opens as well as at Wimbledon in the summer.

If Alcaraz has been continually compared to compatriot Rafa Nadal, Sinner is much more like the calm, measured Roger Federer in style. The top spin he is able to produce on his two-handed backhands is incredible and his lateral movement ability is said to have come from his background in skiing.

Casper Ruud, Norway

Ruud is the unfortunate player that Carlos Alcaraz beat to take his maiden Grand Slam honor. But this Norwegian sensation seems set on a similar path to greatness with the way he has been playing this year. He also made it to the final of the French Open, where he lost in straight sets to Rafa Nadal.

Ruud is continually breaking records for Norwegian tennis and it only seems a matter of time before he becomes the first to win a major final. Currently ranked third in the world, Rudd is fast becoming a player that opponents shy away from and he looks set to test Alcaraz for a while yet.

Frances Tiafoe, United States

Born in 1998, Tiafoe was raised at the United States Tennis Association’s training center in Maryland where his father worked as head of maintenance. Constant exposure to the game as a child has obviously done him wonders, as he is now ranked 17th in the world and promises much more.

He could do nothing to stop Carlos Alcaraz at this year’s US Open, losing to the Spaniard at the semifinal stage but that experience alone should spur him onto greater things – especially in front of a home crowd. A fast serve and a deadly power game look set to do him well in the coming years.

Taylor Fritz, United States

Both Taylor’s parents were tennis players and the sport seems to be in his blood – as he was the second fastest American to reach an ATP final in only his third tournament. Since then his game has gone from strength to strength and he has now broken into the top ten in the world rankings.

The quarterfinal round at Wimbledon is the furthest he has gone in a major this year. But his aggressive and powerful baseline game should see him go much further in the game. Another weapon in his arsenal is an incredibly fast first serve that gives him the opportunity to break down any opponent.

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.