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ATP World Tour: Dominic Thiem vs. Alexander Zverev the next great rivalry

By Maxwell Ogden

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 28: Dominic Thiem (R) of Austria hugs Alexander Zverev of Germany following his victory during the Men's Singles third round match on day seven of the 2016 French Open at Roland Garros on May 28, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 28: Dominic Thiem (R) of Austria hugs Alexander Zverev of Germany following his victory during the Men's Singles third round match on day seven of the 2016 French Open at Roland Garros on May 28, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev are ahead of the curve as far as rising stars are confirmed. They’re on a crash course for the next great rivalry.

The ATP World Tour is beginning to realize the mortality of the Big Four. As the years pass and father time begins to wage war on Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, a void is being created—a void that could be filled by Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev.

The Big Four haven’t lost their touch just yet, but if the past two years are a sign of things to come, then Thiem and Zverev are on pace for big things.

Thiem, ranked No. 7, and Zverev, No. 8, are the youngest player in the Top 15 of the ATP World Tour. Thiem is a 23-year-old force of nature who has been chipping away at the wall between he and the world’s elite.

Zverev is a 20-year-old phenom who has already begun to pile up ATP World Tour titles and make a realistic run at a Top 5 world ranking.

Thiem is a skilled baseline player who can blend aggressive ground strokes with brilliant defense. He’s magnificent on clay, where he has the look of a future French Open champion, and seems to be finding his comfort zone on grass, as well.

As reflected by his fourth round appearances at the 2016 US Open and 2017 Australian Open, Thiem is no stranger to success on hard courts, either.

The key to Thiem’s game is a combination of precision and methodical planning. He has a phenomenal one-hand backhand that he can use to win points against players of all calibers. Mentally, he seems to be thinking a shot ahead of the competition.

The hurdle for Thiem will be mental endurance, as he’s won just 50.0 percent of the deciding sets he’s played in 2017.

Zverev, on the other hand, is a 6’6″ Goliath with a big serve and a unique ability to also play well as a returner. He’s Top 10 on the ATP World Tour in percentage of break points converted, and ranks just outside of the Top 10 in percentage of second serve return points won.

Zverev’s serve looks as though it could become legitimately elite, but his accuracy must improve in order for that to transpire.

In the meantime, Zverev’s greatest strengths are his ground strokes that he can place just about anywhere on the court with impressive power and precision. That too will require polishing, but for a 20-year-old, he’s miles ahead of the curve.

Zverev is also improving at the net, and isn’t afraid to take chances with his second serve—something that can be perceived as both a strength and a weakness.

At 23 years of age, Thiem has already reached the fourth round of every Grand Slam event. That includes his semifinal appearances at the French Open in both 2016 and 2017, and his current streak of four straight Round of 16 appearances at Grand Slams.

In 2017 alone, Thiem has eliminated Novak Djokovic from the French Open, defeated Rafael Nadal in straight sets on clay in Rome, and upset world No. 1 Andy Murray in Barcelona.

Zverev has yet to reach the quarterfinal at a Grand Slam event, but he broke through with a trip to the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2017. He lost a five-set thriller to Milos Raonic in the Round of 16, which further teased his arrival.

Thus far in 2017, Zverev has won four ATP World titles, and has defeated the likes of Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic, and Raonic.

Both players have work to do before they truly break through, but it’s becoming abundantly clear that Thiem and Zverev belong. Both are making noise at Grand Slam events, and both have secured victory over members of the Big Four.

The question is: Can they complete that leap to the top tier of the ATP World Tour and thus give men’s tennis its next great rivalry?

There’s a three-year gap, but both are ahead of their time in the way they’re playing at such young ages. Thiem already has two semifinal appearances at Grand Slam events, and Zverev is coming off of a win at the Citi Open.

If these two young bucks continue to improve and take the tennis world by storm, the impending void left by the Big Four will be adequately filled.

Must Read: How Rafael Nadal can return to his perch as the world No. 1

Do yourself a favor and keep an eye on Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev. They may very well be the future of the ATP World Tour.

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