Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Zverev are two players that are in their early 20s, the former a couple years older than the latter. They were both important figures in the recent Masters Series 1000 tournaments that were just played in Montreal and Cincinnati. Due to the amazing abilities that each player possesses and given that they are similarly aged, many are foreseeing a rivalry developing between the two talents. Recently, Kyrgios interviewed with the ATP Tour and he mentioned Zverev, their past relationship, and the possibility that they could play many times ahead in the future.
Zverev and Kyrgios contrast one another
"We played juniors together," Kyrgios said of him and Zverev, a comment that reflects that they do know each other quite well. The Australian then complimented the German saying that "he does all the right things" while acknowledging that he, Kyrgios, doesn't always follow the rules.
The two players may be similar in age and talent, but when it comes to behavior both on and off of the court they certainly are different people. Tennis fans are very much still getting to know Zverev, but none would expect him to start taking obscenity warnings in matches or to face suspensions for match tanking. Those are issues that Kyrgios has faced in the past. The latter came in the late-going of 2016 in Shanghai, arguably one of the lower points of Kyrgios' career thus far.
Kyrgios seems calmer now
But a lot of the drama surrounding Kyrgios seems to be from past years. This year he and Zverev are two players that are considered to be among the young crop that will put the Big Four to bed. With Zverev, in particular, the future might arrive sooner than some realize. He has two Masters Series titles this season and on two different surfaces.
Furthermore, he is considered one of the contenders for the 2017 US Open.
Kyrgios is considered such as well and, for the two of them, that may be as much a part of their own talent as it is a part of the talent that will be missing from the Flushing Meadows draw. Kyrgios and Zverev are two players that might enjoy an increased amount of success with Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, and possibly others on the sidelines.
Djokovic, Wawrinka, and Nishikori were three of the four semifinalists from the US Open last season. All three of them will miss the tournament this season as well as the balance of 2017.
That Kyrgios and Zverev are emerging in the marketing of the ATP suggests that tennis is about to get a whole lot younger. The interview with the ATP where Kyrgios made his recent remarks almost seems like a little bit of a commercial for the Aussie. Besides Zverev, Kyrgios also spoke well of his relationship with Andy Murray. All three of them are expected in the US Open which starts next Monday from Flushing Meadows, a tournament that is shaping up as a showdown of old-versus-young.
