What style of play will the next All-Time-Great have ?

I think asking this question comes at a good time, given the winners of the 2014 Grand Slams were:
-Wawrinka
-Nadal
-Djokovic
-Cilic

In the past decade or so we've had 3 all time greats I'd say: Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.
Federer is baseline aggressive, Nadal is baseline neutral/counter-punching, Djokovic is baseline neutral/ controlled aggression.

So with surfaces seemingly all staying at around medium/medium-slow speed, and no hindrance to racket technology (which is allowing players to generate more and more power); there is no obvious answer to this question.
Given how well Djokovic has done, one could expect an effective baseliner like Nishikori to do well with his controlled aggression. Certainly players with no weapons such as Ferrer will not see any young prodigies get to number one.
After watching Janowicz lose against Murray in Wimbledon 2013 I thought to myself: 'in the future if Janowicz gets more competent, or a new competent version of Janowicz rises through the ranks; he could dominate the tour'.
With a US Open victory aged 25, is Cilic that guy? Is he the more competent version of Janowicz I was thinking of? The thing which Cilic and Del Potro have shown they can do, and someone like Raonic has shown he can't; is the ability to sustain huge hitting in a rally and not make unforced errors in crucial moments. These guys can dominate from their huge serves, and even put huge pressure with big returns; meaning most of their matches are in their hands more or less.

The answer to my question is I think it will be a guy like Cilic. Bigger than 6'5, huge serves, big returns on second serves, and can sustain monster hitting for long periods. I'm not sure if it will be Cilic himself, the question for Marin is whether he can consistently play at that USO 2014 level. But in my eyes, within the next decade, there will be a guy who can- and he will dominate.

Hard to say as I feel pretty sure that the next 'great' isn't yet on the scene.

With the three contemporary greats that you name, it was clear from very early on that they had enormous potential. Nadal was excellent from a freakishly young age. Federer and Djokovic took a bit longer to mature but even at age 20, people could tell the top of the game was within their reach.

If we consider a 'great' to have a minimum of six slams, I don't yet see anyone for whom it seems probable that total will be achieved.

The generation of Dimi, Raonic, Nishi etc appear to have left their breakthrough a little late. I don't know the stats off-hand but has anyone won their first slam as late as aged 24 and gone on to win 6 or more?

Kyrgios has time on his side but he's come from nowhere and appears to have a game that is still developing. Zverev looks interesting but he's still very young.

I think the trend is now moving away from the Djokovic-Murray-Nadal baseline approach. I think we are coming into a period where a powerful shot and/or the ability to mix things up a bit will flourish.

But I think the next great will probably not be at least until whatever trend follows that in the ongoing tennis arms race.

HM Murdoch wrote:Hard to say as I feel pretty sure that the next 'great' isn't yet on the scene.

True, it is harder to estimate the style of play of the next ATG when we can't observe any prospects.

The generation of Dimi, Raonic, Nishi etc appear to have left their breakthrough a little late. I don't know the stats off-hand but has anyone won their first slam as late as aged 24 and gone on to win 6 or more?

I think Raonic is too one dimensional and doesn't have a strong enough baseline game, I think Dimi and Nishi will be multi-slam winners but not ATGs.

But I think the next great will probably not be at least until whatever trend follows that in the ongoing tennis arms race.

I like the way you've phrased that; 'tennis arms race'.
Imagine if the surfaces are speeded up and we have a Cilic-type player who can hit monster serves as well as groundstrokes.

Next ATG will have his own unique style.

DirectView2 wrote:Next ATG will have his own unique style.

So very unorthodox like Nadal ?

It Must Be Love wrote:

DirectView2 wrote:Next ATG will have his own unique style.

So very unorthodox like Nadal ?

Borg style was unique, so was Sampras so was Federer and so is Nadal and so will be next ATG.

DirectView2 wrote:

It Must Be Love wrote:

DirectView2 wrote:Next ATG will have his own unique style.

So very unorthodox like Nadal ?

Borg style was unique, so was Sampras so was Federer and so is Nadal and so will be next ATG.

Was Federer's playing style unique, or the orthodox style perfected ?
(Obviously he's unique in the way that he's been able to perfect his technique)

It Must Be Love wrote:

DirectView2 wrote:

It Must Be Love wrote:

DirectView2 wrote:Next ATG will have his own unique style.

So very unorthodox like Nadal ?

Borg style was unique, so was Sampras so was Federer and so is Nadal and so will be next ATG.

Was Federer's playing style unique, or the orthodox style perfected ?
(Obviously he's unique in the way that he's been able to perfect his technique)

Was Borg's style unique or orthodox?

Was Wilander Style unique or orthodox?

Was Lendl style unique or orthodox?

Was Agassi style unique or orthodox?

Federer style certainly not orthodox, it depends upon what you call orthodox, orthodox players play S and V in grass, Federer won Wimbledon without playing orthodox style, so how come his style is orthodox now?

Federer style is termed as text book style of play, cause he plays most shots with perfect balance which means his chance of injuring himself is less likely, that doesn't mean he plays a Rafter or Henman or Edberg style of Tennis which I would call as orthodox.

Federer was one of the first to play attacking baseline play and defensive return play, if its orthodox can you name a few players who had attacking baseline play and defensive return blocks with single hand backhand.

Directview2 wrote:Federer was one of the first to play attacking baseline play and defensive return play, if its orthodox can you name a few players who had attacking baseline play and defensive return blocks with single hand backhand.

I probably could, but this is slightly off-topic.
Do you see the style of the next ATG as an attacking player or defensive counter punching player.

It Must Be Love wrote:

Directview2 wrote:Federer was one of the first to play attacking baseline play and defensive return play, if its orthodox can you name a few players who had attacking baseline play and defensive return blocks with single hand backhand.

I probably could, but this is slightly off-topic.

If you probably could please post it, it won't be off-topic as outside us nobody else is interested.

Orthodox and unorthodox are moving targets though. What was once unusual which had great success will become the norm with the next batch of players. By the looks of it, now the ultra defense which was once something only Rafa and Coria could seem to do is the in thing, the new big guy will probably heavily employ the down the line approach and finish at the net. It will be a bit more all rounded, but wont by any means be a serve volleyer.

HM Murdoch wrote:Hard to say as I feel pretty sure that the next 'great' isn't yet on the scene.

With the three contemporary greats that you name, it was clear from very early on that they had enormous potential. Nadal was excellent from a freakishly young age. Federer and Djokovic took a bit longer to mature but even at age 20, people could tell the top of the game was within their reach.

If we consider a 'great' to have a minimum of six slams, I don't yet see anyone for whom it seems probable that total will be achieved.

The generation of Dimi, Raonic, Nishi etc appear to have left their breakthrough a little late. I don't know the stats off-hand but has anyone won their first slam as late as aged 24 and gone on to win 6 or more?

Kyrgios has time on his side but he's come from nowhere and appears to have a game that is still developing. Zverev looks interesting but he's still very young.

I think the trend is now moving away from the Djokovic-Murray-Nadal baseline approach. I think we are coming into a period where a powerful shot and/or the ability to mix things up a bit will flourish.

But I think the next great will probably not be at least until whatever trend follows that in the ongoing tennis arms race.

I agree with Murdoch, I can't see any of the next generation guys reaching Djokovic standards far be it from reaching Federer or Nadal. I also think we are going to see more great attackers dominating the game. The technology and tactics will catch up and players with big serves and big shots will eventually turn the tide against the athletic counterpunching style players. There is only so fast a human can move and chase and only for so long. I don't really think we will ever see the return of S and V, the game has been moving away from that style of play ever so slowly from the end of wooden racquets.

It Must Be Love wrote:

Directview2 wrote:Federer was one of the first to play attacking baseline play and defensive return play, if its orthodox can you name a few players who had attacking baseline play and defensive return blocks with single hand backhand.

I probably could, but this is slightly off-topic.
Do you see the style of the next ATG as an attacking player or defensive counter punching player.

Ivan Lendl did the same thing. He had a great one handed backhand chipped back almost every return. Also had a big serve and played an aggressive baseline game, also had a big forehand as well.

socal1976 wrote:I also think we are going to see more great attackers dominating the game. The technology and tactics will catch up and players with big serves and big shots will eventually turn the tide against the athletic counterpunching style players. There is only so fast a human can move and chase and only for so long.

Indeed, this is what I feel too. Also I fear that I may not enjoy tennis as much is a Raonic-type player is dominating.

I think we have been fortunate with the style of player who has ruled for the last few years. I suspect the next dominant player is likely to be a relatively soulless ball basher - Raonic with better movement. Not an era I am looking forward to.

I think one day someone will come along and be very aggressive with a very high W/UE ratio.

I find it easy to imagine players much better than any we have ever yet seen. Just change one thing about some current players. Imagine these:

Murray + monster forehand + Sampras second serve.
Djokovic + monster forehand, and a smash, and a bullet first serve.
Federer + consistency, a bit better W/UE ratio, and better mental strength on B/P conversion.
Nadal + 145mph serve.

Any one of those imagined players would GOAT the hell out of everyone else in history.

One point of contention HB, Djokovic does have a monster forehand. But Djokovic did have a monster first serve he probably would be the GOAT, that being said it is pretty damn good at the moment and the last couple of years. Yes Nadal with a huge serve also would be a scary proposition or Murray with a good second serve. I think if you took Djokovic's or Murray's backhand as a two hander and added it to Fed's arsenal than that would be a frightening prospect as well.

Yes, imagine Djokovic's backhand transplanted onto Federer. The head to head with Nadal would almost certainly not have been so skewed, for a start! I can easily imagine that player on 20 slams.

Or imagine Djokovic with Nadal's mentality and focus. That hybrid would have dominated the last 3 or 4 years.

Or imagine Granollers with Sampras's serve, Federer's forehand, Djokovic's backhand, Rafa's focus, Murray's speed, Agassi's return and McEnroe's volleying! That player would be awesome!  

(Did I go too far on that last one?)

All time greats tend to have 1 defining shot that dominates other players and is top 5 of its type all time...

Nadal FH
Sampras serve
Fed FH
Connors return
McEnroe volley
Agassi backhand

They then tend to have a second defining feature that is also right up there...

So you'll know a future potential GOAT when they come along by noticing they have a shot that you watch on TV and you just 'know'. Does anyone have that XFactor shot under age of 25 currently....er, no.

lydian wrote:All time greats tend to have 1 shots that is top 5 all time...

Nadal FH
Sampras serve
Fed FH
Connors return
McEnroe volley
Agassi backhand

They then tend to have a second defining feature that is also right up there...

So you'll know a future potential GOAT when they come along by noticing they have a shot that you watch on TV and you just 'know'. Does anyone have that XFactor shot under age of 25 currently....er, no.

What happens if it's a 6'6 guy with a ridiculous serve, and who crushes each ball he hits flat; with a higher winner/UE ratio ?

I suppose the feature could be
'Big Serve' and 'Big power'

Maybe with Cilic...but we need to see if he can sustain it for another 7+ slam wins. I have my doubts...guys above 6'2 simply don't dominate the tour. Height usually comes at the expense of other things.