GAME, SET AND SMOOCH FOR NOVAK
WIMBLEDON COUNTDOWN
1 THANASI KOKKINAKIS (AUS)
AGE: 19 BORN: Adelaide WORLD RANKING: 69
Like many of the new wave of Australian players, kokkinakis is the son of immigrants, with his parents having moved from Greece. Unusually, he began playing on grass at an early age, going every Saturday to courts in Adelaide that stand in the shadow of its famous cricket Oval.
While laid back, some observers believe he may have a better future than his established compatriot Nick kyrgios, with whom he won the Wimbledon junior doubles title in 2013.
He broke into the top 100 this year, won a round at the Australian Open, a live Davis Cup rubber against the Czech Republic and, with Borna Coric, became the first teenager in eight years to make the French Open third round.
Asked to pick three words to describe Wimbledon he says: ‘Prestigious. Tradition. Different.’ Did you know? kokkinakis has been taken under the wing of Andy Murray after the two of them struck up a friendship, and they are regular practice partners.
2 BORNA CORIC (CRO)
AGE: 18 BORN: Zagreb RANK: 39
THE feisty baseliner from Croatia has already gained a reputation as a giant- slayer, having collected the scalps of Rafael Nadal in Basle last year and Andy Murray in Dubai in February, when he reached the semifinals. He was named Association of Tennis Professionals’ Star of Tomorrow at the end of 2014.
Coric has a British connection as he spent several years training with english coach Ryan Jones at the Virgin Centre in Northwood, Middlesex, before they split last year.
Only just over 6ft, he has an excellent all-round game and has already won more than $600,000 (around £380,000) in prize money. He has a combative style, as you would expect from a boxing devotee. His sporting hero is Mike Tyson. ‘i spar as part of my training. it’s my favourite sport, in fact a lot of tennis players like boxing maybe because there are similarities.’ Did you know? His most treasured possession is his dog Ziko, an 11 year-old Pug.
3 ALEX ZVEREV (GER)
AGE: 18 BORN: Hamburg RANK: 76
COMMONLY known as ‘ Sascha’, Zverev is the great hope of German tennis having been born into a family steeped in the game.
His father Alexander played Davis Cup for the Soviet Union before emigrating to Germany and his elder brother Mischa has been in the world’s top 100. Zverev is also trained by Jez Green, who used to work for Andy Murray.
Zverev enjoyed a stellar junior career and with an exciting all-court game is reckoned by some to be the best of the new wave.
‘i like grass and what i really look forward to about Wimbledon is being in a place where you can feel so much history,’ he says. ‘i am very interested in the history of the game.’ Did you know? Despite coming from a tennis family Zverev was a keen hockey player when younger. Although he is from the north, he supports Bayern Munich.
4 HYEON CHUNG (KOR)
AGE: 19 BORN: Suwon RANK: 78
THE highly promising korean comes from a country with more golf heritage than tennis, but he has raced up the rankings.
Much of his tennis development was at the IMG (Nick Bollettieri) Academy in Florida, but he has shown plenty of potential on grass, having been runner- up in the Wimbledon junior event in 2013.
Chung is unusual on the tennis tour in that he speaks little english. He has yet to win a match in a Grand Slam main draw but that is likely to change quickly with his slightly unorthodox groundstrokes. Did you know? Chung took up tennis originally because his parents were told it would help his eyesight, and he still wears glasses.
5 ELIAS YMER (SWE)
AGE: 19 BORN: Stockholm RANK: 133
A SWEDE of ethiopian descent, ymer is seen as a potential answer to the tennis prayers of a country which has such a rich history in the game but has fallen on hard times.
His rise this year has seen him come through qualifying at both the Australian Open and French Open and reach the third round proper of the ATP Barcelona Open.
earlier this month he won his first Challenger title in italy on clay.
Despite that being a preferred surface he is captivated by grass and the idea of playing at Wimbledon.
‘As a kid the only day of the summer when i was not expected to practise was the Sunday of the Wimbledon final, the family would sit round the television and watch it. it’s the best tournament, everyone dreams of winning it.’ Did you know? ymer’s father Jiri was a near international standard 10,000m runner.
6 KYLE EDMUND (GB)
AGE: 20 BORN: Johannesburg RANK: 101
THANKFULLY there is some British representation in this group in the form of the blond British No 3 from yorkshire. edmund’s rise has been that of the steady improver rather than the meteoric young star but he has a big forehand and muchimproved serve.
A polite and thoughtful type with a mature work ethic, his best results have come at Challenger level, and he is starting to pick up top-100 scalps. He is one of the few survivors from what looked like a promising batch of GB contemporaries.
The French Open was a breakthrough as he won his first round against Frenchman Stephane Robert, winning his first five-set match in the face of a partisan crowd.
edmund, a self-confessed petrolhead who loves fast cars and motorbikes, has had a stomach muscle injury but Wimbledon is not unfamiliar territory. He has already competed there twice in the main draw. Did you know? edmund was born in Johannesburg and moved to Liverpool as an infant before the family headed to Beverley. That explains his passion for Liverpool FC. Palmer Suit, £199 at selected T.M. Lewin stores nationwide and online www.tmlewin.co.uk until August 2.