This year’s Australian Open has put the spotlight onto some of the country’s brightest young prospects, but former Davis Cup star Sam Groth says there’s still a long way to go before we have another player contesting Grand Slam titles alongside Ash Barty.
Speaking on Wide World of Sports’ The Morning Serve, Groth highlighted Alex de Minaur as Australia’s most likely contender on the men’s tour but added that he needs to retool his game to go to the next level
“He’s been well and truly our No.1 player on the men’s side for quite some time … in terms of his consistency and performance,” Groth said.
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Australia’s top-ranked men’s player, de Minaur, advanced to the fourth round of the Open for the first time in his career, before succumbing to Italy’s Jannik Sinner.
Asked whether de Minaur’s straight-set loss was a true representation of the gap between the two youngsters, Groth said the Aussie 22-year-old could learn a lot from the success and skills of Sinner, who is the youngest player ranked in the top 10.
“I think it’s a pretty fair reflection at the moment, and that’s nothing against Alex but Jannik Sinner has been able to, as a young guy, understand his game and keep making improvements,” he said.
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“The firepower that Jannik Sinner possesses, I think it’s going to make Alex actually go away and reassess what he needs to work on.
“We know he’s a fighter and he moves incredibly well, and there are things that he does really well, but there’s also a few holes in his game and areas he can improve.
“Which is a positive in a way because with that comes hopefully more match wins.”
Groth also discussed wildcard Madison Inglis and the world No.133’s potential to become a feature in the second week of major tournaments with the help of the right coach.
“She needs to get herself a full-time coach, understand her game style and keep adding some weapons – I think her forehand can get a lot better,” he said.
“I think a lot of these players need to invest back into themselves too.
“Madison’s had a great few weeks and she’s going to make a couple of hundred grand here. I think to get a coach that understands her and the tour, and what she needs to get better, will take her a long way.
After Alexei Popyrin crashed out in the first round of the Open, Groth said the world No.59 needs to reflect on his game, including how he can win points and what his patterns of play are, to reach his potential.
Popyrin is a rangy player with a huge serve and forehand but has not yet found a way to move up the rankings as a regular fixture in the top 50 or compete beyond the first few rounds of a Grand Slam.
“I think sometimes these young guys they’re such good ball strikers and they’re so talented that actually playing tennis and the nuances, and actually understanding how they are going to win at any given point is lost a little bit,” he said.
“I think [Popyrin’s] one that would benefit from getting a set game style or game plan that really suits him, not just playing off flash and flair.”
With Thanasi Kokkinakis also knocked out in the opening round, Groth was asked if we could expect to see the recent Adelaide International champion climb the rankings if he remains fit and healthy.
“I want us to get past Thanasi’s comeback and talking about his injuries, and start talking about his tennis,” he said.
“He’s still not quite inside the world’s top 100, so he’s got to make that jump. It’s going to get harder as you get away from home, you’re still having to play a mix of challenger tour events and ATP tour events to get that ranking up.
“But as long he trusts himself and understands that there’s going to be little niggles, he’s not going to feel 100 per cent every week and he’s going to have to manage his body, but he’s also going to have to play through those little things that happen.
“Sometimes when you’ve got a history of injury, the scar tissue is not just in the muscles or the joints, it’s also in the brain, and the willingness to push through some of those tough moments.”
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