The youngest of the circuit take power in New York

The US Open 2021 is definitely the Grand Slam for the youngest. Three teenagers, Carlos Alcaraz (18 years old), Emma Raducanu (18) and Leylah Fernández (18 when he qualified, although just this Monday he turns 19), went to the round of 16, something unusual in the highest category of tournaments. In fact, in the US Open it did not happen since in 1998 Marat Safin (18), Venus Williams (18), Martina Hingis (17) and anna Kournikova (17) advanced. Last year there were no players in that age range at the same heights in the American major. In this edition, eight U-21 tennis players reached the fourth round, those already mentioned and Jenson Brooksby (20), Jannik Sinner (20), Iga Swiatek (20), Felix Auger-Aliassime (21) and Bianca Andreescu (21). And only six over 30: Novak Djokovic (34), Angelique Kerber (33), Peter Gojowczyk (32), Daniel Evans (31), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (30) and Simona Halep (30).

The average age (25.2) has not decreased in the men's team compared to 2020 (24.9), because six tennis players repeat and now they are one year older, but it is very similar. Neither did Nadal and Federer compete, like this time, so their casualties do not influence. Sí The rejuvenation in women is more appreciated, which goes from 27.9 last season to 25.3 this, with some incidence as it was not in the Serena Williams championship in 2021 (39).

Alcaraz, who meets Gojowczyk this Sunday for a place in the quarterfinals, achieved several precocious milestones with his victory against Tsitsipas. Fernández eliminated a two-time US Open champion, Naomi Osaka, and this Sunday the 2016 winner, Kerber, who is 15 years older than her, to enter the quarterfinals; while Raducanu, who defeated Sara Sorribes with a resounding 6-0 and 6-1, is playing today against Shelby Rogers. The British spoke about the teenage rebellion: “I think having so many promising players (in the round of 16) is really great for our sport. It shows how strong this next generation is. We all inspire each other to play better. “

Record of 'qualifiers'

TOOn the side of the youth issue, in Flushing Meadows there is also talk that three of the previous ones will enter the top 16 of the ATP table: Gojowczyk, Otte and Van de Zandschulp, who is already in the quarterfinals after eliminating Schwartzman. A situation that had not happened in Slams since Roland Garros 1995 with Draper, El Anaoui and Voiena.