Many tennis players succeed in their junior days and win a Grand Slam in that category, but does it guarantee success on the main Tour?
Forming any rapid conclusions based on junior Grand Slam results is risky business. Of the active WTA players who have won a junior Grand Slam until 2020, only six of them – from a list of 47 players – have won a major on the main tour.
Almost half of these 47 players achieved a career-best ranking of World No. 20 or higher. From the same data, it is striking that most players who won one of Roland Garros or Wimbledon went on to scale even greater heights at the WTA level.
About 16 players who won either of those tournaments broke the Top 20 at some point. This includes players like Iga Swiatek, Simona Halep, Ons Jabeur, Coco Gauff, Paula Badosa, Belinda Bencic, and Elina Svitolina.
While most of them can disappear into the wilderness almost without a trace, others continue to toil on the lower rungs, hoping that one day they’ll rekindle the glory days from their teenage years.
Many factors can affect a player’s trajectory and transition from the junior level. For instance, the demands of the main tour are substantially higher and require peal physical conditioning, the ability to cope in a pressure environment, skill development, and even financial support.
Sometimes, teenagers can be eclipsed by those who grow later, refine their skills, and develop their court craft. From the men’s tour, the number of active Grand Slam champions from both levels is grim compared to women.
Only three players from the current roster have triumphed at the junior and senior tours. These are Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, and Marin Cilic. Meanwhile, players like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Rafael Nadal didn’t necessarily have prolific junior careers.
A great junior career is a perfect start as it lays the platform. For some, it brings some sort of familiarity with the main tour. But enjoying great success at that level is never a guarantee you’ll excel beyond that territory.
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