Zverev Or Kyrgios? Who Will be Better?

A question I am legitimately interested in asking the 606v2 illuminati. Both of these guys are earmarked as the next best things in tennis, and possible heirs to the throne when the big four are gone. So who do you fancy more?

Nick obviously has the head start but I seriously think Zverev will be bigger, hes got real game, an easily more consistent game too. He also looks like hes got his head screwed on for the challenges of the tour.

anyone else you guys fancy feel free to go for too

Kyrgios has more raw athletic ability and moves better. Zverev is more mature and smarter. My fear for Zverev is that he grows too big and tall to move well enough. My concern for Nick is that he is just too stupid to be an all time great. They both have multislam potential and I find both of them to be super watchable. Zverev hits that cross court BH like it owes him money. It is a shame his nerves got to him in that match but it was very understandable.

Zverev looks like a complete player. He does not panick on the court although he is still very young. He has really great serve and is very strong on the BL, plays very fast. As you pointed out his height will limit his move to an extent, but overall he is going to get on top soon.

Nick is a wild boy who can shine, but only as a shooting star. But one thing is sure with him, he will not bore crowds and that is not that bad.

On raw talent, Kyrgios by some distance. I also find his game more watchable, so I hope he will be more successful.

I am not sure if his head is ok. But for that, it would not even be close.

summerblues wrote:On raw talent, Kyrgios by some distance.  

We will have to disagree on that one SB.
They both have huge serves, Zverev even serving huge on the second serve which is something he's added to his game very recently. Kyrgios is 2 inches shorter, so perhaps on that count you can give Kyrgios more credit.
But, from what I've seen of their play, Zverev's game is more accurate and he has the ability to construct a point. Kyrgios will during a rally tends to push before he suddenly flicks a switch and goes for a humungous shot with huge power. From what I saw from Zverev, he seemed to have a greater ability to set up a point intelligently, use angles, as well as have the ability to generate pace.
It depends on how you see 'raw talent', for me from what I've seen Zverev's game has more precision which I value Kyrgios's more 'hit and miss' approach. I know there's a long time to go for both Zverev and Kyrgios, but my hunch is that neither have the raw talent of Nishikori and Goffin. Kyrgios/Zverev are much taller and have huge serves so may well be mores successful in their careers, let's see.

I think Zverev will be more consistent and possibly more successful overall.

Kyrgios I suspect will always be a bit up and down, but the highs will be very high. His A game will probably be better than Zverev's but he probably won't find it as often.

I agree with IMBL. I feel Kyrgios's game like the man a little brain dead. If wham bam ball striking is your thing then great, knock yourself out. Zverev has the better tennis brain, more serve variety, and constructs points better. His game is also rapidly evolving further...Kyrgios wasn't achieving these results at the same age.

Zverev has the game more suited to the modern environment; he's more consistent and steady when he wants it, but can play with great pace. Against Simon he was happy to out-rally him, against Rafa he chose to out-hit him frequently.

I don't think either will go on to have the successes expected of them. One behaves like a tw@t and then goes on to play like one too and the other is showing mental lapses in clutch moments.

Both have the ability, but I question if they have it between the ears.

legendkillarV2 wrote:I don't think either will go on to have the successes expected of them. One behaves like a tw@t and then goes on to play like one too and the other is showing mental lapses in clutch moments.

Both have the ability, but I question if they have it between the ears.

A bit harsh on Zverev. He's won quite a few tight matches recently. He was playing one of the best ever players and had a small choke. Keep on putting himself in positions like that and he'll start to get the wins.

Kyrgios in some ways has the arrogance required to beat the best players and not care about it. The same attitude has (and will) hold him back at times too.

Guest82 wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:I don't think either will go on to have the successes expected of them. One behaves like a tw@t and then goes on to play like one too and the other is showing mental lapses in clutch moments.

Both have the ability, but I question if they have it between the ears.

A bit harsh on Zverev.  He's won quite a few tight matches recently.  He was playing one of the best ever players and had a small choke.   Keep on putting himself in positions like that and he'll start to get the wins.

Kyrgios in some ways has the arrogance required to beat the best players and not care about it. The same attitude has (and will) hold him back at times too.

It's not harsh. It's good when you do it against the players around you, different kettle of fish when you have to do it against the top players of the game. He had a good win over Murray, but this is the thing for all the upcoming players that they need to take it to the top players. The Kyrgios attitude in that scenario would be ideal.

Zverev actually is a pretty poised competitor as Paulcz, has mentioned it is just very hard in tennis to be as mentally tough at this age but once he has been in a few big matches and tight battles against the best (where he will probably be at this stage on the losing side) and I doubt he will have any problems. My big fear is that he gets heavier, has a few injuries, that he loses even the movement he has now. I think you can be a top player at six five or six six, but if he grows a couple of more inches and gets heavier it will only make his footspeed worse.

The edge he has I think is that he is more poised, professional, and more committed than Kyrgios. And while I think Nick has more athletic upside in terms of speed and court coverage at the end of the day tennis is not a game that favors lack of discipline, focus, or work ethic; which if he doesn't address will wipe out the good things about his game.