A T P N E X T G E N E R A T I O N
Interview} John Russo
Photography by} John Russo
Location} Indian Wells, California
C A S P E R R U U D
JP: So what do you love most about tennis?
CR: I am a person who loves competition. I love the adrenaline that my body gets when I am playing in a tournament and definitely the pumping of the blood, it’s the most fun and exciting feeling, the second you win the match, you kind of go out of your bubble and you release all your tension and stress that you had, the adrenaline you had in the body, just all of those feelings, just to get a win. I mean it doesn’t matter what kind of level of tournament it is, every win is a win and every time is as nice as the other times. So I think that winning feeling is something that the players always appreciate and like.
JR: If you could go back in time and play against someone who has retired from the game, who would it be?
CR: I would play against Bjorn Borg, because of what he did for the game of tennis. He’s Swedish and I am Norwegian, so we are quite close to each other. But at the same time, it would be fun to challenge one of the greatest ever and to play with him. He is such a class guy and such a nice guy. I got to know him a little bit last year at the Cup. I think he will also appreciated that I was from Norway and that he could talk Swedish and Norwegian to me. (laughs)
JR: Of all the top women players past and present, who do you think would be the most challenging to play?
CR: I would probably say Serena. She has good power from both serve and groundstrokes. I think she has the best ever serve on the women’s side and she can produce up to 200 kilometers an hour. And that is not typical from the women’s side. And it’s up to where I serve myself. So you wouldn’t necessarily see too big of a difference when it comes to a serve, so she plays a great game. She stands up high in the court, so I think she would be the biggest challenge if I should pick one big challenge from the women’s side.
JR: What is your weapon on the court?
CR: My weapon is my shot, I would say my forehand I also try to keep a positive mindset and the power throughout the match. I try not to show too much frustration to my opponents, that can also be a small little weapon. But my shot of choice is my forehand.
JR: And in 50 years when people look back on your career, what do you hope they will remember about you?
CR: I hope that they can remember that I won the Grand Slam. This is my ultimate goal and dream since I was a kid was to try to win the Grand Slam. It’s a feeling that I strive to try and experience and work on everyday. I know it’s extremely difficult and not many players in the world have been able to do it, but I believe it’s possible and of course I will try to continue doing everything I can and working hard to try to achieve it and accentuate that feeling.
To learn more about Casper Ruud, Follow Casper @casperruud
R E I L L Y O P E L K A
JP: So what do you love most about tennis?
RO: I don’t like the traveling, but I like to be around my friends that I grew up with.
JR: If you could go back in time and play against someone who has retired from the game, who would it be?
RO: Probably McEnroe, an American icon.
JR: Of all the top women’s players, past and present, who do you think would be the most challenging to play?
RO: That’s an easy one. Either Venus or Serena by a long shot, there’s not anyone else after that I would even consider.
JR: What is your weapon on the court?
RO: My serve, definitely.
JR: In 50 years, when people look back at your career, what do you hope they will remember about you?
RO: Honestly anything. 50 years is a long time. So if there is anything that people can remember about me in 50 years, I wouldn’t even care if it is a negative, I will take it.
To learn more about Reilly Opelka follow him at @reillyopelka
J E N S O N B R O O K S B Y
JR: What do you love most about tennis?
JB: I think what I love the most is having fans and people that cheer you on no matter where you play. That’s special for me. Also using it as a platform for my family and friends to be able to support me.
JR: If you could go back in time and play against someone who has retired from the game, who would it be?
JB: I think I would want to play Santoro the most. Because I think we would have good points, a lot of slices and good points, it would be fun.
JR: Of all the top women’s players past and present, who do you think would be the most challenging to play?
JB: I think Iga Swiatek would be the toughest and that’s also before her recent good results, I would say in the last couple of years that I have seen, because her game is really solid and yeah, I mean she would be the toughest one to face.
JR: What is your weapon on the court?
JB: I think being able to break down opponents weaknesses is my best strength.
JR: In 50 years, when people look back on your career, what do you hope they will remember about you?
JB: I think I just want to be remembered as someone who competed really well and gave it my best and fulfilled the most I can out of my career really.
To learn more about Jenson Brooksby follow him at @Jenson_brooksby
J. J. W O L F
JR: What do you love most about tennis?
JJ: I love the competitiveness and you are the only one who could determine your fate out there.
JR: If you could go back in time and play against someone who has retired from the game, who would it be?
JJ: I would like to play Agassi and that would be fun. I would like to get a feel what it’s like to play against him. I have a lot of respect for his game and enjoyed watching him.
JR: Of all the top women’s players, past and present, who do you think would be the most challenging to play?
JJ: I think I would have to say Serena and she’s so powerful, rips on both sides and is a great champion.
JR: What is your weapon on the court?
JJ: I would say my forehand and I hit it pretty hard.
JR: In 50 years, when people look back on your career, what do you hope they’ll remember about you?
JJ: I hope they remember that I played with class and dignity and always had fun out there.
To learn more about J.J. Wolf follow him at @jjwolf5
A L E J A N D R O D A V I D O V I C H F O K I N A
JR: What do you love most about tennis?
ADF: I enjoy tennis because since you are a child it teaches you to appreciate life and it pushes you to go beyond your limits
JR: If you could go back in time and play against someone who has retired from the game, who would it be?
ADF: I would have loved to play against John McEnroe
JR: Of all the top women’s players, past and present, who do you think would be the most challenging to play?
ADF: Serena Williams
JR: What is your weapon on the court?
ADF: We are working on improving my game to be a complete tennis player but right now my best weapon is my forehand
JR: In 50 years, when people look back on your career, what do you hope they’ll remember about you?
ADF: I would like people to remember me as a player who did great things on the court with modesty and someone who was enjoying his time on the court
To learn more about Alejandro Davidovich Fokina follow him at @aledavidovichofficial
M I O M I R K E C M A N I V I C
JR: What do you love most about tennis?
MK: I really love competing, so I really love fighting, playing against other guys. And figuring things out.
JR: If you could go back in time and play against someone who has retired from the game, who would it be?
MK: I mean I would like to play Pete Sampras, that would be pretty cool, on the grass, that would be nice, at Wimbledon. (laughs)
JR: Of all the top women’s players, past and present, who do you think would be the most challenging to play?
MK: I mean Iga Swiatek is doing amazing things right now, I mean currently she looks unbeatable. I probably would lose against her I think. (laughs)
JR: What is your weapon on the court?
MK: I am a pretty good fighter myself, it’s pretty big.
JR: In 50 years, when people look back on your career, what do you hope they will remember you for?
MK: Still playing. No, hopefully I win some big tournaments and they will remember that and that I was a good person hopefully.
To learn more about Miomir Kecmanovic follow him at @miomirk
H U B E R T H U R K A C Z
JR: What do you love most about tennis?
HH: The thing that I love most about tennis is the competition, the situation where you are the only one on the court and you have to figure things out for yourself and just the way that the game is played, the shots that you can come up with I think are really awesome.
JR: If you could go back in time and play against someone who has retired from the game, who would it be?
HH: I would want it to be Agassi or Sampras or McEnroe, some of the best players ever.
JR: Of all the top women’s players, past and present, who do you think would be the most challenging to play?
HH: From the women’s players past or present I think it might be the most challenging to play, I mean honestly I have no idea, but maybe Justine Henin, I think she used to play really nice, really smart, she understood the game well, I think maybe she could be fun to play against.
JR: What is your weapon on the court?
HH: My weapon on the court I think is my shot making from the back, consistently from the baseline, I think that is my biggest advantage.
JR: In 50 years, when people look back on your career, what do you hope they will remember you for?
HH: And in 50 years I hope I will be remembered as a player who contributed a lot to the sport and they remember me as a good person and a good sportsman, I think that’s more important than being remembered as somebody who won everything but was an asshole. (laughs) So I want to be remembered as a kind person, a great person, so that would be awesome.
To learn more about Hubert Hurkacz follow him at @hubihurkacz
L L O Y D H A R R I S
JR: So what do you like most about tennis?
LH: I love being out there on the court with an amazing crowd, an amazing atmosphere, people supporting and just playing those matches, just playing your heart out and getting that winning feeling, I think that is, that winning feeling that you have played in front of a huge crowd, a huge match, I think this is something I come back for every time.
JR: If you go back in time and play against someone who retired from the game, who would it be?
LH: That’s an interesting one. I think I would like to play Carlos Moya. He was a very good ambassador for the sport and I liked the way he was playing. It would be a good challenge for me, especially if I could play him, maybe at the French Open. I think this would be a very good challenge for me!
JR: Of all the top women players past and present, who do you think would be the most challenging to play against?
LH: I would probably say Serena Williams. I think a lot of people might have said that. I think she has a massive serve and a big game, so I think that would make it more similar to a men’s game and make it harder for me to play with her. I mean she’s probably one of the greatest females, one of the greatest players of all time, so I think it will definitely be tough to play with her, so Serena, yeah.
JR: What is your weapon on the court?
LH: For me it’s the serve. I think when I am serving well the entire game comes together, so I would go with the serve.
JR: In 50 years, when people look back on your career, what do you hope they will remember?
LH: I hope I leave a good legacy behind. I always try to compete for the Davis Cup and play in South Africa. I try to inspire a lot of kids and show them the pathway for South Africans to become great tennis players. So I hope, especially in South Africa and obviously among the world, that I leave a good legacy behind and that I achieve good things in tennis.
To learn more about Lloyd Harris follow him at @lloydharris24