[Brian Swartz]

Generational Overview

Last year's oldest players are gone, the remnants of Bjorn Benda's run.

** The Old Guard(3) -- This group is half-gone as well. Antonin Iglar(3rd), Anil Mehul(6th), and Pierce Gaskell(17th) are all 32 and the only 30-somethings in the Top 32. Oh, how times have changed there.

** Generation Flash(8) -- Feeling their age a little bit now, these guys still have something to say before they are done. Girish Girsh(2nd), Gustavo Caratti(5th), Mugur Kinczllers(8th), Agustin Herrera(13th), Davide Poilblan(18th), Garreth McCuskey(19th), Xavier Caminha(27th), and Elias Trulsen(28th). None of them are near their peak ranking though. A few of them will fade away completely next season.

** Prime Mediocrity(7) -- This group never really had anybody that was that good, and they are pretty much at their best tennis right now, some just past and a fair number not quite there, but unlikely to get all that much better. I don't think there will ever be a Top 4 player from this group, amazingly enough. Shreya Ujjaval(7th), Theodore Bourdet(9th), Zourab Andronikov(10th), Khasan Zakirov(11th), Rui Padilla(23rd), Mqabukonyongolo Nkomo(30th), Tabia Al Zarifi(31st). Al Zarifi is worth mentioning as a rare Israeli player; he may threaten the national record of 20th, set by Dudi Salah over 30 years ago.

** Mooljee & Co.(10) -- Prakash Mooljee's dominant position merely headlines the new wave. He's #1 of course, followed by Tomas Niklas(4th), Juan de los Santos(12th), Tiosav Srbulovic(15th), Blagota Cojanovic(16th), Sava Cirakovic(20th), Johnny Browne(21st), Phillippe Besson(25th), Tristan Benitez(26th), and Petko Ljaljevic(32nd). That's a lot of players who are just going to get better for a couple more years. They definitely won't be tarred with the brush of mediocrity like those ahead of them.

** Janin's Wave(3) -- As has been mentioned, Canadian Luc Janin(14th) is spearheading a group of players who probably won't have the numbers of Mooljee's group, but some of them could reach even greater heights. Jake Jolland(24th) has already made his presence felt at times, and Italy's next great hope is Gabriele Guareschi(29th) is a year younger than Janin. More are coming, including another Italian ... their tradition definitely won't pass with Kinczllers.