Explained: Why six-foot, six-inch Medvedev becoming No 1 signals rise of towering giants in tennis

A 2016 study released at the European Science Open Forum confirmed that the world’s population has grown taller by a few centimetres over the past century thanks to economic prosperity and better nutrition and healthcare. The growth among the tennis elite has been more noticeable.

In February 2002, there was nobody 6’5 or above in the ATP top 20. Ten years ago, there were three. This week, there are six, including three in the top 6. On the women’s side, the current top 10 features five players 5’10 or above — including two six-footers.

Conversely, those under six feet in ATP top 20 have gone down from five in 2002, to four in 2012, to 1 in 2022. The one outlier is Argentine Diego Schwartzman, the shortest player in the top 50 at 5’7.

“I read David and Goliath when I was young in school, and I just try to think of that when I see Kevin (Anderson, the 6’8 South African) or the guys who are two meters (tall),” Schwartzman has said.

Why are there so many tall players at the top?

Jonas Bjorkman — former world number four who has worked with Marin Cilic, Andy Murray and Milos Raonic — said the trend is down to sports science.

“Firstly, in general, people, kids are getting taller,” the Swede told The Indian Express. “More importantly, today, we have a lot more knowledge about fitness training, rehabilitation and training methods. Huge improvements have been made in the last decade itself. The players know how to maximise the training, there are a lot of specifics available. All that has helped the taller guys to be much more athletic than they were 20-30 years ago.”

In a 2017 interview, world No.3 Alexander Zverev credited his agility to the experience of playing field hockey and football as a kid.

“You look at Cilic, at del Potro, at me — we all move really well, which is a big change from how it was 20 or 30 years ago,” said the 6’6 German. “They are low-gravity sports. They taught me how to be low all the time, how to change direction quickly.”

Has the surface played a role?

Galo Blanco, former coach of Raonic and Karen Khachanov and currently working with Dominic Thiem, agrees with renowned coach Nick Bollettieri, who earlier told this paper that “the players are more physical, and taller, because there are not many fast surfaces anymore. The courts everywhere are slower, the bounce is higher and that helps the tall player.”

“In my time, the courts were much faster. Now you can find hard courts slower than some clay courts, which means the points are longer and the bounce is higher, helping the tall player,” said Blanco.

The 70-30 mix of ryegrass and creeping red fescue was the recipe to serve-and-volley’s success at Wimbledon. The 1994 Wimbledon final between Goran Ivanisevic and Pete Sampras eventually came down to who could bend the knee better when returning and volleying. The 6’1 Sampras’ canon service and smooth crouch meant 6’4 Ivanisevic had to stretch, bend down and execute the low volley.

In 2001, Wimbledon took the 100 per cent perennial ryegrass route, slowing the courts down. With the slower surfaces, contests resemble the baseline slugfests of clay. Taller players can wait for the ball to climb up, before thwacking it from the baseline, helped by the large racquets and better strings. The higher bounce is complemented by the aforementioned agility of the tall players.

Is there a ‘good height’ for tennis?

The Open Era’s first true champion Rod Laver was 5’8, while Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg were all under six feet. Martina Navratilova was 5’8, Chris Evert 5’6 and Billie Jean King was 5’4. After losing the 1994 Wimbledon semifinal to 6’4 Ivanisevic, Boris Becker, an inch shorter than the Croat, exclaimed: “I used to be one of the tallest in the locker room. Now I’m medium. Probably in 20 years, I’m the smallest.”

The 6’3 height is not “the smallest” in 2022. Bjorkman believes a 6’3 player is of a good average height for the modern game.

“Average height, when I played, was 6 ‘1. Then, Roger (Federer), Rafa came up to take it up to 188cm (around 6’2),” said Bjorkman. “Now it has passed 190, around 193 (6’3) is the perfect average. You get the height for a good serve, you get extra speed and still have the flexibility. If the 2-metre players train on flexibility, and start moving extremely well, it could be the new perfect average.”

Blanco, however, believes predicting an average height is difficult. “It varies from player to player. If an athlete is tall but doesn’t move well, then we have an issue,” said the Spaniard.

What are the advantages of taller players?

“A tall guy with good movement presents a lot of advantages,” said Blanco. “It’s even better if they are tall from a young age, as you can start working with them early. Eventually, using height you can have a bigger reach, and serve harder and better.”

The players who recorded the most aces in 2021 were Alexander Bublik (6’5), Zverev (6’6), Reilly Opelka (6’11), John Isner (6’10) and Medvedev (6’6). The shortest players in the top 10 for aces, in fact, were Lloyd Harris and Felix Auger-Aliassime (both 6’4).

They have power and reach, and excel on serves. The converse, however, is also true. Historically, taller players have fared worse on returns. While Schwartzman (5’7) was outside of the top 100 in aces last year, the world No.13’s continued success is down to his returns. When it comes to career return games won, Schwartzman’s percentage is 32.21, only behind Nadal’s 33.56. Last year, only Djokovic was better on returning first serves than Schwartzman. Number three on that list? Daniil Medvedev.

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With his deep return position, his reliability on both the wings, minimal loading and fluid swinging, Medvedev is a great returner and thus not your average tennis giant. Schwartzman, however, still has one advantage over the Russian.

“It’s classic for me,” Schwartzman said of fan support when going against taller players. “I think for the people, it’s helping to be with me on court. They see the small one and the big one, they are going with the small one.”