Felix Auger Aliassime, Stefanos Tsitsipas can become tennis greats - Wilander
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Updated 21/08/2019 at 13:55 GMT
Felix Auger Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas have what it takes to be the next 15-time Grand Slam winners, says Eurosport tennis expert Mats Wilander.
Stefanos Tsitsipas et Félix Auger-Aliassime après leur duel en quarts au Queen's
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19-year-old Canadian Auger Aliassime has enjoyed a rapid rise to 19th in the men's world rankings.
After securing his first ATP win at Indian Wells in 2018, it took him only a year to become the third-youngest Masters semi-finalist in Miami in March. He reached the third round of Wimbledon in July.
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Wilander has tipped Auger Aliassime to go far in the mens game
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The seven-time Grand slam champion Wilander has tipped Auger Aliassime, alongside 21-year-old Tsitsipas, to rival tennis' Big Three by winning 15 Grand Slams each in their careers.
"I think Felix Auger Aliassime," he exclusively told Eurosport.
"He’s most probably the one who has the best chance of doing something that’s extraordinary.
"Somebody like Stefanos Tsitsipas has the chance to be a multiple Grand Slam winner but of the ones that we know of now, winning 15 Slams, I would say that it’s one of the two of them of the ones that are playing now.
There might be 16, 17-year-olds out there but I think they both have great attitude and can both play on all the different surfaces.
He added: "Physically they are absolute specimens and mentally they have an unbelievably good attitude.
"Tennis-wise they are good enough but they have the physical and the mental parts that you need to have to even want to think that far.
"So yes, there is a possibility [they could compete with the Big 3]."
'FEDERER COULD PLAY UNTIL 2022'
Vilander is hugely impressed by Roger Federer's ability to stay fit at the age of 38 and feels the Swiss has at least a few more years in him.
He said: "He seems to have this unbelievable ability to lose a couple of matches on the regular tour but it doesn’t seem to affect him that much in terms of how he works, his practice and how he plays five set matches.
"Obviously we are dreaming to think that he is going to be a threat in Grand Slams for another five years, that’s not going to happen but I would say most probably his career will come to an end maybe at the end of 2021 or 2022.
This is when we have to most probably think 'okay, that has to be it' but hey, he’s already defying everything we thought was possible in tennis.
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