Jérôme Kym: Tennis’ Next Big Thing?
So, have you heard about this Swiss marvel, Jérôme Kym? Crashing serves, impressive power – it’s like the Swiss version of a chocolate factory, but instead of cocoa, we’ve got raw talent oozing out! Forget about Dominic Stricker or Leandro Riedi; Kym is stealing the thunder and he’s only 19! A giant at a towering 1.98 m tall, he’s had to ditch his dreams of being a ball boy at the Swiss Indoors because he’s filled out those shorts a bit too well!
Isn’t it refreshing to see someone hit the ground running, or in this case, hit the tennis ball soaring? Kym’s been on a tear, bagging two Challenger and two ITF tournament wins this year. He’s gone from a world ranking of 444 to a whopping 140. Move aside, tennis world, there’s a new prodigy in town, breaking records like they’re fragile china!
From Prodigy to Superstar
Now, let’s take a stroll down memory lane. This young man isn’t just an overnight success. Oh no! At just 15, the Swiss tennis authority Heinz Günthardt pinpointed him as a potential superstar! A world champion in the U14 division defeating none other than Carlos Alcaraz – I mean, can you imagine? Talk about a feather in his cap!
He made his Davis Cup debut at 16, proving he was already ready for the big leagues. If you think about it, Kym’s journey resembles a Swiss chocolate route – full of twists, turns, and the occasional hiccup. But boy, is he sweetening up the competition with every match!
Can He Break Into the Top 100?
Ah, the coveted Top 100. It feels like every junior tennis player’s dream! Kym is setting his sights high, stating, “I want to be in the top 100 and firmly believe that I can do it this year.” Confidence? Check. Ambition? Double-check. After a close match against Ugo Humbert, it’s safe to say he’s handling pressure like a pro! I mean, he lost, but he still won a set – that’s like only eating half a chocolate bar and declaring victory!
A little post-match reflection shows the grit Kym possesses. Sure, he’s miffed about the loss, but he’s also reveling in progress. “Even though I lost, I’m pretty proud of how I handled the situation,” he mused, reminding us that in tennis, like life, it’s about how you bounce back. Or in this case, how you serve up disappointment with a side of resilience!
The Rollercoaster Ride of Recovery
But, and it’s a big but, Kym’s journey hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine. He’s had to navigate a few detours that would make even the best GPS system sweat! Physical issues lurking in the shadows have threatened his rise, but he’s the kind of player who doesn’t just roll over. He got back on the court like a phoenix rising from the ashes, all fueled up with hopes and dreams!
After some knee troubles that would put any mere mortal into hibernation, he returned to form with a bang – bagging his first ITF victory in Italy. But the tennis gods weren’t done testing him just yet. Another surgery? Yes, please! You can’t take the Swiss cake out of the oven too early. You’ve got to let it rise before you cut into it!
Future Outlook: Will Kym Break Through?
As Kym steps into the main draw of the ATP tournaments, the question remains: can he avoid the injury gremlins and finally break through to the elite? If luck is by his side, coupled with that undeniable talent, we’ll be talking about Kym more than Swiss cheese and watch out for what’s next on his court adventure!
So, what’s the takeaway? Keep your eyes peeled. With each swing of his racket, Kym is not just play-acting; he’s redefining Swiss tennis and, if all goes well, could soon go from 140 to 100 — and maybe even beyond!
The serve? Crashing. The power? Impressive. The height, which prevented him from taking part as a ball boy a second time at the Swiss Indoors when he was a junior, is his advantage as a player. And the self-confidence? This is evidently there, as are the high ambitions.
We’re not talking about Dominic Stricker or Leandro Riedi, who played in the junior final at the French Open in 2020, but rather about Jérôme Kym, who is a year younger and probably in the strongest form of Swiss tennis players in recent months. The 1.98 m tall talent from Möhlin has won two Challenger and two ITF tournaments this year. In the world rankings, the Fricktaler, who, like Roger Federer, has outgrown the TC Old Boys Basel, improved from 444th place to 140th this year.
The recent successes are not a coincidence. For the Swiss tennis authority Heinz Günthardt, Kym was one of the greatest talents in the world at the age of 15. In 2017 he became U14 world champion with the Swiss team, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Before his 16th birthday, he made his debut against Estonia in 2019 with a win for Switzerland in the Davis Cup.
Top 100, sooner rather than later
The high goals coincide with the prospects: “I want to be in the top 100 and firmly believe that I can do it this year,” said Kym on Monday after the narrow defeat against Ugo Humbert (ATP 16) at the Swiss Indoors , his first match in the main draw of an ATP tournament.
The frustration over the defeat and the decisive break to 5:7 in the third set against his first opponent from the top 50 in the world rankings are still written on his face half an hour after the match point. «It’s difficult at the moment. I need a few more hours to be able to analyze the game in peace,” he says. Only later does he add: “Even though I lost, I’m pretty proud of how I handled the situation. I actually keep up well and win a set. I’m really disappointed right now, but when I see where I was five or six months ago, I can be happy.”
You learn the most from defeats like this, says Kym. The game also shows him that the gap to the best is no longer large. “I’m number 140, he’s 16, but I’m fully involved. I now know that I am close to being able to beat such players.”
Via detours
In order to make it to the gate of the 100 best tennis players in the world, Kym had to take a detour. Physical problems have repeatedly slowed him down in the recent past. In October 2022, Kym competed in the Swiss Indoors qualification for the first time. He lost to Slovakian Laszlo Djere after a 6-1, 5-1 lead, and as it turned out, it was his last match for a while. Problems with the patellar tendon and a misalignment of the left kneecap put him out of action.
In March 2023, Kym achieved a perfect comeback in Trento, Italy, with his first ITF tournament victory. But three months later the next setback followed due to renewed inflammation of the patellar tendon. The result: a knee operation and a longer rehabilitation phase.
So now the strong debut in the main draw of an ATP tournament, but not rewarded with a victory. And the impression that Jérôme Kym can be expected to take part in ATP tournaments on a regular basis sooner rather than later. If the body doesn’t force any further detours.
