Tennis followers all over the world have been very involved that the game would lose attraction when the Large 3 retire. Roger Federer retired in 2022, whereas Rafael Nadal continues to be lively however not the participant he as soon as was. Novak Djokovic continues to be aggressive and gained the gold medal on the Paris Olympics this summer season, however the first indicators of decline have begun to point out at age 37. The Serbian legend has but to win an ATP title in 2024 and has not even gained a Main title for the primary time since 2017.
The massive dominators this season have been undoubtedly Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the one two gamers who appear prone to observe within the footsteps of the Large 3 within the subsequent decade. The Italian ace performed a 2024 bordering on perfection, by which he gained two Grand Slam titles and two Masters 1000s whereas struggling solely six defeats.
The Spanish champion didn’t have the identical consistency as Jannik, however he grew to become the youngest participant ever to win the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships in the identical 12 months. As if that weren’t sufficient, the 21-year-old from Murcia additionally gained the Indian Wells Masters 1000, the ATP 500 in Beijing, and the silver medal on the Paris Olympics.
What a rivalry
Carlitos and Jannik placed on a present within the ultimate of the Beijing event final week. The 4-time Grand Slam champion prevailed within the deciding tiebreak on the finish of an epic battle. Up to now few days, Mats Wilander’s statements after the ultimate of the Atp 500 event in Beijing gained by Carlos Alcaraz over Jannik Sinner after greater than 3 hours of play and with an important spectacle on the courtroom had induced a lot uproar.
The previous Swedish tennis participant and 7-time Slam champion didn’t hesitate to match the matches between Sinner and Alcaraz and people of the Large 3 and referred to as them superior by way of play. “They’re following within the footsteps of the Large 3,” Wilander mentioned, ”I hope Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are usually not listening to me, however by way of stage, when Sinner and Alcaraz are on the prime of their sport, there isn’t a one who has performed higher tennis. Undoubtedly sturdy sentences particularly when speaking about three gamers who’ve gained 66 Grand Slam tournaments altogether, 24 Djokovic, 22 Nadal and 20 Federer.
And former Ukrainian tennis participant Alex Dolgopolov posted on his X profile his deep disagreement with Wilander. “Sorry Mats,” opens his publish X the Ukrainian tennis participant, who peaked at No. 13 within the Atp rankings, ”I not often watch tennis currently (Dolgopolov joined the Ukrainian military, ed.), however I by accident watched the highlights of the Beijing event ultimate and my opinion might be nugatory. “I are inclined to strongly disagree,” Dolgopolov continued, ”the Large 3 had a a lot increased stage of utilizing heights, adjustments of tempo, and discovering angles. On a superb day I might by no means decide the celebrities at the moment current.”
The Italian ace and the Spanish champion have proven that they will play at a a lot increased stage than another participant, particularly in main tournaments. Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas appear to be far behind them proper now, and even Serbian legend Djokovic is beginning to really feel the burden of age.
Rematch in Shanghai?
Alcaraz and Sinner may face one another once more within the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters 1000, however there’s nonetheless a protracted technique to go. The 21-year-old from Murcia awaits Gael Monfils within the spherical of 16, hoping to take a rematch of his defeat in Cincinnati over the summer season. The Italian may have a really tough match in opposition to younger American Ben Shelton, who beat him simply in Shanghai final 12 months.
Within the newest version of the present ‘Sans Filet’, prime analyst Benoit Maylin mentioned the rivalry between these two younger champions: “I am extra impressed by what Sinner has managed to do than by what Alcaraz has managed to do. I’ve the impression that for Alcaraz, all of the gods of the universe have fallen on his head.
He is bought all of it. Not Sinner. If you see him arrive on the circuit, you assume he’ll have bother along with his monolithic tennis. The progress he is made, he is effervescent inside like everybody else. You have bought to have the ability to maintain your thoughts underneath management, with all the opposite tales he is bought to take care of. And the man would not transfer an ear and nonetheless manages to be #1 on this planet with that bib. All of them inform you: you are #1, everybody needs to take you down. It is regular, you are the goal. You have to maintain on to that place, and he is bought it.”
