BENGALURU:
An epoch-shifting Grand Slam season dominated by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz has offered the clearest signal but that the “Large Three” period of males’s tennis is lastly over, with Novak Djokovic destined to be its final year-end primary.
The golden rule that it is best to by no means write off Djokovic nonetheless holds true, however after he, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer had received not less than one Grand Slam title between them each season since 2003, this yr there have been none.
Sinner lifted the U.S. Open title on Sunday following his breakthrough Australian Open triumph in January, whereas Alcaraz received the French Open and Wimbledon to mark the primary time since 1993 that males aged 23 or below had swept the Grand Slams.
“It’s kind of totally different, for certain. It is one thing new, but additionally good to see,” mentioned Sinner, who overcame the distraction of a doping controversy to assist usher in a brand new age.
“It is good to see new champions. Good to see new rivalries. I really feel it is good for the game to have some new champions.”
The extraordinary dominance of the “Large Three” noticed them win 66 of 81 Grand Slam tournaments from Federer’s first Wimbledon title in 2003 to Djokovic’s twenty fourth main title at Flushing Meadows final yr.
With Federer retired and Nadal hampered by harm, Djokovic single-handedly held again the youthful technology in 2023 by successful three of the 4 majors and ending because the year-end primary for a record-extending eighth time.
This yr, Djokovic endured a lacklustre Grand Slam marketing campaign by his lofty requirements, beginning with a semi-final loss to Sinner at Melbourne Park and persevering with with an harm enforced withdrawal from the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.
Mauled by Alcaraz within the Wimbledon remaining, he suffered a chastening defeat by Alexei Popyrin within the third spherical of the U.S. Open and was shut out of the majors for the primary time since his injury-plagued 2017 season.
He did, nonetheless, produce a miraculous effort to stave off a lot youthful rivals on the Paris Olympics, together with Alcaraz within the remaining, and declare the gold medal he had lengthy coveted.
“From a bigger perspective, after all I’ve to be content material,” Djokovic mentioned within the aftermath of his U.S. Open exit.
“It is arduous to see the massive perspective proper now. You are simply indignant and upset that you just misplaced and the way in which you performed. However tomorrow is a brand new day. I will clearly take into consideration what to do subsequent.”
Unimaginable job
Having turned 37 in Might, Djokovic is already previous the age at which any man has received a Grand Slam title and ending the season on the prime of the rankings seems to be an unattainable job within the twilight of his profession.
Djokovic is ninth within the race to the season finale in Turin – the separate year-to-date standings that function a measuring stick for the battle for primary – and is unlikely to achieve a lot floor within the Asian swing beginning this month.
A extra necessary goal for a person who has all the time had an enormous regard for the historical past of the sport may be successful a twenty fifth Grand Slam to surpass Margaret Court docket’s report.
Nowhere is that extra prone to occur than at January’s Australian Open, the place Djokovic has lifted the trophy a report 10 occasions in 19 appearances.
“You by no means need to rely him out,” seven-times main champion John McEnroe informed Eurosport.
“This will surely be the primary time the place you could possibly say with some seriousness that you just begin to surprise if he will win (a significant) once more.
“I am certain to be shocked both manner. If he does not win, you would be like ‘wow, he received three of the 4 final yr and now we’re saying he’ll by no means win it once more’.
“After which I’d be shocked in a manner if he did, due to his age. In some unspecified time in the future, that catches as much as you and also you lose a bit of little bit of that concern issue with a few of the guys.”