In their respective sports, some players and teams have dominated particular eras. For example, the Australian cricket team during the same time period, Manchester United in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Usain Bolt from 2008 to 2016, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo from 2008 to 2017, and Jahangir Khan during the 1980s. Everybody.
have a similar theme: ten years or more of consistent superiority. Given that an athlete is at the height of their abilities for about ten years, it makes logical.
One triumvirate, however, disregarded this prevalent pattern and dominated its sport for 20 years. It all began in 2003 when Roger Federer, at 21 years old, won the Wimbledon Championships. The second prong of the three was made up of Rafael Nadal.
Two of tennis’ “Big Three,” Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, have already retired, and one appears to be leaving the game. However, fans shouldn’t be afraid of the sport. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, two talented prodigies, have already taken over the torch.
In 2005, he won the French Open on his first attempt. With a victory at the Australian Open at the age of 20, Novak Djokovic completed the “Big Three” and made his debut on the world stage. Up to 2024, these three men would each win at least one Grand Slam.
The eldest of the three, Federer retired in 2022 after winning 20 Grand Slam titles. In 2024, Nadal chose to hang up his racket due to knee issues, ending his 22 Grand Slam career. With an incredible 24 Grand Slams, Djokovic, who is currently 37 years old, is the most successful tennis player of all time, male or female.
Therefore, it was understandable that tennis fans were concerned about the future of their game once these three retired. Now that Messi and Ronaldo are no longer at the center of everything, just take a look at the identity crisis that football is currently experiencing. And given that they had witnessed a whole generation of players attempt and fail to challenge the supremacy of the Big Three, the suspicions were not unfounded. After these legends leave, who, if anyone, will continue the sport?
You can call it coincidence or fate. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz shared the four titles equally in 2024, the first year in ages that the Big Three did not win a Grand Slam. And we might be moving from one period of supremacy to another if their early-career achievements are any indication. It’s the tennis equivalent of Lewis Hamilton passing the torch to Max Verstappen.
Jannik the Unforgiving In addition to losing to Alcaraz in the French Open semifinals and to a combination of Daniil Medvedev and tonsillitis in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, Jannik Sinner won both of the hard court Grand Slams.
Sinner is a formidable figure on the tennis scene, tall, lanky, and sporting red hair. His supporters are also like this: most notably, a group of pals known as the “Carota Boys” dress up like carrots because they are inspired by his appearance and the fact that he once ate one during a game.
However, that is the end of the fun and games. Sinner is a picture of complete focus on the court. In that he is largely a baseline player with incredible defense, his style of play has been compared to Djokovic’s. He changed his serving position in 2023, which has made him one of the tour’s top servers.
His unwavering steadiness, however, is his greatest weapon. Sinner played professional skiing before he decided to play tennis, where he learned the importance of making no mistakes.
A comparison of the points of contact for serving by some of the best players was shown on TV during one of his matches at the US Open last year. The visuals of each participant displayed variations in the ball positions, describing their points of contact. Every player, with the exception of Sinner, whose image included many balls layered on top of one another.
All facets of his game exhibit this degree of consistency, which has been ingrained by innumerable hours spent on the training court. He alternates between cross-court and down-line shots metronomically, and his accuracy and consistency in the groundstroke allow him to control points from the baseline, forcing his opponents to run themselves into the ground.
Sinner, 22, became just the second Italian to win a Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open in 2024 after defeating Djokovic in the semifinals and defeating Medvedev in the final after trailing by two sets.
He became the first Italian to ever occupy the number one spot in the world rankings in the week following the French Open. He became the first man since Guillermo Vilas in 1977 to win his first two Grand Slams in the same year when he easily defeated Taylor Fritz in the final in straight sets to win the US Open. Sinner finished a stellar year by defeating Fritz once more in the ATP Finals final.
The Wunderkind from Spain
In 2024, Carlos Alcaraz won the Grand Slams on non-hard courts despite losing badly early in the hard court competitions. Alcaraz, the epitome of the term “bundle of energy,” is frequently spotted having fun on the tour, participating in several tasks for YouTube videos, and, while other players make fun of him, eating. His smile can light up a dark room, and it occasionally appears during games.
But his opponents are wise enough not to fall for the smiling man-child during games. At first glance, Alcaraz appears to be the most complete player—even more so than Djokovic. Federer possessed this grace and elegance, Nadal the fastest tempo on the court and an incredible topspin forehand, and Djokovic the baseline groundstrokes and unbeatable defense. Alcaraz seems to be a combination of all of them.
He has every shot and style in the book: tweeners, drop shots, lobs, ridiculous angles, massive first serve and volley, staying in the back and grinding through with groundstrokes, passing winners down the line, and more.
His racket speed is unmatched; he frequently hits winners at speeds of over 160 kph. If that wasn’t intimidating enough, he possesses the rare ability to gradually increase the speed of his groundstrokes until his opponent gives up, much like a potentiometer.
Alcaraz’s remarkable athleticism allows him to return shots that would win against any other player. He is among the fastest runners the game has ever seen. He will only become more dangerous with the adoption of a new serving technique in 2024 to increase the force of his first serve and the usage of a heavier racket in 2025 to aid in the speed of his shots.
Alcaraz won the US Open in 2022, making him a Grand Slam champion at the age of 19. In addition, he is the youngest World No. 1 and year-end No. 1 in history. He overcame Djokovic in a thrilling five-setter match in the 2023 Wimbledon final.
He knocked over Djokovic in the Wimbledon final once more, this time in straight sets, and defeated Sinner in the 2024 French Open semifinals on his way to winning the trophy. After losing to Djokovic in the Olympic gold medal final, he went on to win the Laver Cup by himself for Team Europe, earning the nickname “Fed 05,” a reference to the best Federer.
2025 and Later
These two talented prodigies are expected to compete in 2025 as they try to leave their mark on the sport. Additionally, it might be a competition that mimics the Big Three and lasts for many years.
But don’t discount the old fox. Djokovic may still prove to be unbeatable when he truly wants something, as he demonstrated at the Olympics. And in order to surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam victories and take the lead, he would adore winning another major championship.
In 2025 and beyond, expect fireworks and scorchers. It appears that tennis is in capable hands.
The author has experience in supply chain management and is an avid sports fan. X:
