Why we’re looking forward to the Australian Open.
Time seems to stand still at the pinnacle of men’s tennis. The year is 2020 and for the last 15 years, we’re still talking about the same names before every Grand Slam in this groundhog day scenario. The Big 3, the giants of the game, tennis’s last living dinosaurs — Whatever superlative you want to use, the Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal trio are true legends in their own time.
A golden age is a term often overused and exaggerated but not in this case. It’s hard to think of any other sport with such long-lasting rivalries and elite levels of competition that crosses decades of epic matches, heartbreaking battles and overall domination by so few. They’ve been competing against each other for their entire grown life, constantly pushing each other’s limits, leaving everything on the courts and raising the bar every time.
A generation clash — Time to separate the boys from the man.
It’s been years now that pundits have been trying to pick the next upcoming stars to take over but with no avail. Do you remember the time when “Baby Federer”, AKA Grigor Dimitrov, was crowned as the next big thing? Well, this baby is closing on 30 now and like so many other prospects, he took the back seat as the big boys of tennis continue to dominate. Combined together, the big 3 won 52 Majors out of 60 over the last 15 years. Mind-boggling numbers.
Just the fact that the youngest player today to win a major is 31 is unparalleled and hard to fathom. The times when tennis legends held the biggest trophies in their teens and players over 25 were considered past their prime has truly changed.
The Australian Open will be another chance for the younger generation to catch up and finally make his mark. Will 2020 be the year for Zverev’s, Thiem, Kyrgios and all the other young talents to finally step up to the challenge and take over the reins? The betting odds are still not in their favor but we’ll have to wait and see.
Walk down memory lane — Our big 3 Top 3 Australian Open matches.
The land down under has been the setting for so many of their classic clashes but the 2009 Federer VS Nadal final was one of the more emotional contests I can recall. Set just 6 months after their legendary Wimbledon final, in what is considered to be the best match in history, they delivered another banger. Those were the formative years of the Nadal/Federer rivalry and there was a real feeling that we’re witnessing something truly special every time they faced each other.
It was a clash in styles, Federer, the swiss phenom, with his elegance and natural tennis talent against Nadal, the Raging Bull from Majorca, with his hard-boiled physical style and everlasting endurance. It was another 5 set rollercoaster ride, filled with breathtaking tennis, and Just the post-match scene of them hugging, Federer breaking down in tears and Nadal comforting him was worth the 5-hour nail biter.
Witnessing just how much this means for these players, how much they’re willing to sacrifice and how much respect they have for each other is what it’s all about.
Nadal vs Djokovic final of 2012 is the best match ever played on the Arthur Ash Stadium, a colossal 6-hour effort and the longest (by duration) grand slam final in history. It used to be about who’s the better tennis player but this match highlighted the shift in men’s tennis and was more a battle of will power, body, and mind. A grueling marathon of never-ending baseline rallies, it was the quintessential gladiator battle of its time after which, both players were literally falling off their feet.
And last (in chronological order) was the Federer/Nadal final of 2017 and repeat from 8 years prior, only this time it was the swiss to finish triumphant. At 36, 4 years since his last grand slam title, and coming off a 6 months injury layout, no one counted him ahead of the tournament. It was one of Tennis’s greatest resurrection, completed against no other than his biggest rival in another 5 set classic. It was a vintage Federer performance and the turning point for his climb back to the number 1 ranking that year.
With Federer closing in on 40, Djokovic and Nadal well into their 30’s, their longevity is already unparalleled and it’s only a matter of time before they eventually step down. By now, we’ve become accustomed to see them rule the game but we can’t take it for granted as 2020 might l be the last year this magical trio will share the courts together. All we can do now is savor every minute.
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