Tag Archives: tennis

Big Three Dominance

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Source: Statista

A lurking knee injury, a global health crisis and a wayward tennis ball fired in frustration – that’s what it took to end one of the most remarkable streaks in tennis history at the 2020 US Open. Following Novak Djokovic’s shock default for hitting a lineswomen, the US Open semifinals marked the first time since 2004 that neither of the “Big Three”, i.e. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, featured in the round of the last four at one of tennis’ biggest occasions. Back then, three Argentinians (David Nalbandian, Gastón Gaudio and Guillermo Coria) and one Englishman (Tim Henman) had reached the semifinal of the French Open and little did we know that it marked the dawn of a new era in men’s professional tennis.

In the end, Dominic Thiem emerged victorious from last year’s US Open, putting an end to a remarkable streak that saw Djokovic, Nadal and Federer win 13 consecutive Grand Slam titles between them, after Stan Wawrinka had become the last player to break through their dominance in 2016. Things quickly returned to “normal” after Thiem’s maiden Grand Slam title, however, as Novak Djokovic came back to win the first three majors of 2021 before losing the US Open final to Daniil Medvedev.

As the following chart illustrates, the Big Three won 60 of the past 75 Grand Slam tournaments, with Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka the only other players to notch multiple (i.e. three) wins during the triumvirate’s decade-spanning reign over tennis’ most prestigious events. With Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all tied at 20 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic, the youngest of the three at 34, looks most likely to end up with the most titles of any male player when the “Age of the Big Three” eventually ends.

The Road to GOAT

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Source: Statista

The Australian government has once again canceled the visa of tennis star Novak Djokovic, adding another twist to the saga that makes none of the involved parties look particularly good. “Today I exercised my power under section 133C(3) of the Migration Act to cancel the visa held by Mr. Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so,” Australia’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said in a statement on Friday.

On Monday, an Australian court had ruled in favor of Djokovic, allowing him to leave the quarantine hotel he had been detained in and resume his preparations for the Australian Open. After entering Australia on a special exemption from the country’s strict vaccination requirements on January 4, Djokovic’s visa had been revoked, forcing him to quarantine until Monday’s ruling. Djokovic, who is hoping to compete in the Australian Open starting on January 17, is likely to appeal the decision once again, in order to keep his dream of winning his 21st Grand Slam title alive.

As Nadal, Federer and Djokovic now all stand at 20 Grand Slam titles, the 34-year-old Serb looks most likely end up with the record that all three men have been chasing for years. With the still-injured Federer turning 41 this year and his last major title dating back to 2018, it seems increasingly unlikely that the Swiss maestro can add to his tally. Meanwhile Nadal’s physical playing style is taking its toll on the 35-year-old Spaniard, who has been struggling with injury throughout his career. At this point, Djokovic looks like the safest bet to come out on top in the Grand Slam record books, adding weight to his supporters’ argument that he, not Federer, nor Nadal, is the GOAT (the Greatest of All Time).