It definitely seems to be an inflection point in men’s tennis! The way Djokovic was playing this year, and given his record at Wimbledon, and specifically after the 1st set rout, it seemed very close to ascending Mt. Everest for Alcaraz. So, the win definitely points to a new champion emerging from the shadows of the Big 3 who have been dominating men’s tennis for the last two decades. And as he is only 20, we can look to him to set the bar for the next decade or so, at least. He has also done what Becker was lamenting about Thiem, Zverev, Tsitsipas, etc a few years back, that they are not looking to grab the mantle from the big three and ascend the top spot by beating them fair and square.
But surely, the gap between the other players of the next two generations after the Big 3 – i.e. the Medvedev, Tsitsipas crowd and the Sinner, Ruud, Rune group and Alcaraz is much, much wider now than it was a year ago. Alcaraz has simply pulled out really fast and is close to where the Big 3 were operating. So until Djokovic is really on the verge of exit, like how Nadal is at this moment (you never know until he comes back and starts hitting!), I do not see any other next-gen player challenging these two. Especially given the way the others such as Rune, Berrettini, Medvedev and Sinner were clinically dismantled by these two finalists at Wimbledon.
And Djokovic has already sounded the war bugle calling for a 5 set 5 hour final at the USO! And he is talking about a long rivalry with Alcaraz as well! So, i guess the seat-belt sign is still on and hopefully, if 2024 indeed happens to be his last year, then Nadal too joins the melee and goes out with all his guns blazing. We can still be in for quite a ride for the next couple of years, by which time Novak would be really waning and Alcaraz would hit peak form and fitness. And then it will be really upto the Ruuds and Runes and Sinners to step up.
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