After the epic Cincinnati Masters remaining, many followers are hoping for a US Open remaining between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. Simply 10 days in the past, the world primary and two placed on an epic show of tennis in the most effective 3-setters in reminiscence. Djokovic got here out on high 5-7, 7-6, 7-6.
Tennis followers are normally savvy and may really feel a floor shift. For 20 years, the boys’s recreation has been dominated by 3 gamers – Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal. The trio have mixed for a feat I don’t assume we are going to see once more, no less than anytime quickly. They’ve amassed an unimaginable 65 grand slam championships between them throughout their period. No different period can sniff this cache of accolades with maybe the closest being the Aussie-dominated period the place Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, and John Newcombe mixed for 38 from the mid-1950’s by means of to the early 1970’s. With Federer in retirement and Nadal quickly to hitch him, Djokovic seems to be the final participant standing within the hole between the “huge three” and the “subsequent era.”
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Make no mistake about it, Carlos Alcaraz is the following era. For years, we now have heard ponderings as to who will break by means of and break the stranglehold that these three elite gamers have had on the boys’s recreation. Gamers have lined up one after one other, solely to fall brief. Dimitrov, Thiem, Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas are amongst those that have been anointed by many as the following participant who may rack up a trophy case filled with slams. And whereas all are formidable and most nonetheless have the prospect so as to add some {hardware}, it’s turning into extra unlikely that they’ll ever win greater than the occasional slam title at finest within the coming years, notably as they enter their late 20s and into their 30s.
That is the place Alcaraz is totally different. On the ripe previous age of 20, Alcaraz has already gained 2 slams, together with the 2023 Wimbledon title the place he slayed Novak Djokovic. He’s the defending champion in New York. Even to the layman fan, there’s something particular and totally different about Alcaraz. One will get the sensation that he’s on the cusp of kicking the door utterly off the hinges, opening a floodgate of rewards within the coming years although there are certain to be rivals who give you and behind him.
This brings me again to Djokovic, who’s taking part in outstanding tennis on the age of 36. The Serb is just not able to relinquish his standing to a child who was 4 years previous when he gained his first of 23 grand slam titles in Australia in 2008. Followers have been spoiled with males’s tennis over the past 20 years as a trio achieved outstanding feats throughout this time. However I’d counsel that it’s a nice time for tennis within the current because the wily veteran makes an attempt to carry off the up-and-coming younger gun. It’s a battle of younger versus previous (in tennis phrases) – what drama. This may very well be the making of a terrific short-term rivalry for the following couple of years. If Wimbledon and Cincinnati 2023 are any indication, there may be extra drama to come.
And whereas each have lots of work to do throughout this fortnight, they could simply be on a collision course to sq. off once more within the remaining per week from Sunday. There are some landmines scattered all through the draw as gamers equivalent to Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Zverev lie in wait. However it’s comprehensible why followers in New York are clamoring for an Alcaraz-Djokovic remaining.