The year of power transition in men's tennis

Team Europe’s Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer line up at the Laver Cup in London on Sept. 23, 2022. Photo by AP

Over the past 20 years, fans have been familiar with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic dominating men's tennis. Since Federer won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2003 until Djokovic's most recent title at the U.S. Open in 2023, the "Big Three" have collectively claimed 66 of the 81 Grand Slam titles.

This iconic trio has long occupied the top three spots on the list of players with most Grand Slams, with Djokovic winning 24 titles, Nadal 22 and Federer 20. In recent years, the common question has been when the reign of these legends would finally come to an end.

With Federer retiring in 2022, Nadal reaching the end of his career and Djokovic showing a lack of fitness and motivation after breaking numerous records, 2024 might provide the answer to that question.

For the first time in 22 years, the "Big Three" have failed to secure a Grand Slam title. Djokovic, the most consistent and tenacious of the three, was unable to claim a major title for the first time since 2017, despite winning three of the four Grand Slams in 2023. He entered the 2024 U.S. Open as the second seed after winning an Olympic gold medal but suffered a surprising third-round defeat to Alexei Popyrin following a lackluster performance.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are the two most prominent stars of tennis at the moment. Photo by U.S. Open

In contrast, Sinner and Alcaraz have taken center stage, with Sinner winning the Australian Open and the U.S. Open, and Alcaraz triumphing at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. This marks the first time since 1993 that all Grand Slam titles in a season have been won by players under 23 years old, an occurrence that has only happened twice in the Open Era. The first time was in 1993, when Jim Courier won the Australian Open, Sergi Bruguera claimed the Roland Garros while Pete Sampras collected the Wimbledon and U.S. Open.

With this significant shift in Grand Slam champions, the concept of the "Big 3" may soon fade into history, making way for the "Big Two" competition between Sinner and Alcaraz. Sinner is the first player in 47 years to win his first two Grand Slams in the same year, boasting a remarkable record of 55 wins in 60 games this season and topping the ATP rankings with six titles in 2024. Alcaraz, at just 21, is the youngest player to win men's Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces - hardcourt, clay, and grass.

Both Sinner and Alcaraz defeated Djokovic at Grand Slam tournaments this year, in convincing fashion. Alcaraz joins an elite group of only six players who have won both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year, alongside legends like Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Nadal, Federer and Djokovic. Sinner's achievement of winning his first two Grand Slams in a single year is a feat that even the "Big Three" have never accomplished.

This transition reflects the natural evolution of sports in general and tennis in particular, as the top young talents like Sinner and Alcaraz have now fully matured and ready for a new era of top-level tennis that may soon eclipse the legendary "Big Three."