Massive Three period is over, however can anybody step as much as problem Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz?

As Jannik Sinner digested his first triumph on the US Open on Sunday, afternoon, his victory closed out the primary yr since 2002 through which none of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer has gained a grand slam title, placing a brand new complexion on the game. The Massive Three period, as soon as the focus of males’s tennis, which in recent times has been held up solely by Djokovic’s excellence, is completed.

There was as soon as a time when it appeared like there could be a interval of uncertainty because the previous greats lastly disappeared into the evening, an extended transition as gamers fought to see how they might come out on prime in a brand new period. As a substitute, Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have snatched the reins with beautiful self-assurance. By splitting the 4 grand slam titles between them this yr, they’ve positioned themselves as the 2 main figures of males’s tennis.

This doesn’t imply Djokovic won’t ever win one other – and even quite a few – grand slam titles. Even at 37 years previous, it’s pointless to depend out a participant who has spent his profession triumphing from inconceivable positions. His efficiency on the Olympics confirmed he nonetheless clearly possesses the extent required to win on the massive stage and he wouldn’t commerce that gold medal for another trophy on provide this yr.

However after years of getting the most important goal on his again, he’s now a part of the chasing pack once more. What appears clear is that, within the coming months, Djokovic should sit down and determine if, after all of the data he has achieved, he’s nonetheless really motivated to make all of the sacrifices he has endured all through his profession with the intention to achieve success.

No matter the way it ends, Djokovic will end his profession as probably the most profitable singles participant of all time. The dynamics between gamers born within the Nineteen Nineties and the 2000s are much more fascinating, with the previous group being virtually utterly handed over. Following the 2001-born Sinner’s win towards Taylor Fritz, who was born in 1997, tennis gamers born within the Nineteen Nineties now have a 1-18 win- loss file in grand slam finals towards gamers of different many years. The gamers born within the 2000s are actually 6-0. Dominic Thiem, who retired from grand slam competitors in New York, and Daniil Medvedev stay the one males’s main champions born within the 90s.

Lots of these gamers additionally left New York in disarray. After being dumped out within the first spherical, Stefanos Tsitsipas instructed he was affected by long-term burnout. Alexander Zverev, the fifth-highest prize cash earner within the historical past of the ATP, was punished for cowering miles behind the baseline in the details of his quarter-final loss to Fritz, as is normally the case in his greatest matches. Andrey Rublev, additionally as typical, misplaced his head 4 video games into his five-set fourth-round defeat by Grigor Dimitrov and needed to take a medical timeout due to his bloody fingers after punching his strings.

Dimitrov himself retired from his second consecutive grand slam match, brutal accidents ruining what had been a resurgent yr for the veteran. Though Medvedev stays within the combine for the majors, his quarter‑closing efficiency towards Sinner was extraordinarily disappointing. Whereas Fritz loved one of the best match of his life, the ultimate confirmed his limitations as he was outplayed by a superior tennis participant.

In the meantime Alcaraz and Sinner, at simply 21 and 23 respectively, will proceed to develop, significantly as they push one another. It was Alcaraz who set the tone, defeating Sinner of their immediate basic 2022 US Open quarter-final and racking up main titles from such a younger age. He continued to separate himself this summer season by doubling his grand slam title depend to 4 and successful on all surfaces, with a primary victory at Roland Garros.

Sinner has not solely responded with a second grand slam title of his personal, however he has set his personal instance along with his consistency in what has change into one of the formidable breakout seasons of the twenty first century and in addition one of the dominant 12-month runs on exhausting courts. As Alcaraz works in direction of piecing collectively a spectacular full season of his personal, it stays to be seen if another participant shall be impressed to step up and meet each gamers on the prime.