This is an article ‘Are we entering a new era in tennis?’ by Marc Pulisci
The US Open ended with a new face carrying the trophy. With Roger Federer hanging up his racquet and both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic missing the quarterfinals, is Carlo Alcaraz ushering in a new era in tennis?
This year's tournament became the first major since New York in 2003 without any of the men's Big Three or Serena Williams anywhere near the title. It took nearly two decades and a total of 86 Grand Slam titles among Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, and Williams to note how we may finally see a fresh crop of tennis superstars ready to take the limelight.
Still, the endurance and determination these four athletes displayed throughout their careers, with Nadal and Djokovic still in great shape for contention, is something that will always be worth remembering even long after they entered the Hall of Fame.
Out with the old, in with the new
When Frances Tiafoe defeated Nadal in the fourth round, the Spaniard pretty much summed up what we were all expecting for the future of the sport. Acknowledging how time passes quickly, and with the dominance of current number one, the 19-year-old Alcaraz, the twilight years of the past decade’s greats are undoubtedly here. Of course, that's how tennis has always been. Legends fade, and teenage stars capture the fans' attention as the sport has become more competitive over the years.
Case in point, if we all stroll down memory lane during the 2003 US Open when a then 21-year-old Andy Roddick took the title from a young Federer and legend Andre Agassi, they were considered the strongest players on the court at the time. Agassi bowed out to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the semifinals, who was ten years his junior.
King Roger, ranked number 2 behind 2002 US Open champion and world number 1 Lleyton Hewitt, was defeated by David Nalbandian in the fourth round. Roddick then took the top ATP spot by the end of 2003. And we all know how Federer, Roddick, and Hewitt remained competitive throughout the years.
More mature for his age
Fast forward to this year when a young Alcaraz dazzled tennis fans and steamrolled his way up to the number 1 spot as the youngest in tennis history, along with his first Grand Slam title.
The younger Alcaraz had learned more about maturity than when fans remembered a younger Federer. Back in his baggy shirt and ponytail days, the legend's temper on the court became a liability during his earlier years. Only when he focused on his game did he start winning titles back-to-back.
For Alcaraz, there are better ways to approach matches with more experienced legends than being complacent and temperamental. According to the young Spanish protege, being at the top has merits, but it doesn't take away the fact that wins and titles should still be earned. As tennis continues to evolve through the years, so does the mental toughness and competitiveness of young emerging stars like Alcaraz.
Sticking to discipline might be what the young star needs, especially after an injury that made him bow out of the Paris Masters this month. Being hounded by abdominal pain near the end of the second set, Alcaraz had to retire in his quarterfinal match against a disappointed Holger Rune. Listed as the top seed for the tournament, the Spaniard lost the first set to the Dane at 6-3. Rune currently holds the 10th spot in the ATP rankings.
Youth versus experience
In women's tennis, Serena Williams recently clarified that she has not retired and, like Djokovic, says her chances to return to the court in competitive form are high. Fans can remember how the 41-year-old champion took a break from playing after her third-round defeat at this year's US Open to Ajla Tomljanovic. The rumor mill was abuzz after a series of tributes for William's every match at the tournament and the emotional farewell after bowing out.
If there are younger stars out to give Williams a run for her money, Iga Swiatek comes to mind with her history of dominating runs, including her 37-match victory streak earlier this season. Add to that Ons Jabeur, whose range of play and versatility catches most of her opponents off guard, and 18-year-old Coco Gauff's impressive athleticism.
Meanwhile, after Federer announced his retirement, Djokovic clarified that he is far from doing the same and cannot even see Nadal giving up his chances for more titles. Currently, Nadal has the most Grand Slam titles in men's tennis with 22, followed by the Serb who finished 2022 with 21 after a year of off-court controversies concerning his vaccination.
Djokovic seems to be in tip-top shape for 2023 as opposed to Nadal, who has to address some injuries of his own before feeling 100% on the court. According to Djokovic, he is at the stage of his career where he has the chance to rewrite the sport. With today’s more lenient vaccination protocols, the upcoming year will give Djokovic more opportunities to increase his Grand Slam titles. This year, his most notable wins came at the Rome Internationals, Wimbledon, Tel Aviv, and Astana.
Aside from Alcaraz, Both Djokovic and Nadal should also look out for other young stars on the rise, including Russia's Andrey Rublev and his determined on-court willpower, Jannik Sinner's aggressive baseline plays, and Norway's Casper Ruud's deadly forehand and footwork.
Alcaraz's performance on the court is impressive by anyone's standards. However, 2023 might not yet be the year that tennis bids farwell to its greatest champions. Yes, it's compelling how a teenager captured the US Open title and the top ATP rank. The fact is that Nadal and Djokovic are still in the game and can spoil Alcaraz's party anytime. After all, all three of them won a Grand slam each this year.
Never mind how he defeated Rafa and Novak in the best-of-three-set format at the Madrid Masters earlier this year. In tennis, all fans know that when the stakes are high, age is not as much of a factor as heart and determination.
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