'Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic will be more under fire', says top journalist

The dominance of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer has been impressive over the past decade and a half. Since the Swiss's first success at Wimbledon in 2003, the Big 3 have racked up 56 of the last 67 Grand Slams, with Stan Wawrinka being the last player to break their hegemony at the 2016 US Open. Federer is still at the top all-time ranking with 20 Majors, closely followed by Nadal and Djokovic at 19 and 17. Nole was the most successful of the three in recent years, as well as winning the Australian Open at the beginning of the year. In recent times, also due to the pandemic, there have been some requests to switch to the format of two out of three in the Slams also for men. The American journalist Ben Rothenberg, a well-known correspondent for the New York Times, has analyzed the aforementioned issue in the future.

Rothenberg on the Big 3

"I think it's an amazing idea for 2020. We can re-evaluate for the future after that. I think it's the worst time to get guys to play best of five. For several reasons: they're not in peak physical and mental condition, having been in quarantine, all these odd times going on on tour right now," Ben Rothenberg said on the show. "And then the ATP schedule, it's going to be stressful at a tournament, being in a bubble, being tested at all times. They will also be playing Masters events the week before the Slams," Rothenberg said. "Physically, it's way too much to ask from these guys. It also undermines the tournaments from the weeks before, in Rome and Cincinnati. So don't make them play Best-of-five sets the week after." Clearly exasperated by the vice-like grip that Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have come to establish over the Slams, Rothenberg advocated the shift to best-of-three to give the sport new direction. "I'm all for anything that tilts tennis in the direction of having some new champions, that puts Novak Djokovic and the rest of the Big 3 more under fire. It's not unfair for Novak Djokovic; it just makes it tougher.” The Big Three monopolized the top spot in the ATP men's singles rankings from 2 February 2004 to 6 November 2016 and again from 21 August 2017 to the present, for a total of 800 weeks (equivalent to over 15 years) as of 9 March 2020. Federer was ranked number 1 for a record 310 weeks, Djokovic, the current number 1, for 281 weeks, and Nadal for 209 weeks. Each player has occupied the top position at the end of the year five times.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3lgwmoU