'Federer, Nadal, Djokovic are less interested in every tournament...', says coach

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have monopolized men's tennis over the past decade and a half, having racked up 58 Grand Slam titles and garnered countless accolades. Suffice it to say that one of the Big 3 has finished the season at the top of the ATP rankings 16 times in the last 17 years. A new generation of talents, including Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev, are eager to take their place at the top of the ATP circuit. Aside from Thiem, who won the US Open last year, none of the other players have scored a Grand Slam. Medvedev and Zverev have reached the final (twice the Russian, once the German), but have not yet managed to find the definitive consecration on the most important stage. Interviewed by Sky Sports on the eve of Roland Garros, Serena Williams' coach - Patrick Mouratoglou - believes that the Next Gen have not taken the necessary step to overturn the hierarchies in Grand Slam tournaments. The change of view must wait a little longer.

Mouratoglou on the Big 3

"The Next Generation has not taken over yet, despite a lot of comments saying that they have. Every time I am interviewed, I say 'no'," Patrick Mouratoglou told Sky Sports. Patrick Mouratoglou, who has worked with Stefanos Tsitsipas in the past, asserted that Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are still playing close to their best. "Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are still at the top of the game," Mouratoglou said. "Very clearly, Novak is less interested in every tournament that is not a Grand Slam and his results show, but when he comes to the Grand Slams he is always there and it's the same with Rafa. For the moment, we can't say that the Next Gen are taking over. They're getting closer and closer, that's for sure," Mouratoglou said. "I think that Novak feels that the guys are getting closer and closer and it's probably stressful (for him), but they're at the top of their game. For how long? I don't know." Starting from last year, Roland Garros has signed a deal with Wilson to use their product during the entire event. Besides tennis balls, they have become the stringing partner as well. Wilson will be supplying a brand new high-performance tennis ball, specially designed for the French Open. The French Tennis Federation and Wilson have teamed up to collaborate on products such as tennis balls, racquet strings, and other accessories. Speaking about the tennis balls, they are approved by the ITF for competitive play. The ball comprises 100%  natural rubber, which helps in maintaining maximum consistency and resiliency. It maintains durability and consistent performance on clay court surfaces. 

 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3unAs26