I’ve been searching for Andy Murray; the last time I checked, the Big 4 on the ATP Tour was actually the Titanic 3 – Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic. In the mid-2000’s, Federer and Nadal consistently defeated Djokovic with Federer winning their first grand slam final in 2007 at the US Open. Ironically, they met for just the second time in a slam final this past July at Wimbledon.
Nadal’s first meeting with Novak in a grand slam final was a rain-delayed Monday evening in 2010 at the US Open where he defeated Novak in 4 sets. Irrefutably, Novak only recently crashed their party so in actuality, since 2004, it has customarily been the dynamic duo – Federer and Nadal.
The most recent Golden Age of men’s tennis spanned the late 70’s thru the late 80’s, notable for producing a multitude of gripping and intense rivalries. This unparalleled era on the ATP Tour, significantly surpassed the Big 4 with the Super 8! Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Guillermo Vilas, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker produced epic and charismatic rivalries not just with one other player but with several!
Tennis devotees were regularly treated to matchups comprised of assorted combinations of these equally compelling and unique players. Consequently, during this period, most tournaments came to resemble the ATP World Tour Finals where each match routinely featured this varied and fascinating roster of players. This incomparable level of depth, complexity and intrigue on the men’s tour during this Golden Age has yet, and doubtfully ever will be, surpassed.
Tennis doesn’t need just one enduring rivalry to captivate audiences; it needs several. Becker vs. Edberg vs. Lendl vs. Wilander defined the mid-to-late 80’s as Connors vs. McEnroe vs. Borg, vs. Vilas defined the late 70’s thru the mid 80’s. The millennium witnessed the eventual decline of Sampras and Agassi – though both would win slams before retiring in 2002 and 2006 respectively – and the emergence of Hewitt, Safin, Federer and Nadal each winning multiple slams but without the cross pollination and evolution of riveting rivalries that epitomized the most recent Golden Age of men’s tennis.
My respect and admiration for Roger Federer is well documented but that being said, his near total domination on tour for the better part of seven years inadvertently harmed the sport. Eventually, fans became bored and grew weary of the same player posting multiple victories year after year and longed for the addition of new and promising talent that could consistently challenge Federer. Many thought it would be the gifted and tormented Russian, Marat Safin but his lack of focus and commitment precluded a sustained assault.
I summarily deviate from those in the media that bemoaned the stature and skill of the two finalists at this year’s US Open alleging it would lead to the imminent demise of the Big 4 and the ATP tour. Who wants to watch two no-names contest the last grand slam final of the year? I do.
Tennis aficionados knew of Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori’s talent and potential long before the 2014 US Open draw was announced. Undeniably, I was disappointed Roger lost to Cilic in the semi-finals for I hoped he would win another slam and based on his superlative play throughout 2014 and in particular, on the hard courts this summer, that predication was not without merit. Despite his absence in the final as well as Djokovic’s, I welcomed and embraced the much deserved appearance of the 10th and 14th seeds in their first grand slam final.
The ATP Tour, in order to maintain its worldwide appeal and financial health, desperately needs to cultivate and nurture emerging talent as several of the top players enter the latter stages of their careers. Roger Federer isn’t the only over thirty player competing on the back nine; though Nadal, Djokovic and Murray may only be knocking on thirty’s door, they have logged significantly more miles than Roger and the physicality of their playing style has begun to take its toll.
This time last year, Murray had back surgery and Nadal has not played a tournament since Wimbledon 2014 due to a wrist injury. Certainly, it’s a testament to Roger’s sublime and exquisite technique and economy of movement that have enabled him to compete at such a high level for so long but even his legendary career must end.
Critics have repeatedly forecasted the impending downfall of Roger Federer yet in 2014 he made 7 finals, won 3 and is the only player to have beaten Djokovic twice this year. Nadal is the reigning French Open champion and Djokovic defeated Roger in an epic five set battle to secure is second Wimbledon championship this past July. Once again, those critics that prematurely predicted their demise have been proven wrong and I foresee a far more interesting and engaging 2015 with the emergence not only of Cilic and Nishikori, but Nick Kyrios, Milos Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov, Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem.
We need not worry about the precipitous decline of the Big 4 for we have our Super 8 within which more varied matchups could evolve into new, captivating and enduring rivalries. Domination by a single player or two is not the preferred prescription for the health, wealth and longevity of the ATP Tour; a new Golden Age of men’s tennis produced by the Super 8 is just what the doctor ordered.
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