The triumvirs of men’s tennis – Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer – have long enjoyed a position of supremacy over all others in their sport. Looking at the numbers tells the story. For almost 5 years they have maintained an unassailable hold, in various combinations, over the top three men’s world rankings. And for the past eight years, 90.6 percent of the men’s Grand Slam tournaments have been won by one of three individuals: that is, one of the ‘Big Three’. This 2012 Australian Open was no exception.
How long will they remain atop the pile? No one’s too sure – people point to Roger Federer’s age (31 in August) and express doubts that Rafael Nadal’s body will survive his grueling style of play or that Novak Djokovic can sustain his superhuman 2011 form. But one thing is certain– it will take time to encroach on the yawning gap in ATP ranking points between the top three and the rest (barring Andy Murray, but he’s yet to win a Grand Slam).
Even now, after nearly 5 years of dominance, the statistics are still accumulating.
Had it not been for Hewitt’s dogged battle against Djokovic, in which he managed to steal the third set from the top seed, Djokovic’s victory against our Leyton would have otherwise marked the first time the ‘Big Three’ had progressed into a Grand Slam quarterfinal without dropping a set.
For fellow competitors, this unassailable position must seem intimidating at least; for the rest of us, it is something to marvel and wonder at.
But just as the dominance of the roman triumvirs –Caesar, Pompey and Crassus – over ancient Rome was not only due to their extraordinary individual talents but also to broader historical forces at work, the pre-eminence of these three individuals in men’s tennis is symptomatic of more general trends.
The development of new racquet and court technologies, and the emergence of sports science and better medical treatment, has provided the consistency and support necessary to give elite players greater longevity.
And longevity has been the key word here. The scary thing is, that going by their recent performances, the grip of this modern men’s tennis triumvirate over their sport doesn’t look like loosening.
