New record for Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in Australia

With some frequency, we observe very striking brands and figures in the sport, but without a doubt that the most dominant of all at this beginning of 2020 is the one reached by Novak Djokovic (champion), Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the recently completed Australian Open when they reached 63 consecutive 'Grand Slams' with at least one of them in the semifinals of these tournaments.

Better known as 'The Big 3', these experienced tennis players not only achieve individual triumphs, but also together, and that is that since Wimbledon 2004 when Federer played semifinals, one of these three knights always reached at least the prelude to the final match. We are talking about more than 15 years with an invariant conditioner in an elite sport.

It is no accident that these three European names are the three most winners in the history of the white sport. Let's go from one to another. Federer holds 20 titles between Wimbledon (8), Australia (6), US Open (5) and Roland Garros (1). Nadal, meanwhile, accumulates 19, distributed between 12 Roland Garros, 4 US Open, 2 Roland Garros and an Australian Open.

A little further is 'Nole' with 17, which in turn, are spread between Australia (8), Wimbledon (5), US Open (3) and Roland Garros (1) including the one that was credited a few days ago. Three men, today over the age of 30, who have made Pete Sampras' brand of 14 titles' Majors' dust, which seemed very difficult to reach at the beginning of the century.

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Other numbers

Among the three, there are 55 Majors, twelve of them consecutively and still, today they have the luxury of occupying the first three places of the ATP classification, with ages of 38 (Federer), 33 (Nadal) and 32 (Djokovic).

The tennis specialist journalist Christopher Clarey says that the three top players began their overwhelming dominance in 2007 and only five times (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) said the pattern was interrupted. In the three most recent campaigns when, despite not being so young, especially Nadal and Djokovic have prevailed over the rest. Here the years and combinations as the first three:

– 2007 Federer, Nadal, Djokovic

– 2008 Nadal, Federer, Djokovic

– 2009 Federer, Nadal, Djokovic

– 2010 Nadal, Federer, Djokovic

– 2011 Djokovic, Nadal, Federer

– 2014 Djokovic, Federer, Nadal

– 2018 Djokovic, Nadal, Federer

– 2019 Nadal, Djokovic, Federer

Will it happen in 2020? Or will it be the year of the generational replacement?

Recognized by rivals

Frenchman Julien Benneteau recently retired from tennis. The tennis player lived in his own flesh the domain of these 'three monsters' and how difficult it is to beat them because, beyond talent, the three have an admirable competitive spirit.

In the specific case of the US Open, Benneteau said for Tennis World It is that: "Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic are simply very strong. All these talented young people break before them. It is difficult to surprise them in this kind of tournaments and less in sets decisive. Perhaps Stan Wawrinka, who has already done it in the past or Daniil Medvedev who is playing very well, has competed them."

“New York can be hot, which also influences their playing style. But in the key games they are almost impossible to win,” he concluded. In short, for Benneteau, there is little that the new names of the circuit can do more than continue to raise the level and expect the three largest in history to begin to withdraw.

Names such as the German Alexander Zvererv, the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and even the Austrian Dominic Thiem come up strongly and seem to be the ones who today have greater options to dethrone the 'Big Three' but for that, they need to have many consecutive years at the best level sports. It only remains to wait.