I'm kinda sick of the Big Four

[El Dude]

Probably not a popular opinion, but I wanted to share anyway. Maybe I'd feel better if Roger wasn't ancient and Rafa not like a patched up Spanish galleon trying to reclaim its pre-Armada glory days. Maybe I'd be loving the Big Four if I were a Novak fan and not merely a Novak admirer, or if I was a Brit enjoying Andy's resurgence. But to be honest, I'm kind of sick of the whole lot, or at least their collective dominance of the sport.

OK, I'm only half serious, perhaps not even that, but I AM partially serious. I really want to see some new blood, and not just the usual Grigor flameouts and Kei fizzles. I want to see some hungry pups ready to steal the meat from old grizzled dogs.

Thankfully we are seeing signs of such a shift. As of this writing Nick Kyrgios continues to creep up and is now, what, #30 or so? Borna Coric seems a bit stalled out in the 50s but at age 18 he is still the best situated among the teenagers. Big Kokk and Little Al are on the edge of the top 100, and Hyeon Chung has come out of nowhere. More young players are on the horizon.

But the shift isn't quite yet, and it may be another year or two before these guys are serious threats for big titles. I really can't wait.

 

[Kieran]

That's a good post, and I feel the same way. It's called Four-tigue. Fatigue brought on by too much routine, and repetition. And just when we got smug calling it what it really is, a Big 3+1, Andy gets married and a new coach and starts to decimate clay goats, while Rafa is looking decidedly second rate, but of course can't be removed from the hierarchy.

The US Open promised a new dawn, coming on the HC slam heels of Oz, but Novak has kept the lights on in the Big 4 home since then, and the rebellion has been quieted. Nick is taking baby steps towards something, but what it is, we don't know. Safin? Monfils? Sampras? He's young and needs to learn a lot more, but he's an example of how far the youngsters are from the top.

As for taking another year or two, it's hardly rapid, is it? On Friday, Grigor turns 24. That's no longer a promising youngster. That's the foothills of veteran territory. There's definitely been something strange about the Non-4 over the last dozen years or so, and we're witnessing its continuance. What electrified and distracted us from this was the fact that for a few years we had the 4 at peak or almost peak, battering each other senseless in glorious tennis technicolor. But now, there's a fade, and a decay, and yet still no sign of irrefutable growth from anywhere else...

 

[Federberg]

I think it's Fedal we really miss to be honest. Nole and Andy simply don't have the same pizazz. It's just the way it is. Still I agree. It would be great to have the disruption of a Becker right about now to really get the blood flowing. Men's tennis badly needs it

 

[Kirijax]

Four-tigue? Good one, Kieran! May I use it?

I'll have to disagree with federberg. I do not miss Federer/Nadal. And after the '14 AO semi, I decided I never wanted to see another Fedal match again. But I do agree that we need some new blood. I'm starting to think the Nishikori-Raonic-Dimitrov trio are going to be bypassed by the younger guys eventually.

 

[brokenshoelace]

OK, enjoy watching Wawrinka, Dimitrov, Raonic, Nishikori and...well that's about it.

(I get what you're saying but safe to say the big 4 is much, MUCH better than the alternative).

 

[tented]

Was it Woody Allen who wrote "Rationalization is more important than sex"?

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

It would be the coolest thing for tennis right now for a teenager to come out of nowhere, kinda like Becker at 17 , to win a slam, kicking major ass in the process.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

the big 4 in terms of world rank first congealed and clogged up the top4 in sept 2008.

we have been force fed the same regurgitated and re-eaten stale vomit pie for way way too long.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Was it Woody Allen who wrote "Rationalization is more important than sex"?

Isn't it from big chill?

 

[Riotbeard]

I am enjoying Novak on top, but in general, I see your point.

It's a bit harsh on Borna to say he stalled out in the 50s, he has only been there for a few months. One decent result and he is in the 30s or 40s. I think his goal for this year was to crack the top 50, which is modest at this point.

 

[Kirijax]

I think we all stand back and be amazed at what The Big Four did during the 00s and 10s. But I agree with the general idea that we are all ready for more variety in the winner's circle. We might have to wait a couple more years before there is a big shift but it will come. And I would be surprised if there is ever a time when there are three or four players who dominate like this for so long ever again.

 

[Moxie]

I don't mind the idea of a changing of the guard, but I don't want it just to be the Big 4 dropping of, and a general scrum. We like Superstars, which is why we enjoyed Fedal, and the Big 4. Really talented players battering each other in "glorious technicolor," as Kieran said. Tennis needs a few new rock stars, and until they show up, I'd rather see titanic battles amongst those who are actually the best than some pathetic war of attrition. I'm curious to see who is going to look really hungry and committed amongst the up-coming teens, or just 20+.

 

[tented]

I'll have to disagree with federberg. I do not miss Federer/Nadal. And after the '14 AO semi, I decided I never wanted to see another Fedal match again. But I do agree that we need some new blood. I'm starting to think the Nishikori-Raonic-Dimitrov trio are going to be bypassed by the younger guys eventually.

I don't think Federberg was referring specifically to Federer/Nadal matches. I think he meant it more generally -- as in, the era when Federer and Nadal were both at their peak, playing dazzling tennis pretty much everywhere, 24/7/365.

 

[mrzz]

Think that way... if, by any chance, Federer and Nadal discover some of their old form, we could be in for one of the greatest six months in tennis (unlikely, I know).

And (if I may dream) good'ol del Potro miraculously heals and starts to play his monster tennis again, it would be even better.

So I think we may be sick of the current big four, but not of the utopic big four.

 

[El Dude]

I think it is the predictability that bums me out. Sure,we've had Stan and Cilic and a few other near misses, but it certainly looks like we are back in a Big Four logjam and, as far as the gen after Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray, we are seeing nothing more than teases. I really wouldn't be surprised if the Lost Generation (born 1989-93) goes down as the weakest in Open Era history, making the similarly weak 1974-78 birth year gen look comparatively robust; at least they had Kuerten and Kafelnikov.

And to be honest, while the rise of a new superstar or three would be ideal, I wouldn't mind a transitional Wild West period where anything goes and any number of a dozen or so players could win a big tournament. But it doesn't look like Novak and Andy will let that happen for at least another year or two.

 

[Federberg]

I think it's Fedal we really miss to be honest. Nole and Andy simply don't have the same pizazz. It's just the way it is. Still I agree. It would be great to have the disruption of a Becker right about now to really get the blood flowing. Men's tennis badly needs it

I wasn't making a specific reference to that match up. I meant more generally that their success is missed. Everyone likes to see the uber-stars going deep at the big tournaments and for a decade we took it forgranted that at least one of them would be there on Sunday. Now, none of us are really surprised if both are missing on Saturday!

 

[herios]

I am tired of 3 out of big 4:laydownlaughing
You all know who they are

 

[Kieran]

I think it is the predictability that bums me out. Sure,we've had Stan and Cilic and a few other near misses, but it certainly looks like we are back in a Big Four logjam and, as far as the gen after Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray, we are seeing nothing more than teases. I really wouldn't be surprised if the Lost Generation (born 1989-93) goes down as the weakest in Open Era history, making the similarly weak 1974-78 birth year gen look comparatively robust; at least they had Kuerten and Kafelnikov.

And to be honest, while the rise of a new superstar or three would be ideal, I wouldn't mind a transitional Wild West period where anything goes and any number of a dozen or so players could win a big tournament. But it doesn't look like Novak and Andy will let that happen for at least another year or two.

I agree with this. Sampras, Federer, these players rose out of the mash. Today it's hard for kids who are in development to stand up to fully formed and entitled greats. Nick seems to have the gall, but otherwise? They're rabbits in the headlights. They're getting results, and beginning to challenge with some credibility - the game is much more open now than it has been - but in terms of greats and great tennis, it's a tough breeding ground. Sometimes we need the evolutionary state of survival of the fittest, with everybody at a standing start together...

 

[mrzz]

There's one more thing.. if you try to follow, week in, week out, someone out of the big four, you'll see a huge difference, not only in the results, but in terms of quality of play. After a sequence of bad or so-so matches, I guess everyone would miss badly the big four...

 

[DarthFed]

I think this was a more appropriate thread 3-4 years ago when they were all still going strong. Roger hasn't done much in 3 years. Murray, though he has had a promising start to 2015, hasn't won a slam since Wimbledon 2013. Nadal is now going through a rough patch though he still has his precious dirt slam to fall back on. We are seeing a lot of different faces in the semis and finals of big events the past couple years.