The grand slam event, Australian Open 2024, concluded recently with Jannik Sinner lifting the gentleman’s singles trophy after stunningly defeating Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in a comeback match. Sinner overcame a two-set deficit to win 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 becoming the first champion from outside the big 3 – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic – to win the Australian Open.

The trio – Federer, Nadal and Djokovic – had won a remarkable 18 of the last 20 Australian Opens dating back to 2004 when Federer won the first of his six Australian Open titles. Marat Safin in 2005 and Stanislas Wawrinka in 2014 were the sole exceptions. Superstar Novak Djokovic with 10 Australian Opens has been the most successful champion Down Under.   

Last year, Carlos Alcaraz hard fought 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 Wimbledon win over Novak Djokovic, arguably the best player ever to wield a tennis racquet as far as statistics are concerned was highly crucial.

New talents on the horizon

Now Sinner with his Australian Open victory has scripted a change in the tennis landscape. The talented Italian had been tipped for success and we would probably see him competing with Alcaraz for supremacy in grand slams while pulling away from their older and younger rivals.

Novak Djokovic, albeit occupying the top spot in the tennis ranking table, will find the going tough in the coming years. All the big three – Federer, Nadal and Djokovic – were closer in the age bracket with Federer, the eldest being separated from Nadal by five years and from Djokovic by six years while Nadal and Djokovic had a one-year gap.

The intense rivalries amongst the three in the last decade and a half had led to ceaseless debates amongst tennis fans as to who amongst the three was the best-ever player in history. Age is catching up slowly with Djokovic and Nadal has been injured with a question mark hanging on his future. Such a phenomenon is normal in every sport and tennis is not an exception, we have seen the sunset of many big champions and the birth of new stars in the past.

The world saw this happening on the centre court of Wimbledon in 2001 when a 19-year-old relatively unknown Roger Federer defeated the reigning champion Pete Sampras 7-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 in the fourth round. Both champions had their era of dominance till new challengers emerged on the horizon. The current lot, including Alcaraz and Sinner, is very likely to follow the footsteps of past champions and win multiple grand slams till they hang up their racquets.

Staying abreast of injuries and finding extra motivation are primary challenges for any athlete when trying to achieve excellence in sports. Alcaraz and Sinner have momentarily set themselves apart from other youngsters who are expected to fill in the shoes of the big three. Both are young and ambitious and if they channel their talents in the right way, then, fans can witness some splendid games in the years to come.

As for Djokovic, currently perched on a record 24 grand slams, it may perhaps be an uphill task to find the mojo to keep going the way he did against his main rivals, Federer and Nadal. One is the age factor with Djokovic entering his late 30’s while the main competitors are in their early 20s. Also, sportsmen consider someone closer to their age to be their big rivals and when the age gap is big, there is a natural imbalance when competing.

One pivotal match makes a lot of difference in making the tectonic shift. It may bring the realization to an ageing champion that his time is up. Bjorn Borg walked away from the game when he realized that he could no longer beat John McEnroe in the biggest stages, and he was just 25 years old at that time.

Novak Djokovic, currently 36, has done a remarkable job in winning tournaments against the toughest competitors in tennis history. Collecting 24 grand slams during an era when other greats like Federer and Nadal were competing is highly significant. Importantly, Djokovic has a positive head-to-head record against both Federer and Nadal, perhaps the only player to have so.      

An interesting fact is the number of weeks spent as World No. 1 before the age of 21. Alcaraz is setting new standards with having spent already 36 weeks in total as the numero uno. Greats like Federer (0), Nadal (0), Djokovic (1) and Andy Murray (1) have already been far surpassed in this.

Arguably, with three of the greatest players ever to grace modern tennis being absent from competing for the title in the latest Australian Open final in almost two decades, the new era seems to have clearly arrived. The forthcoming clay court season with the French Open followed by Wimbledon will be a litmus test for Alcaraz, Sinner and other challengers.

Well, one thing for sure is tennis lovers will see some excellent gameplay with competitive spirit from leading tennis stars in the upcoming tournaments.

Bopanna shows the way

Meanwhile, Rohan Bopanna scripted a new chapter at the age of 43 by becoming the oldest men’s doubles grand slam winner. Bopanna, in partnership with Matthew Ebden, won the Australian Open with a 7-6, 7-5 win over Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori at the Rod Laver arena, becoming the oldest ever world No.1 in tennis doubles ranking.

Bopanna, who has been on the tennis circuit for two decades, now has revived the confidence for many enthusiastic Indians that anything is possible when mentally and physically fit and age is but a number. What matters is the self-belief and the willingness to tackle challenges then everything falls into place.

In India, we have millions of tennis fans who watch and enjoy matches without really playing and India has produced some excellent players who have done well internationally albeit in doubles and mixed doubles. Bopanna’s recent win would perhaps trigger the inherent ambitions among youngsters to pick up the racquet and play the sport.

When asked why fewer people play tennis in India in comparison to cricket, a leading sports commentator said that perhaps it was the lack of exposure and encouragement at a young age. More often than not Indian parents put pressure on children to focus on studies to become engineers or doctors and any interest in sports is nipped in the bud.

Lawn tennis is an expensive affair as the cost of buying a racquet and other gear is not affordable for middle-class or lower-middle-class families. Finding the right coach is even tougher and good coaching centres can be found only in metropolitan cities.

Furthermore, there has not been an Indian role model who has excelled in singles that others could emulate. Thus far, only a handful like Ramanathan Krishnan and his son Ramesh Krishnan, and the Amritraj brothers had some decent runs in major grand slams.

Leander Paes also had a good run in the 1996 Olympics. However, his outings have not been as inspiring as the feats of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli or many other cricketers who have entered public consciousness.

Another aspect is the money involved which a player must pay for international travel to attend major tourneys and being an Indian it is almost impossible except when there is a sponsorship.

India needs better infrastructure and individual guidance from players who have tasted international success. Sponsorship for young and talented players will undoubtedly uplift the spirit of players and augur well in pushing the popularity of lawn tennis in India.

Tennis needs to be promoted better through initiatives like setting up inter-school tournaments in addition to the regular events conducted by the All India Tennis Association.

Speaking on why India has not been doing well unlike Europe and America, an analyst opined that it is all about the mindset of people. Usually, sports are looked down upon by many as they firmly think that those who do not fare well in studies take up sports activities. They fail to grasp the big picture behind transforming a promising youngster into a sportsperson.

The discipline followed by great champions during their formative years, how they nurtured their body and conditioned them for the challenges posed by tennis, which could be physically draining, is conveniently ignored in the primacy given to academic excellence.

World No.1 Novak Djokovic has spoken about the bond he shares with India and has expressed his intent to work with Sania Mirza to boost Indian tennis. Many such interventions would inspire young kids in India to pursue the sport earnestly. As this happens, we may see many kids grabbing a tennis racquet to play matches and eventually see the birth of new champions from India.