Boris Becker urges next gen to stop hiding behind Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic

ATP Tour

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal pointing

Shahida Jacobs
February 20, 2020

Boris Becker believes the younger players on the ATP Tour “are good enough” to win majors, but says they need to stop hiding behind Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

The Big Three have won 56 Grand Slams between them while they have shared the last 13 majors with Djokovic and Nadal winning five each and Federer claiming three.

A few younger players have put their hands up in recent years with Dominic Thiem reaching three Grand Slam finals while Daniil Medvedev took Nadal to five sets at the US Open final last year.

However, the wait for a new major winner continues and former world No 1 Becker believes the so called next generation are using the Big Three as “an excuse”.

“We want the younger generation to pick up the pieces and it’s happening; it’s a process. Dominic Thiem pushed Novak Djokovic to five sets in Australia,” he said.

“There are a few talented players out there but the top-three are still good. It’s easy to hide behind Federer, Nadal and Djokovic because they are so good that nobody is going to criticise you for losing to them.

“That’s something you can take as an excuse sometimes. It’s time somebody tells the younger players to start winning the majors because they are good enough. But it all starts with the right attitude and the right mindset.”

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Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Roger Federer