‘Tennis is awaiting a dark period after Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal retire’

ATP Tour
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer

Janko Tipsarevic believes tennis will face a ‘dark period’ after Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer have retired.

The ‘big three’ have monopolised the Grand Slams during their careers, winning an astonishing 55 between them.

During that time, only really Andy Murray has been able to consistently compete with them, and Tipsarevic believes that is an impossible at to follow.

Even Murray, though, is largely now on the shelf after a devastating two years fighting injury, leaving tennis in search of its next true superstar.

“The problem is that [Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal] have won so much that to speak of a new giant in the same sentence must take 10 Grand Slams,” Tipsarevic told Telegraf.

“If he takes five, it will be: who is this one? It’s amazing what they’ve done for this sport, but on the other hand, it shows the way to other players that it’s really possible.

“When [Pete] Sampras showed up and won 14 Slams, they thought no one would. Then Federer appeared, followed by Nadal, and then for a long time Novak.

“Until new stars rise on the international scene as a dominant factor, I think tennis is waiting for a dark period.”

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Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Roger Federer

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