Sinner, Alcaraz and an American resurgence - post-Big Three era starts to take shape

Italian's US Open triumph means the four Grand Slams are equally shared with his Spanish rival

Jannik Sinner won both hard-court Grand Slams this season and has lost just five matches, compared to 55 victories. AFP

So large is the shadow cast by the legendary Big Three of men's tennis that even in their absence they contribute to the narrative; for the first time in 22 years, an ATP Tour season will end without Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic winning at least one of the four Grand Slam titles.

Federer, of course, is long retired, the stylish Swiss officially hanging up his racquet and headband in September 2022 but in actuality, his career came to an end 14 months earlier at Wimbledon. Now 43, the 20-time Grand Slam champion is enjoying life and was present at Flushing Meadows last week to cast an eye over the current generation.

Nadal, owner of 22 major trophies, isn't far behind. The 38-year-old Spaniard's chronic injury issues have finally caught up with him and the great man himself has conceded that this is likely his final season.

Djokovic, the Big Three's last bastion, is most certainly still a factor, the emotional gold medal clinched at the Paris Olympics a sharp reminder of his enduring quality amid a mediocre season by his incomparable standards. Stuck on 23 Grand Slams since last year's US Open, the 37-year-old Serb will no doubt be aiming to regroup and go again when the Australian Open, a tournament he has won a record 10 times, kickstarts the 2025 season next January.

For several years, there was genuine concern about how men's tennis would thrive without the transcendent trio, but this year has shown there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic and excited about a post-Big Three world.

As Jannik Sinner lifted the US Open trophy on Sunday, following a masterful straight-sets victory over Taylor Fritz inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, it signalled the continuation of this new era. The 23-year-old Italian has been the most consistently brilliant player of the year, collecting six titles – among them his first major in Melbourne – and surging to the top of the world rankings. His win-loss record for the year now stands at 55-5.

The other two Grand Slams are in the possession of Sinner's chief rival and the player most likely to emulate the Big Three in terms of global appeal. Carlos Alcaraz became only the sixth player to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year to make a mockery of the challenging transition from clay to grass. Switching back to clay again for the Olympics, the four-time major winner came within a couple of points of taking gold.

The physical and emotional toll of the Games eventually told as the Spaniard, still only 21 years old, suffered a shock early exit at the US Open, but that was but a minor blip in another extraordinary season.

Carlos Alcaraz won his second Wimbledon and fourth Grand Slam title this year. EPA

Crucially, the two new princes of tennis are already engaged in an enthralling rivalry; nine matches played, Alcaraz leads the head-to-head 5-4, with three of those matches regarded as classics.

"It's a bit different, for sure," Sinner said on Sunday when asked about the new era. "It's nice to see new champions. Nice to see new rivalries. I will always have players who are going to make me a better player, because there are going to be times where they beat me. Then you have to try to find a way how to win against certain players."

Sinner's US Open triumph not only displayed his indisputable talent but a mental resilience commonly associated with great champions. The Italian arrived in New York at the centre of a doping storm having failed two tests in March. He was cleared of all wrongdoing days before the US Open thanks largely to the miniscule amount of a banned substance detected in the tests, but he still attracted criticism for perceived double standards.

While most players serve provisional suspensions as they await a verdict, Sinner was permitted to keep playing, which preserved his No 1 ranking and ensured he was the top seed at Flushing Meadows.

US Open finalist Taylor Fritz, left, leads a strong contingent of American players on the ATP Tour. AFP

"It was and it's still on my mind. It's not that it's gone, but when I'm on court, I try to focus about the game, I try to handle the situation the best possible way, communication with the team, in the practice courts," Sinner said when addressing the controversy. "It was not easy, that's for sure, but I tried to stay focused, with which I guess I've done a great job."

Sinner and Alcaraz may be carrying the torch for the new era, but it's also an exciting time for American tennis. Fritz, one of five men from the United States in the top 20, ended an 18-year wait for an American male US Open finalist when he beat compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals.

Tennis as a professional sport is a healthier place when it has Americans contending for the biggest prizes, and while the women have transitioned from Serena and Venus Williams to Coco Gauff, this year's finalist Jessica Pegula, and the emerging Emma Navarro, the men now have a stable of players capable of going deep at the majors.

There will never be another era quite like the one dominated by the Big Three, but this year's US Open, and the season as a whole, points to a bright future.