But really now? Tsitsipas & Co. and the generation debate

The silver handle cup of the new tennis champion flashed and flashed in the artificial light. In disbelief and visibly moved, Stefanos Tsitsipas crouched next to the Brad Drewett Trophy and repeatedly ran his hands through his wild mane. At home, the euphoric commentators unsurprisingly turned to Greek mythology - and of course the 21-year-old had to answer the question of all questions after his legendary success story at the ATP Finals of the best eight of the year.

Whether Roger Federer (38) after his semi-final defeat against Tsitsipas, whether Rafael Nadal (33) or Novak Djokovic (32) after failing in the group phase: they were all confronted with the tennis scene's favorite topic in London. Is the end now finally, and this time really, the end of the big four, which are now just the big three after Andy Murray's time out?

First final without the top 3 since 2010 As always with events of this sporting dimension, friends of statistics sought all sorts of evidence for the possible changing of the guard in men's tennis. According to the players' organization ATP, this year's finals were the first tournament since the Masters event in Miami in 2010 in which Federer, Djokovic and Nadal competed and in which none of them reached the final.

Rafael Nadal, world number 1. © AFP / GLYN KIRK

So will there actually be a Grand Slam champion next year whose country of birth is not Spain, Serbia or Switzerland? The most famous of all Swiss people was a bit bored when he was asked to provide information about this. This year too, Djokovic (Australian Open and Wimbledon) and Nadal (French Open and US Open) shared the most important prizes. This year too, the three are in first place in the world rankings. The rebellious believe it themselves “It’s nothing new, it’s the question every year and I think I always answer it the same way,” Federer said. “Maybe the chance has increased now, although it looks like Rafa, Novak and I are all healthy. On the other hand, we are not getting any younger and the young are getting better. You now have to take this next step. So yeah, I think they could do it.”

He too can achieve great things: Dominic Thiem. © APA/afp / GLYN KIRK

These forecasts are not new either. The most interesting difference compared to previous debates is that the rebellious people themselves believe in it - and are articulating this more clearly than ever before. “I am very, very sure that there will be a new Grand Slam winner next year,” said Alexander “Sascha” Zverev. “We all play good tennis, Sascha, Stefanos, me, a few others. “I’m pretty sure we’ll see a new young Grand Slam champion next year,” said defeated final opponent Dominic Thiem. Tsitsipas is the best hope The 21-year-old Tsitsipas is now of course the first contender. He is the youngest champion at the ATP Finals since Lleyton Hewitt 18 years ago and the youngest player since Jim Courier in 1991 to reach the final on his debut. But while commentators at home were up in arms, Tsitsipas remained modest.

sporttime wrote about “Stefan the Great” on the entire front page. For To Fos was Tsitsipas “The 13th God” (of Olympus), and Metrosport saw the “Tsitsipas saga” begin. Numerous radio stations interrupted their programs on Sunday and reported live about the end of the 6:7 (6:8), 6:2, 7:6 (7:4) triumph. “He turned the game around and sits on the throne of world tennis,” wrote the Athens newspaper Elefteros Typos. For Fileleftheros he was simply “first in London – first in our hearts”.

Only the praised man himself spoke, as so often, quietly and almost a little philosophically: “For us young players, it’s a question of time. We have to beat them or wait for them to stop.”

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But really now? Tsitsipas & Co. and the generation debate

As every year at the end of the tennis season, the debate about an impending changing of the guard in men's tennis intensifies. Is the time of Federer, Nadal & Co. over? Will there finally be a Grand Slam champion in 2020 who isn't already older than 30?

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