Credit: Alyssa Ao

WSPN’s Jeffery Zhang discusses the Nitto ATP Finals and his analysis of each athlete.

Novak Djokovic has cemented himself as the greatest tennis player of all time. You can forget Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, because this Serbian tennis player just won his fourth U.S. Open. His recent U.S. Open win puts him ahead by two in the race for the most grand slams titles with a whopping 24 total grand slam titles. With a brilliant display of longevity, skill and a splash of flair, Djokovic has proved to fans that he is the greatest player the sport has ever seen.

As of right now, the only person out of the Big Three (Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic) who is still dominant in the professional tennis scene is Djokovic. Federer’s retirement in the fall of 2022 marked the end of the Big Three era and a shift towards up and coming talents like Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton. Nadal made it clear that he had no intention of passing on the torch after winning both the Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2022, but with Nadal’s hip surgery forcing him to take a break, there has been no one to stop Djokovic from demolishing the competition. The recent U.S. Open showcased yet another display of dominance from Djokovic as he beat Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to claim his historic 24th grand slam title.

With growing doubts on whether or not Nadal will be able to return to full strength, we might be looking at a Djokovic show for the next few years. While the Big Three no longer exists, Djokovic has shown no signs of slowing down. He has won seven out of the 12 grand slam tournaments, which is even more impressive if you consider the fact that he missed two of the grand slams due to his COVID-19 vaccination status.

Djokovic’s career statistics alone set him apart from the rest of the Big Three. For starters, Djokovic has basically completed the sport of tennis. He holds the record for the most weeks at No. 1 in the world, and has won all four grand slam titles numerous times. In addition, Djokovic also holds the record for the most Australian Opens won, with an astonishing 10 titles. To win this many titles while competing with star players like Federer and Nadal sounds like a fairy tale, but for Djokovic, it’s light work. And as the cherry on top, Djokovic also holds a joint record of six ATP Finals.

It was a pleasure watching the Big Three compete and battle. Their grueling matches and the stunning skills they’ve showcased are memories that us as fans should never take for granted. But it’s time to realize the difference in careers between the three players. All three had an uncontested influence on the sport, and each of them has contributed more to tennis that any fan can imagine. Federer gave us a role model of class, elegance and fluidity. Nadal taught us how to be a warrior, how to fight and how to work. Many say that Djokovic gave us nothing, but I disagree. Djokovic showed us footwork, fitness and artistic finesse.

Whether you like it or not, Djokovic isn’t retiring any time soon. I won’t be surprised if he continues to win at least two more grand slams. Djokivic is 36 years old, almost 9 years past the average age of retirement, 27 years old. His dedication towards his diet and health is a reason for his ability to play at such a high level at his age, and even further demonstrates his passion for the sport. Djokovic’s longevity is unequaled in this sport, and he is a testament to the timeless allure of the beautiful game of tennis.