"This could be now, could be my turn": Jimmy Connors says Sinner, Alcaraz and Rune buoyed by twilight of Big Three"
ATP
Former world number one Jimmy Connors believes that the new ‘Big
Three’ in men’s tennis might be on the horizon.
For the large part of last two decades, the likes of Switzerland’s
Roger Federer, Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have dominated the men’s
tennis in the singles category. It is because of this reason, they are known as
‘Big Three’.
While Federer has already retired from the sport, Nadal
announced last year that the season in 2024 will be his last at the highest
level. Djokovic, despite going strong, is going to turn 37 this year.
Connors was recently quoted in a report where he stated that
the new Big Three might well be on the horizon featuring the likes of Spain’s
Carlos Alcaraz, Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Denmark’s Holger Rune.
"At a very young age, he has had some pretty damn good
success,” he said. “But, along with that comes some injuries which we know
about. I think some of the players have realized just how to play him or how he
plays. What he did so well at the beginning kinda caught them off guard. Maybe,
they have caught on to that a little bit.
"Maybe he needs to change up a little bit and try to
figure out something else. It's not a big move, it's just tiny little scratches
along the way that maybe he can change to kinda offset his opponents a bit… but
hey, I’d like to be 21 years old and to have had his type of success and still
have 15-17 years more to play.
“He might be going through a little bit of a downtime. But,
you can see he enjoys the game, he works hard at the game and to continue to be
at the top of the game, he is gonna have to stay with that.
“Jannik Sinner is coming up and there is Holger Rune. A lot
of these guys see that Federer's gone and Nadal might wait through the French
and play the Olympics. Who knows what happens, Djoker still playing.
"All these kids
are trying to say, 'Okay, this could be me now. Could be my turn now.' They are
starting to play like it and they are gonna make it nothing but tougher for
each other.”
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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