Pam Shriver has claimed that the 2023 season is the first indication of what the sport will look like after the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have all retired.

Between them, the trio dominated the sport for almost two decades, amassing a combined total of 66 Grand Slam titles and spending a collective 913 weeks (17 years) as World No. 1.

However, the Big Three began to dissolve last year when Federer made the decision to retire from the sport. The Swiss tennis legend played his final match at the Laver Cup in September 2022, in the company of his longtime sporting rivals.

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Meanwhile, Nadal has been absent for the majority of the 2023 season after he sustained an injury at the Australian Open in January. In May, he announced that he would be undergoing surgery and would therefore miss the rest of the year on the ATP Tour. He is aiming to return at the 2024 Australian Open but has suggested that next season could be his last.

Shriver says 2023 gives glimpse into future of sport

On a recent episode of the Inside In podcast, former World No. 3 Shriver lauded the Big Three for their incredible achievements and consistent dominance of the men's singles game.

"We’ve seen on the men’s side for 20 years, how well the Big 3 were able to just, you know, attempt to keep their position at No. 1," the American said.

In Federer and Nadal's absence, Djokovic has taken center stage, winning three out of four majors this year and equaling Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam titles after his victory at the US Open last month.

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However, Shriver noted that despite the World No. 1's current supremacy in the sport, 2023 has given a glimpse into what the future will look like with the younger generation of players, such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Holger Rune, expected to take the lead.

"What’s interesting about 2023 is that, I think it will go down as the first year that we get an indication of what the sport’s gonna be like after the Big 3.

"I’ll say, it is looking pretty good as we sit here and talk in mid-October," she added.

Karan Tejwani

@karan_tejwani26

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Such a great era for men’s tennis. The big three are all classy athletes and so respectable. Huge achievement today for Djokovic.

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The #AusOpen love affair continues... @DjokerNole #AusOpenFinal

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