The Big Three is a common nickname in tennis for the trio of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, each considered to be among the greatest players of all time.[2][3] The trio dominated men's singles tennis for two decades, collectively winning 66 major singles tournaments; Djokovic leads with an all-time record of 24 titles, followed by Nadal with 22 and Federer with 20. They have been ranked as world No. 1s in singles for a total of 947 weeks (equivalent to 18 years); Djokovic for a record 428 weeks, Federer for 310, and Nadal for 209. One of the three finished the season as the year-end No. 1 player every year from 2004 to 2023, with the exceptions of 2016 and 2022. They collectively occupied the top-three positions of the year-end ATP rankings eight times; in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018, and 2019.[4]
Prior to the adoption of the term Big Three, there was the Big Four, a similar term used from about 2008 to 2016 to describe the larger quartet of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and their nearest and most consistent rival, Andy Murray. Although the volume of Murray's achievements did not match the 'Big Three', he was in contention on a similar basis during that period for the biggest trophies, reaching the final at all four majors at least once, winning several major and Masters titles, in addition to the ATP Finals and the Olympics twice, while being the only other player besides the Big Three to make it to the top of the ATP rankings in the 18-year period from 2004 to 2022.[5][6][7] The term is occasionally still used when referring to the group. As both a trio and as a quartet, they have been a critical part of what has been labelled a "golden era" in men's tennis.[8][9][10][11]
Federer was the first to come to prominence after winning Wimbledon in 2003, and became the world No. 1 after winning the Australian Open in 2004. Nadal followed in 2005 with a French Open triumph on his first attempt, including a win over Federer,[12] and the duo occupied the top two places of the ATP rankings from 25 July 2005 to 6 September 2010. From 2007, Djokovic and Murray increasingly challenged Federer and Nadal's dominance with consistency. By 2011, Nadal declared that his joint dominance with Federer had ended, following the ascent of Djokovic and later Murray.[13] Djokovic has been a dominant player since the beginning of 2011, gradually approaching or surpassing Federer and Nadal's career achievements.[14] Despite occasional injury breaks by individual members of the Big Three, they have maintained their collective dominance at the majors through to 2023. However, the emergence of new players, commonly referred to as the "Next Generation", has tempered their dominance at the ATP Finals since 2017, and Masters tournaments since 2021.
The Big Four regularly held the top four places in the rankings between 2008 and 2013. They were ranked year-end world top four from 2008 to 2012, the longest span of dominance for any quartet of players in tennis history. They held the top-two spots continuously from 25 July 2005 to 18 March 2021, 13 May 2013 to 8 March 2021, as well as the top ranking from 2 February 2004 to 27 February 2022, meaning that no player outside the Big Four were ranked world No. 1 for 18 years or was in the top 2 for nearly 16 years. All four have reached a career-high ranking of world No. 1: Djokovic has been No. 1 for a record 428 weeks, Federer for 310 weeks, Nadal for 209 weeks, and Murray for 41 weeks. Djokovic was the year-end No. 1 for a record eight years, with Federer and Nadal for five years each, and Murray once.
At the Grand Slam tournaments, the trio are the all-time title leaders; Djokovic has won a record 24 majors, Nadal with 22 and Federer 20. They have each completed a Career Grand Slam by winning all four majors at least once, with Nadal completing it twice for a double Career Grand Slam and Djokovic three times for a triple Career Grand Slam. With their singles Olympic gold medals, Djokovic completed the Career Super Slam and Nadal achieved a Career Golden Slam. Djokovic has also completed a Non-calendar-year Grand Slam, making him the only man in history to hold all four major titles at once across three different surfaces. Nadal and Djokovic have each achieved a Surface Slam by winning majors on hard, clay, and grass courts in a calendar year, making them the only male players in history to do so. The trio have each completed a Channel Slam. At the Masters tournaments, the trio are also the top-three title leaders; Djokovic leads with a record 40 titles, followed by Nadal with 36, and Federer with 28. Djokovic is the only player to achieve the Career Golden Masters by winning all nine active Masters tournaments, a feat he has completed twice.[15] At the ATP Finals, they won 13 titles, with Djokovic winning a record seven titles, and Federer six.
Representing their countries, the Big Four have played vital roles in leading their countries to victory at the Davis Cup, ATP Cup, Olympics, and Hopman Cup. At the Davis Cup, Nadal helped Spain to win the title in five editions (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2019), Djokovic and Federer helped Serbia (2010) and Switzerland (2014) win their first title in the competition, and Murray helped Great Britain win the title in 2015. At the ATP Cup, Djokovic led Serbia to victory in the inaugural edition in 2020. At the Olympics, the Big Four have won six gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal: Murray won a record two gold medals in singles and a silver in mixed doubles, Djokovic won a gold medal and a bronze medal, both in singles, Nadal won a gold medal in singles and a gold in doubles, Federer won a silver medal in singles and a gold in doubles. Federer is the only member to have won the Hopman Cup with his national team, in 2001, 2018, and 2019.
History
The beginnings
2003 Wimbledon–2004: Federer's ascent to the top of the game
The early 2000s were seen as a time of transition in tennis, with older champions retiring and a few players breaking through at the very top of the game.[16][17] Roger Federer first played on the ATP Tour aged 17 in 1998,[18][19] finishing his first full ATP season the following year. By the end of the 2002 season, he was ranked sixth in the world. His breakthrough came in 2003 when he won his first major title at 2003 Wimbledon,[20] won the 2003 year-end championships, and finished the year as the world No. 2 behind Andy Roddick. Federer then captured three of the four majors (2004 Australian Open, 2004 Wimbledon, 2004 US Open), losing only at the 2004 French Open, as well as becoming the world No. 1 on 2 February and maintaining the top position through the end of the year.[21] Federer entered the 2004 Athens Olympics as the heavy favourite, but lost in the second round to Tomáš Berdych.
Rafael Nadal won his first ATP Tour match aged 15 in April 2002,[22] and he defeated Federer in their first meeting at the 2004 Miami.[23]
2005–2007: Federer continues dominance, Nadal dominates clay
In the following three years (2005–2007), Federer dominated the tennis scene except on clay. Between 2005 Wimbledon and 2007 US Open, he captured eight of ten majors with a record of 67–2 in those tournaments (his only two losses in that stretch were delivered by Nadal at the 2006 and 2007 French Open final). Federer also maintained the world No. 1 ranking for the entirety of the period.
2005 was Nadal's breakthrough year, in which he won 24 consecutive matches on clay, including his first 2005 French Open title, beating Federer in the semifinals,[24] and he finished the year as the world No. 2. He was dominant on clay, suffering only one loss on the surface (to Federer at the 2007 Hamburg final) between his breakthrough and the end of 2007. He established an 81 matches winning streak on clay during this time.The exception was 2007 Madrid, Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer were defeated by David Nalbandian.[25] On the other hand, Nadal were also defeated by Nalbandian in 2007 Paris.[26]
The period between 2005 and 2007 was thus entirely dominated by Federer and Nadal. They won 11 consecutive majors between them, meeting in each 2006 French Open and 2006 Wimbledon final from 2006[27] to 2008. From 2005 to 2010, they ended each season as the world's top two players.
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were born a week apart, played each other as juniors,[28] and both made their major debuts in 2005. Djokovic made his ATP Tour debut in 2004,[29] while Murray's was in 2005.[30][31] They both reached the world's top 100 in 2005, and the top 20 in 2006.[28] Djokovic, however, began to excel ahead of Murray in 2007, reaching one major final and two semifinals and beginning to regularly challenge Federer and Nadal.[32] He also won two Masters titles and five overall titles during the season, finishing 2007 as the world No. 3.[33] Murray, who was kept out of the 2007 French Open and 2007 Wimbledon by injury,[34][35] ended 2007 ranked 11th.[36]
Big Four era
2008–2010: Federer and Nadal dominance, Djokovic and Murray challenge
Between 2008 and 2010, Djokovic and later Murray attempted to end the duopoly of Federer and Nadal at the summit of tennis. They did not break it but emerged ahead of the rest of the tour.
At the 2008 Australian Open, Djokovic defeated Federer in the semifinals, reaching his first Australian Open final and ending Federer's streak of 10 consecutive major finals.[37] Djokovic went on to defeat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (who had eliminated Nadal in the semifinals) to win his first major. Following the win, Djokovic emerged as a clear world No. 3,[38] holding the ranking for the entirety of 2008. Meanwhile, Murray continued to rise in the rankings, reaching his first major quarterfinal at 2008 Wimbledon, losing to Nadal.[39] He also won his first two Masters titles. However, Nadal were defeated by Davydenko in Miami Masters final.[40]
Nonetheless, Federer and Nadal remained the lead rivalry, as the pair met in the finals of both the 2008 French Open and 2008 Wimbledon. Nadal won both, with 2008 Wimbledon final often described as one of the greatest tennis matches of all time.[41][42][43] In August, after winning singles gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and an early loss for Federer at the 2008 Cincinnati, Nadal became the world No. 1, ending Federer's record 237 consecutive week streak at the top. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Federer lost in the quarterfinals to James Blake, while Djokovic lost in the semifinals to Nadal, but went on to win the bronze medal. Federer excelled in the men's doubles event and captured the gold medal.[44] At the 2008 US Open, all four players reached the semifinals of the same major for the first time. Federer defeated Djokovic in the semifinals, while Murray reached his first major final after upsetting the top ranked Nadal in four sets.[45] Federer then defeated Murray in the final to win his fifth consecutive US Open title and his 13th major title overall. Following the tournament, Murray entered the top four in the ATP rankings for the first time. All four players qualified for the 2008 year-end championships, which Djokovic won for the first time. Despite withdrawing from the event due to injury, Nadal finished the year as year-end No. 1.
In 2009, the quartet held the top four places in the rankings for the entire calendar year. This also prompted the first uses of the term 'Big Four' to refer to the players,[46] although results saw Nadal and Federer generally remain clear leaders ahead of Djokovic and Murray, who in turn were regarded as ahead of the rest of the tour. At the 2009 Australian Open, Nadal won his first title there in 2009 Australian Open final, his third consecutive major final victory over Federer, while Murray and Djokovic were eliminated earlier.[47] Nadal continued to dominate in most of the early season, winning three Masters titles. He entered the 2009 French Open as the favourite, but was defeated in a massive upset by Robin Söderling in the fourth round. Federer went on to win his first French Open title, defeating Söderling in the final.[48] With the win, he equaled Pete Sampras then record of 14 Grand Slam singles titles and completed the Career Grand Slam, having lost to Nadal at each of the previous four editions of the French Open.[49] Federer subsequently surpassed Sampras' record by winning his 15th major title at 2009 Wimbledon.[50]
With Nadal's injuries, Murray and Djokovic improved in the rankings, with Murray reaching world No. 2 in August and ending the 211 week reign of Federer and Nadal as the top two ranked players.[51] At the 2009 US Open, Murray was upset in the fourth round by Marin Čilić, while Djokovic reached his first Grand Slam semifinal of the season and lost in straight sets to Federer.[52] Nadal was defeated by Juan Martín del Potro in the semifinals,[53] and del Potro beat Federer in the final to claim the title. Afterwards, Nikolay Davydenko defeated Nadal in Shanghai Masters final.[54] Between 2005 Australian Open and 2014 Australian Open, this was the only major not won by a member of the Big Four. At the end of 2009, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray finished as the top four players for the second consecutive year, with only Nadal and Federer changing positions from 2008. Federer finished the season having reached all four major finals for the third time in his career following 2006 and 2007.
During the 2010 season, the Big Four began to dominate the tour as a group for the first time.[55] They comprised six of the eight Grand Slam finalists and won a combined 16 tournaments (compared to six for the other four competitors at the 2010 ATP Finals).[55] At the start of the year, Federer continued his dominance as the world No. 1 by winning the 2010 Australian Open, defeating Murray in the final, but his run of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals came to an end at the 2010 French Open when he lost to Robin Söderling in the quarterfinal. He then lost to Tomáš Berdych at 2010 Wimbledon, ending his run of seven consecutive Wimbledon finals. Nadal then resumed his domination of the clay court season, winning all three clay court Masters events and the French Open, where he defeated Söderling in the final.[56] Nadal also won Wimbledon over Berdych, having missed the previous year's edition due to injury.
At the 2010 US Open, Djokovic beat Federer in the semifinals to reach his third major final, but lost to Nadal, who went on to complete the Career Grand Slam. With the win, Nadal became the first player to win majors on three different surfaces in a single calendar year, known as the Surface Slam. Each member of the Big Four reached the 2010 ATP Finals semifinals with Federer defeating Nadal in three sets in the final, leading to them achieving their third successive season in the top four positions. Djokovic and Murray were third and fourth respectively, both reaching one Grand Slam final apiece.[57]
The 2011 season was dominated by Novak Djokovic. He won ten titles, including three majors (only the fifth man in the Open Era to do so) and a then record five Masters titles, enjoyed a 41 matches winning streak, and ascended to the world No. 1 position for the first time after defeating Nadal at the 2011 Wimbledon final.[58] Djokovic went 12–2 against Nadal, Federer and Murray during the season. His season was described by many experts and former players as one of the best tennis seasons for a singles player seen in history. Pete Sampras described it as "one of the best achievements in all of sport."[59][60][61][62]
Djokovic's dominance contributed to overall control by the Big Four.[63] They all reached the semifinals at two of the year's Grand Slam events,[64] and between them won every Masters tournament. Nadal was the clear world No. 2 behind Djokovic, winning the 2011 French Open and reaching both the 2011 Wimbledon and 2011 US Open finals (losing both to Djokovic). Nadal ended the season with a 0–6 record against Djokovic, with every encounter between them at a final.[65]
By his standards, Federer had a weak season. He failed to win a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2002, losing to Nadal for the fourth time in a French Open final. He dropped to world No. 4 in November, the first time he had been ranked outside the top three since 2002.[66] However, Federer rallied, winning his three final tournaments, including the 2011 ATP Finals, which secured an end of season ranking of world No. 3. Murray, meanwhile, made the semifinals of all four majors, with a runner-up finish in the 2011 Australian Open final to Djokovic. Murray ended the year with two Masters titles for the fourth consecutive year, and five titles in total.[67]
The dominance of the Big Four continued and culminated in 2012 season, because each player won a major this year: Djokovic the 2012 Australian Open, Nadal the 2012 French Open, Federer 2012 Wimbledon and Murray his maiden major title at the 2012 US Open. At the 2012 London Olympics, Djokovic, Federer, and Murray all made it to the semifinals (Nadal didn't participate from a knee injury). Federer defeated Juan Martín del Potro while Murray defeated Djokovic in two straight sets. In a showdown gold medal match, Murray would defeat Federer in three straight sets to get the gold while Federer would get silver. However, Djokovic would lose in straight sets in the bronze medal match. Murray would also get silver in the mixed doubles event.[68] With consecutive victories over Djokovic and Federer, Murray's standing as a member of the Big Four member increased: his end of season ranking of world No. 3 was his career-best.[69][70] Djokovic entered the season as the world No. 1 and remained there until July 2012, when he was overtaken by Federer, who reclaimed the top spot for the first time in two years. Federer subsequently overtook Sampras then record of 286 weeks as the world No. 1, and extended the record to 302.[71] Federer relinquished his world No. 1 ranking on 5 November to Djokovic, before they met in the final match of the season at the 2012 year-end championships where Djokovic won in straight sets and ended his second consecutive season at No. 1. Djokovic was the only player to reach the semifinals at all majors, defeating Nadal in 2012 Australian Open final of the 2012 Australian Open (in what is considered to be one of the greatest tennis matches of all time), and was the runner up at both 2012 Roland Garros and the 2012 US Open. He and Federer each won three Masters titles. Nadal, meanwhile, had his season curtailed by an injury. Having won two clay court Masters titles and 2013 Roland Garros, he was eliminated in the second round at 2013 Wimbledon – his earliest defeat at a Grand Slam tournament since 2005.[72] He did not compete for the rest of the season, but still ended the year as world No. 4.
The 2013 season continued similarly, with Djokovic, Federer and Murray occupying three of the four semifinal slots at the 2013 Australian Open, with Nadal still suffering from an injury. Murray beat Federer in a five-set semifinal match, meaning all four members of the Big Four had beaten each other at least once at a major, but he lost to Djokovic in the final.[73][74] Nadal returned for the clay court season, winning five events before becoming the only man to win a major eight times by taking the 2013 French Open, defeating Djokovic in an epic semifinal clash en route.[75] However, Djokovic ended Nadal's record eight year winning streak at the 2013 Monte Carlo.[76] Nadal and Federer lost early at 2013 Wimbledon, thus ending Federer's record streak of 36 consecutive major quarterfinals.[77][78] Murray defeated Djokovic in the final, becoming the first Briton to win the men's singles title in 77 years.[79] Nadal dominated the 2013 US hard court season, winning the 2013 Montreal, 2013 Cincinnati, and 2013 US Open, defeating Djokovic in the final of the latter.
Nadal and Djokovic dominated the 2013 season. Nadal won two Majors and five Masters events, and was runner up at the 2013 ATP Finals. Nadal made the final at all eight clay court tournaments he played, winning six; he also made the semifinals at all eight of his hard-court tournaments, winning four titles. Djokovic won one major, reached two major finals and a semifinal, and finished the year on a 22 matches winning streak after taking the 2013 ATP Finals beating Nadal.[80] A back injury ended Murray's season prematurely,[81] but he finished fourth in the rankings and was the only player besides Nadal and Djokovic to win a Grand Slam event or Masters title (at 2013 Wimbledon and 2013 Miami respectively). Federer suffered his worst season in over a decade. He reached just one major semifinal at the 2013 Australian Open, failed to win a single Masters, and finished the year sixth in the rankings with one title to his name; he also suffered from a recurring back injury throughout the season.[82]
As 2013 came to a close, Federer's fall in the rankings prompted many sources to debate whether the dominance of the Big Four had ended.[83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91] This debate intensified after the 2014 Australian Open, which saw Stan Wawrinka defeat Djokovic in the quarterfinal and Nadal in the final to win his first Slam title, marking just the second time since 2005 and the first since 2009 that a player outside the Big Four had won a major title.[92] Murray and Federer fell to sixth and eighth in the rankings respectively,[93] and after the tournament, several players expressed the opinion that they were now capable of challenging the Big Four.[94][95][96] However, the first two Masters titles of the year in 2014 Indian Wells and 2014 Miami only had Big Four finalists, with Djokovic winning his third and fourth consecutive Masters titles with victories over Federer and Nadal respectively.[97][98] Nadal struggled early in the clay season at his traditional favorite tournaments of 2014 Monte Carlo and 2014 Barcelona. A third loss, to Djokovic in the final of the 2014 Rome, was the first time Nadal had lost more than two matches on clay in a season for a decade.[99] He did, however, win the 2013 Madrid after Nishikori injured his back whilst leading Nadal 6–2, 4–3 in that final.[100] Nadal went on to defend his 2014 French Open title, defeating Murray in the semifinal[101] and Djokovic in the final.
Following his back surgery at the end of 2013, Murray struggled to return to form in the first half of the year, reaching only two semifinals and losing to Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets in the quarterfinals while attempting to defend his 2014 Wimbledon title, a defeat which saw him fall to No. 10 in the world rankings.[102] This, and Nadal's loss to Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round, his third consecutive early round loss at 2014 Wimbledon, led former players and experts, including Jimmy Connors, to express the opinion that the "aura" around the Big Four had faded.[103]Milos Raonic, who reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, suggested a "human side" was visible in the Big Four, which was giving players belief when facing them.[104] However, Djokovic defeated Dimitrov and Federer beat Raonic to make it an all Big Four final, the 24th they had contested. Djokovic defeated Federer in five sets to claim his second Wimbledon title,[105] a result that left Djokovic, Nadal and Federer occupying the top three places in the rankings.
Federer continued his return to form reaching the finals of 2014 Toronto (where he lost to Tsonga), and winning his first Masters title since 2012 in 2014 Cincinnati.[106] Later, he also won the 2014 Shanghai, and returned to No. 2 in the rankings, overtaking Nadal, whose season had been curtailed by a wrist injury.[107] The 2014 US Open saw the Big Four's collective grip on the major titles slip still further, however, as Kei Nishikori and Marin Čilić beat Djokovic and Federer in the semifinals respectively to contest the first Slam final featuring none of the Big Four since the 2005 Australian Open, and the first time since 2003 that multiple first time Grand Slam tournament winners have been crowned in a single season. Following the tournament, Murray dropped to 11th in the rankings, his first time outside the top ten since 2008. The tournament further signalled the decline of the Big Four's dominance.[108] The Big Four bounced back towards the end of the year, with Federer winning the 2014 Shanghai, and Djokovic winning the 2014 Paris. Murray managed to return to form, winning three titles in 2014 Shenzhen, 2014 Vienna and 2014 Valencia, allowing him to return to the top ten in the rankings[109] and qualify for the 2014 ATP Finals, but he bowed out at the group stages following a defeat by Federer, in which he won just a single game. Indeed, throughout the year, Murray failed to register a single victory against another member of the Big Four in nine meetings.
At the 2014 ATP Finals, Djokovic won the event after Federer withdrew before the final citing injury following a semifinal win over Wawrinka.[110] Federer recovered to win the 2014 Davis Cup as part of the Switzerland team for him, and the country's, first triumph in the competition, leading many people to say that his tennis career was now complete.[111] Collectively, the Big Four won 19 titles in 2014, but two Grand Slam titles and two Masters titles went to other players. In the end of year rankings, Djokovic, Federer and Nadal held the top three spots, with Murray in sixth.
2015–2016: Djokovic domination, Murray and Federer challenge
Following Murray's strong end to 2014 and reaching the final of the 2015 Australian Open, he moved into the top four in the world rankings for the first time in over a year, meaning that the Big Four held the top four places in the rankings for the first time since early 2013, slowing the idea of the regression of the quartet.[112][113][114][115] Djokovic won the 2015 Australian Open, as well as the first three Masters titles of the year in 2015 Indian Wells, 2015 Miami and 2015 Monte Carlo.[116][117] In Madrid, Murray defeated Nadal in straight sets.[118] This was also the first time he had beaten another member of the Big Four since 2013 Wimbledon, ending a streak of 12 losses against the other members. The defeat saw Nadal slip to seventh in the rankings, his first time outside the top five in more than a decade.[119] Djokovic defeated Federer in the 2015 Rome final. Nadal suffered his worst European clay court season in a decade, failing to win a single title and appearing in just one final, whereas Djokovic and Murray entered the 2015 French Open unbeaten on clay. Djokovic defeated Nadal for the first time at the 2015 French Open in a straight sets quarterfinal. This was only Nadal's second defeat at the French Open, seeing him drop to No. 10 in the rankings. Djokovic emerged victorious over Murray in a five set match that was spread over two days[120] but lost to Wawrinka in the final in four sets.[121]
Federer beat Murray in straight sets in the semifinals of 2015 Wimbledon.[122] Djokovic claimed the other spot in the final, to set up a rematch of the previous year's final, and defeated Federer in four sets to win his second major of the year, denying Federer a record eighth Wimbledon title for the second year in a row.[123] Murray and Federer shared the two North American hard-court Masters titles, at 2015 Montreal and 2015 Cincinnati respectively, with Djokovic being the losing finalist on both occasions.[124][125] The US Open final was contested by Djokovic and Federer. Djokovic won in four sets, giving him a third Grand Slam title of the season.[126]
Djokovic then continued to dominate throughout the remainder of the year, winning in 2015 Beijing, 2015 Shanghai, 2015 Paris and at the 2015 ATP Finals. Overall, Djokovic's 2015 season was one of the greatest in the history of the game, with him winning a record 10 Big Titles, including three majors for the second time in his career, a record six Masters titles and the year end championships. He also became the only man in the Open Era besides Rod Laver and Federer to play all four major finals in the same year. He was dominant even against his fellow Big Four rivals, going 15–4 against them throughout the year and he had a record 31 victories against the top 10 in the season. Federer was the most competitive against Djokovic, winning three of their eight matches, which made up half of Djokovic's total defeats in 2015. Nadal and Murray both struggled against the Djokovic, with Nadal losing all four of his encounters in straight sets, and Murray winning only one of his seven encounters, in 2015 Montreal. However, Murray did lead Great Britain to Davis Cup victory in 2015, winning all eight singles rubbers and becoming the final member of the quartet to win the Davis Cup. Murray did finish at his career-highest year-end ranking of two even if he won fewer titles, reached fewer finals and had less success versus Djokovic when compared with Federer in the number three ranking.
In 2016, Djokovic collected his sixth 2016 Australian Open title in a straight-sets victory over Murray. He followed up this solid run of form with a record-setting fifth 2016 Indian Wells and record-equaling sixth 2016 Miami titles. Nadal won in 2016 Monte Carlo for a record ninth time. Murray and Djokovic played the Masters finals of 2016 Madrid and 2016 Rome and split the titles. At the 2016 French Open, Murray reached his first final at Roland Garros to complete his set of Grand Slam singles finals, but Djokovic beat him in the 2016 French Open final to become the third Big Four member after Federer and Nadal to complete a Career Grand Slam (Djokovic would complete it two more times in the following years). By winning Roland Garros, Djokovic set a ranking points record of 16,950 and became the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.
At 2016 Wimbledon, Murray beat Raonic in straight sets in the final to win his second Wimbledon title, and third major title overall. Murray's victory marked the first time since the 2010 French Open that a member of the Big Four had won a Grand Slam singles title without having to defeat one of the other three members. Federer withdrew from the remainder of the 2016 season due to a knee injury, missing the Olympics and US Open.[127]
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Djokovic was knocked out of the men's singles in the opening round by Juan Martín del Potro, in a repeat of the bronze medal match from four years earlier.[128] Del Potro went on to defeat Nadal in an epic semifinal to set up a final meeting with Murray.[129] Murray ultimately won the final in four sets, becoming the first male player to win the singles gold medal twice. Nadal lost the bronze medal match to Kei Nishikori but won gold in the men's doubles event.[129] Djokovic won 2016 Toronto with Murray losing in the final of 2016 Cincinnati.[130] At the 2016 US Open, Djokovic reached the final but lost to Stan Wawrinka in four sets.[131]
Murray dominated the rest of the year. He won titles in 2016 Beijing, 2016 Shanghai, 2016 Vienna and 2016 Paris. As a result, upon reaching the Paris final, Murray gained the number one ranking,[132] ending Djokovic's 122 consecutive weeks at the top one. This meant that all of the Big Four had reached world No. 1 at some point. Following an early loss at Shanghai, Nadal announced that he would skip the remainder of the 2016 season to recover fully from the wrist injury that troubled him earlier in the year. Thus, for the first time since 2001, neither Nadal nor Federer would be present at the year end championships. At the 2016 ATP Finals, Murray beat Djokovic, claiming the title and the No. 1 spot at the end of the year and ending 2016 on a 24 matches winning streak, the longest of his career. He became the second player after Andre Agassi to win a Grand Slam singles tournament, ATP Finals, Olympic and Masters titles, and the first to do so in the same calendar year. 2016 marked the first year since 2003 that neither Federer, Nadal or Djokovic finished the year as world No. 1. Despite his struggles with form throughout the second half of the year, Djokovic still ended 2016 as world No. 2. Having suffered from injury plagued season, Nadal and Federer ended the year at No. 9 and 16 respectively. For Nadal, it was his lowest end of year ranking since 2004, while Federer's fall in the rankings meant that November 2016 marked his first time outside the top ten since October 2002.
Big Three solidified
2017–2018 French Open: Federer and Nadal return, Djokovic and Murray sidelined
At the 2017 Australian Open, Djokovic and Murray both suffered defeats prior the quarterfinals. Nadal and Federer, meanwhile, both progressed to the final after each won five set semifinals. In 2017 Australian Open final, Federer triumphed over Nadal in five sets, winning his 18th Grand Slam title and his first since 2012 Wimbledon. Federer went on to win a record-equaling fifth 2017 Indian Wells title, defeating Nadal in the fourth round. Federer and Nadal once again met in the 2017 Miami final, where Federer again won.
As the 2017 clay court swing commenced, Federer skipped the entire clay season to rest and focus on the grass and hard court seasons. Nadal claimed the 2017 Monte Carlo title, which saw him become the first man to win a single tournament ten times and simultaneously establish a new record for the most clay court titles at 50, surpassing Guillermo Vilas 49. Nadal also won in 2017 Madrid, while Djokovic fell to Alexander Zverev in the 2017 Rome final.[133] Nadal breezed through to the 2017 French Open title, defeating Wawrinka in the final and not dropping a set at the tournament for the third time in his career. This marked Nadal's first major title since the 2014 French Open. Following the win, Nadal returned to world No. 2, while Djokovic, who lost in the quarterfinals, fell to world No. 4, his lowest ranking since October 2009 and his first time outside the top two of the rankings since March 2011.
At 2017 Wimbledon, the quartet formed the top four seeds at a major for the first time since 2014 Wimbledon.[134] Nadal, Murray and Djokovic all lost before the semifinals. Federer, however, won the title without dropping a set by beating Marin Čilić in the final. Federer's run marked a record breaking eleventh Wimbledon final and eighth title. This led to the "Big Four" being the ATP top four again.[135] Djokovic announced in July that he would skip the rest of the 2017 season to recover from an elbow injury,[136] and Murray did not play another tournament in 2017 as well due to a hip injury.[137] At 2017 Montreal, Federer reached the final but sustained a severe back injury there, which took him out of contention for the US Open and the No. 1 ranking. Although Nadal did not reach the semifinals of either North American Masters event, he returned to world No. 1 over the inactive Murray. Nadal then defeated Kevin Anderson in the 2017 US Open final. This was the fourth time that Nadal and Federer had won all four majors in the same year, following their sweeps in 2006, 2007, and 2010. Additionally, on 11 September 2017, Nadal and Federer were ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, the first time since 20 March 2011 that they held the top two rankings spots. Federer then returned to 2017 Shanghai and won his second title there, defeating Nadal in the final. This was his fourth win out of four meetings with Nadal in 2017, as well as his fifth consecutive.
In 2017, Nadal had his best year since 2013, winning two majors and four other titles. Federer finished the year at world No. 2 behind Nadal and overall had his best year since 2007, with his highest number of titles won since that year, winning two majors for the first time since 2009, and ending the year with a winning percentage of 91%, his highest since 2006. Djokovic and Murray both finished with their lowest year-end rankings since 2006, at No. 12 and 16 respectively.
At the start of 2018, Murray underwent hip surgery for the injury that had sidelined him since the previous summer. Djokovic and Nadal lost early at the 2018 Australian Open. Federer, however, went on to defend his title in a five set final against Marin Čilić, thus equaling Djokovic and Roy Emerson's then-record of six Australian Open titles, and becoming the first man to win 20 major titles. Soon after, by reaching the semifinals in 2018 Rotterdam, Federer overtook returned to world No. 1. In doing so, he became the oldest-ever player to top the ATP rankings (since 1973).
Federer reached the final of 2018 Indian Wells, but lost to Juan Martín del Potro.[138] Federer's early loss in 2018 Miami resulted in the loss of the No. 1 ranking with Nadal overtaking him by 100 points. Federer announced that he would again skip the entire clay court season. Nadal won his eleventh title in 2018 Monte Carlo, then claimed an 11th 2018 Barcelona title, winning both without dropping a set.[139] Nadal lost to Dominic Thiem in 2018 Madrid quarterfinals but came back the following week to win the title in 2018 Rome.
Following Djokovic's early exit from the 2018 Australian Open, he underwent surgery for the wrist injury that had been causing him issues for the previous year. He returned to the tour at 2018 Indian Wells and struggled much with form, failing to reach the quarterfinals of any of his first five tournaments after surgery. He showed promise by reaching the semifinals of 2018 Rome, losing to Nadal in two straight sets. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2018 French Open, but lost to unseeded Marco Cecchinato. Nadal went on to win the tournament, defeating Dominic Thiem in the final to claim a record extending 11th French Open title and his 17th major overall. Federer returned to the tour for 2018 Stuttgart and won the title there, which saw him return to the No. 1 ranking for a 310th week.
2018 Wimbledon–2020 Australian Open: Djokovic returns, dominates with Nadal
At 2018 Wimbledon, Federer lost to Kevin Anderson in the quarterfinals despite holding a two sets to love lead and holding a match point in the third set, having suffered a hand injury at the start of the grass season.[140] Meanwhile, Nadal as world No. 1 and Djokovic as world No. 22 made the semifinals where Djokovic defeated Nadal in a five-set thriller to reach his first major final in nearly two years. He then defeated Anderson in the final to win his fourth Wimbledon title and 13th major title overall.
At the 2018 US hard court season, Nadal won his fourth title at the 2018 Toronto which was a then record 33rd Masters title. A week later, Djokovic beat Federer to win 2018 Cincinnati title, becoming the first and only player so far to complete the Career Golden Masters. Djokovic advanced to his eleventh US Open semifinal in as many appearances, and proceeded to win his third US Open title and 14th major title overall. With the win, Djokovic returned to the top 3 in the world rankings for the first time since the 2017 French Open.
Djokovic then won his 4th Shanghai title without dropping a set, which improved his ranking to world No. 2. Nadal withdrew before his first match at the 2018 Paris, thus yielding the No. 1 ranking to Djokovic. Djokovic and Federer met in the semifinals, where Djokovic won in three hours. Djokovic was defeated by Karen Khachanov in the final.[141] Nadal withdrew from the 2018 ATP Finals to undergo surgery for an ankle injury. Federer and Djokovic were both defeated at the ATP Finals by Alexander Zverev in the semifinals and final, respectively. The year ended with Djokovic, Nadal and Federer occupying the top-three positions in the rankings.
In the 2019 Australian Open, Federer was upset in the fourth round by 20 years old Stefanos Tsitsipas in a tight four-setter. In the 2019 Australian Open final, Djokovic defeated Nadal in straight sets to claim a record winning seventh Australian Open title and increased his major tally to 15. In the week following the Australian Open, Murray underwent another hip surgery.
Federer rebounded from his early loss at the Australian Open by winning his 100th title in 2019 Dubai. He followed this with a runner-up finish at 2019 Indian Wells[142] and a title in 2019 Miami.
After withdrawing from Indian Wells due to injury, Nadal initially struggled upon returning for the clay-court season, losing in the semifinals at 2019 Monte Carlo, 2019 Barcelona and 2019 Madrid. However, he returned to form in 2019 Rome, defeating Djokovic in the final to win his ninth crown at the event. At the 2019 French Open, Federer returned to play at the tournament for the first time since 2015 French Open, reaching the semifinals where he was defeated by Nadal in straight sets. Djokovic also reached the semifinals without losing a set, but was beaten in five sets by Dominic Thiem in a match that was spread over two days due to rain. In the final, Nadal prevailed over Thiem for a second consecutive year, winning the tournament for a record extending 12th time. The win brought Nadal to 18 major titles, just two behind Federer's record of 20. Federer, meanwhile, won his tenth title in 2019 Halle, making him the only player in the Open Era besides Nadal to win ten titles at the same event.
In 2019 Wimbledon, Nadal and Federer again met in the semifinals, their first meeting at Wimbledon since the 2008 final. Federer defeated Nadal in four sets to reach the final, where he faced Djokovic. There, Djokovic defeated Federer in the longest Wimbledon final in history. It was Djokovic's 16th major title, only trailing Federer's 20 and Nadal's 18.
Nadal returned in 2019 Montreal where he defended his title. Following his victory, he decided not to play in 2019 Cincinnati once again. Murray, meanwhile, continued his comeback to tennis through doubles, however, he returned to singles in 2019 Cincinnati, where he lost in the first round to Richard Gasquet in straight sets. There, Federer was upset in the third round by qualifier Andrey Rublev, and Djokovic was upset in the semifinals by the eventual champion Daniil Medvedev.
At the 2019 US Open, Djokovic retired against Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round due to a shoulder injury, and Federer was upset by Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals. Nadal only dropped one set en route to his fifth US Open final, where he met Daniil Medvedev. Despite Nadal going up two sets to love, Medvedev responded furiously and claimed the next two sets. Nadal then defeated Medvedev in the fifth set, claiming his fourth US Open title and 19th major title overall, one behind Federer's record.
Nadal ended 2019 as the world No. 1 for the fifth time, despite not reaching the semifinals of 2019 ATP Finals.[143] In the 2019 Davis Cup, Spain won its sixth title (its first since 2011 Davis Cup), defeating Canada in the final 2–0. Nadal received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for his performance in the tournament after he won all eight matches in which he participated. This was Nadal's fifth Davis Cup title.
At the 2020 Australian Open, Nadal lost to Dominic Thiem in the quarterfinals, while Djokovic defeated Federer in the semifinals. Djokovic then won his eighth Australian Open title and his 17th major overall by a narrow victory over Thiem in the final.[144]
2020–2021: Disrupted seasons, Nadal and Djokovic ties Federer's major titles record
The 2020 season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Four of the five Masters tournaments typically held between the 2020 Australian Open and the 2020 French Open were cancelled, with the 2020 Rome the only one to be postponed. The French Open itself was postponed to late September, while 2020 Wimbledon was cancelled. The first Masters to be held after the resumption of the tour was the 2020 Cincinnati, where Djokovic emerged victorious to complete the double Career Golden Masters.
Nadal opted to skip the 2020 US Open, citing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, while Federer withdrew due to a knee injury.[145] Djokovic was disqualified from the tournament during his fourth-round match against Pablo Carreño-Busta after inadvertently striking a ball at a line judge after conceding a break.[146] The title was won by Dominic Thiem,[147] who became the first player outside the Big Three to win a major since Stan Wawrinka in 2016. Djokovic rebounded to win a record 36th Masters title in the 2020 Italian Open two weeks later. Federer did not enter the rescheduled 2020 French Open, still sidelined by his knee injury. Nadal successfully defended his title over Djokovic in a straight-sets final. With the win, Nadal equaled Federer's all-time record of 20 major singles titles and extended his own record to 13 titles at the same major tournament.
Federer did not compete in the 2021 Australian Open in order to recover from surgery. There, Nadal was upset by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals despite taking a two sets to love lead, while Djokovic successfully defended his title by beating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets. The win marked his ninth Australian Open title and 18th major title overall, putting him two titles away from tying Federer and Nadal.
Nadal achieved his 36th Masters victory by defeating Djokovic in the 2021 Rome final. At the 2021 French Open, Federer withdrew after his third round victory in order not to jeopardize his recovery from a knee injury, while Nadal's bid at winning a record 21st major ended when he lost to Djokovic in an epic semifinal encounter. Despite being down two sets to love in the final against Stefanos Tsitsipas, Djokovic rallied to win the title in five sets. With the victory, Djokovic won his second French Open title and 19th major singles title overall, and became the third man after Roy Emerson and Rod Laver to have won each of the four majors at least twice, and the first to do so in the Open Era. Djokovic was then only one title away from tying Federer and Nadal for the most men's singles majors of all time.
Nadal withdrew from 2021 Wimbledon due to scheduling reasons. Federer was defeated in the quarterfinals by Hubert Hurkacz. Djokovic won the title and his 20th major against Matteo Berrettini, thereby equaling both Federer and Nadal's all-time tally. The victory made him the first man to win the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same calendar year since Rod Laver in 1969, and the second player to win majors on three different surfaces in a calendar year, after Nadal in 2010.[148]
"I have to pay a great tribute to Rafa and Roger. They are legends of our sport. The two most important players I ever faced. They are the reason I am where I am today. They made me realise what I had to do to improve."
—Djokovic, after winning his 20th major title.[149]
At the 2021 US Open, Federer pulled out of the tournament due to his need for further knee surgery, while Nadal also withdrew due to a nagging foot injury. Djokovic lost in the final to Daniil Medvedev,[152] preventing him from winning a record 21 majors and achieving a Grand Slam, which would have been the first in men's tennis since Rod Laver in 1969. Medvedev thus became the ninth player outside the Big Three to win a major since Federer's first win at 2003 Wimbledon.
At the 2021 Paris, Djokovic defeated Medvedev in the final to win his sixth Paris Masters title and surpass Nadal for the record of most Masters titles at 37. By reaching the final, Djokovic also clinched the year end No. 1 ranking for the seventh time, breaking Pete Sampras all-time record.
2022–23: Federer retires, Nadal breaks the major titles record, Djokovic sets a new major titles record and other records
Djokovic was unable to compete at the 2022 Australian Open for being unvaccinated against COVID-19. Despite multiple appeals for exemption, he was denied a visa to enter the country, which prevented him from defending his title. Federer was unable to compete due to a persistent knee injury while Nadal returned after a lengthy six-month injury hiatus and a positive COVID-19 result. Despite low expectations,[153] Nadal progressed to the final, beating Denis Shapovalov and Matteo Berrettini to get there. In the 5 hour, 24 minute final he defeated Daniil Medvedev, coming back from a two-set deficit, to win his 21st major and establish a new all-time record for the most men's major singles titles. He became the fourth man in history to complete the double Career Grand Slam in singles, and the second in the Open Era after Djokovic.[154]
In February 2022, Medvedev became the world No. 1 ranked player, following Djokovic's loss in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Dubai, thus ending the Big Four's streak of 921 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings which began on 2 February 2004 when Federer overtook Andy Roddick. In 2022 Indian Wells, Nadal lost to Fritz in the final in straight sets.[155] At the 2022 French Open, Federer did not participate while Nadal and Djokovic progressed to a quarterfinal encounter, their record 59th meeting, with Nadal emerging victorious in four sets. Nadal went to contest his 30th major final against Casper Ruud, winning a record-extending 14th French Open title and 22nd major overall. He became the third man after Mats Wilander (1982 French Open) and Federer (2017 Australian Open) to defeat four Top-10 players en route to a major title.[156]
The 2022 Wimbledon Championships marked the event's first edition since 1998 Wimbledon in which Federer did not compete. Nadal returned to Wimbledon for the first time in three years; however he incurred an abdominal injury during the tournament. He progressed to the quarterfinals to face Taylor Fritz, defeating him in a five set match that further aggravated his injury. He then withdrew from the tournament before his semifinal encounter against Nick Kyrgios,[157] who then advanced to his first major final. Djokovic successfully defended his title by defeating Kyrgios in four sets in the final to win his 21st major, thereby passing Federer and placing himself one behind Nadal. He tied Pete Sampras for the second-most Wimbledon men's singles titles at 7, one behind Federer's all-time record of 8 titles.
At the 2022 US Open, Djokovic withdrew from another major for being a foreigner who was unvaccinated against COVID-19, while Federer did not compete due to injuries. Nadal's attempt to win his 23rd major title was thwarted by an upset in the fourth round by Frances Tiafoe. Medvedev's later elimination guaranteed a new champion in Carlos Alcaraz, making it the 13th time that a major featured a new champion since Federer's first Wimbledon title in 2003, and the third consecutive year that the US Open featured a new champion.[158] In the 2022 Paris, Djokovic lost to Holger Rune in the final in three sets.[159] Djokovic won the 2022 ATP Finals, tying Federer's record of six titles in the event. At the 2022 Laver Cup, having struggled with a recurring knee injury for the past several years, Federer retired from professional tennis, thus ending the Big Three era. He played his last match on Team Europe in doubles partnering Nadal, on a team that also included Djokovic and Murray, the last professional level tournament featuring the Big Four together.
At the 2023 Australian Open, Djokovic returned to Melbourne and won a record-extending 10th title, matching Nadal's record of 22 major titles and joining him in the ownership of double-digit titles in a single major. Nadal, on the other hand, was beaten in the second round, partially due to a hip injury sustained during the match. That injury would later prevent him from participating the 2023 French Open – the first time he did not compete there since his debut in 2005 – and the rest of his 2023 season. Meanwhile, Djokovic reached the tournament's final by defeating world No. 1 Alcaraz in the semifinals, then won the final to claim his 23rd major, breaking his tie with Nadal for the most major titles in men's singles and becoming the only man in history to achieve the triple Career Grand Slam.
At the 2023 Wimbledon, Djokovic reached a record-extending 35th major final as the favorite for the title, but lost to Alcaraz in five "stunning" sets in 2023 Wimbledon final lasting almost five hours.[160] The victory made Alcaraz the first non-Big Four player to win Wimbledon since 2002 and marked Djokovic's first loss on Wimbledon's Centre Court in a decade, since losing the 2013 Wimbledon final to Murray.
Djokovic then defeated Alcaraz in another epic match at the 2023 Cincinnati, in the longest best of three sets final in ATP Tour history. During the 2023 US Open, Djokovic set the record for most semifinal appearances in Grand Slams among male tennis players with 47, surpassing Federer 46, and became the second man after Federer to reach all major finals in a year three times. At the finals, Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win his record-extending 24th major title and equal the record for most singles majors in the history of the sport. Winning the US Open also made him the first man to win at least three slams in the same year four times. He also retained the No. 1 ranking after winning his first round match in the US Open.
Djokovic continued his winning streak by claiming his seventh 2023 Paris title and his 40th Masters title overall. By winning his first round-robin match in the 2023 ATP Finals, Djokovic secured the year-end No. 1 for the eighth year, thereby extending that record. This victory also allowed him to become the first player in tennis history to be ranked No. 1 for at least 400 weeks. Despite his winning streak ending after losing to Jannik Sinner in his second Round Robin match, he went on to defend his title by defeating Sinner in the finals, thereby winning a record seventh ATP Finals, surpassing Federer's six.
End of era
2024: Djokovic wins Olympic gold, Nadal and Murray retire, no titles at majors
Nadal made his return in the 2024 Brisbane International, his first tournament on the tour since the 2023 Australian Open. He lost in the quarterfinals to Jordan Thompson. He suffered a muscle tear during the match, causing him to pull out of the 2024 Australian Open.
Djokovic entered the 2024 Australian Open with the goals of winning an 11th title in the tournament and a record-extending 25th major. He advanced to the semifinals, tying Federer's record of most Grand Slam quarterfinals appearances (58) in the process. However, he was defeated by Sinner in four sets, making his first loss in the tournament since 2018 and ending his 33 consecutive wins. Djokovic's defeat also guaranteed a new Australian Open champion for the first time since 2014, and that the tournament final would not feature at least one of Djokovic, Nadal or Federer for the first time since 2005. Sinner went on to win the tournament by defeating Medvedev in the final,[161] becoming the tenth player outside the Big Three and ninth outside the Big Four to win a major since Federer's first title at 2003 Wimbledon.
At the 2024 French Open, Nadal entered the tournament while ranked No. 275 and in the first round played against No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev, a rematch of their previous encounter at the 2022 French Open. Nadal lost in straight sets, which was the first time he lost his opening match at the French Open and only his fourth loss at the tournament. During the post match on court interview, Nadal said he was unsure if this was his last French Open. Djokovic made it to the quarterfinals, while breaking Federer's record of most grand Slam matches wins (370). However, he withdrew before the quarterfinals due to a knee injury he suffered in the fourth round, ensuring a winner outside of the Big Three for the first time since 2015 and second time since 2004, and also ensuring that the final would not feature anyone from the Big Four For the first time since 2004.[162] Zverev would go on to the finals where he faced Carlos Alcaraz, who had only dropped one set up until the semifinals. Alcaraz won in five sets.[163]
At 2024 Wimbledon, Andy Murray announced his retirement following a string of injuries since reaching No. 1 in 2017, and only played in the men's doubles (where he lost in the first round to Rinky Hijikata and John Peers). He intended to play in mixed doubles, but his partner Emma Raducanu dropped out before the competition.[164][165] Nadal withdrew to focus on the Olympics, leaving only Djokovic to compete in men's singles after a hasty recovery from surgery. Despite this, he managed to reach the final where he faced Alcaraz in a rematch of the previous year's final, but lost in straight sets.[166] Alcaraz won his second Wimbledon title and fourth overall Grand Slam title. This marked the first time since 2003 that the Big Three failed to win at least two singles majors in a year.
Nadal competed at the 2024 Swedish Open and made it to his first final since 2022, but lost in straight sets. However, his rating improved to No. 161.[167]
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Murray and Dan Evans made it to the quarterfinals of the men's doubles tournament but lost to Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul in two sets, in the final match of Murray's career. Nadal and Alcaraz also reached the quarterfinals of the men's doubles, but were defeated by Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in two sets. In the singles, Djokovic and Nadal progressed to a second round encounter, their record 60th meeting, with Djokovic emerging victorious in straight sets. He went on to compete in the final for the first time in his career and once again faced Alcaraz. Djokovic won in straight sets, becoming the oldest men's singles champion in Olympic tennis. Additionally, he became the fifth ever tennis player (third male) to complete a Career Golden Slam and second male player to complete a Career Super Slam (after Andre Agassi). After the Olympics, Djokovic and Nadal both announced their withdrawal from the 2024 Montreal and 2024 Cincinnati.
On 7 August, Nadal announced his withdrawal from the 2024 US Open. With Murray retired, Djokovic was the only Big Three and Big Four member to compete in the US Open, which was the first year in which only one member entered the tournament since 2002. By winning his first round match, Djokovic set the record for most matches won (89) at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Subsequently, his second round win made him the only player to register at least 90 match wins in all four Grand Slam tournaments, and moved him up to second all-time in matches won at the US Open behind Jimmy Connors's 98 wins. However, Djokovic lost to Alexei Popyrin in the third round, making 2024 the first year since 2002 that none of the Big Three and Big Four won a Grand Slam singles title. Sinner won his second Grand Slam and first US Open title by defeating Fritz in the final.[168]
On 12 September, Nadal announced his withdrawal from the Laver Cup due to fitness concerns.
On 10 October, Nadal announced he would be retiring from tennis following the 2024 Davis Cup in November.[169]
Djokovic reached the finals of the 2024 Shanghai, but his hope for a 100th career titles was denied by Sinner, who won in straight sets. Sinner's victory additionally made him the first man to defeat Djokovic three consecutive times since Nadal during 2013.
Djokovic and Nadal competed in the 6 Kings Slam exhibition tournament. Both were defeated by Sinner and Alcaraz, respectively, leading to them facing each other in the third place match, which would be their final match against each other on the tour. Djokovic defeated Nadal in straight sets to claim the third place trophy. Immediately after Djokovic's victory, both he and Nadal paid tribute to each other, and Djokovic attempted to encourage Nadal to stay on the Tour longer.
Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are the top three all time men's leaders in Grand Slam singles titles won, winning a record 24, 22 and 20 respectively. All three have completed the Career Grand Slam, Djokovic achieved it three times, Nadal twice and Federer once. They are as well the players with the most finals appearances, Djokovic has reached a record 37 finals, Federer 31 finals, and Nadal 30 finals.
They are the only three men in history to win at least eight titles at a single Grand Slam tournament: Nadal with 14 French Open titles, Djokovic with 10 Australian Open titles, and Federer with 8 Wimbledon titles, all of which are all time title records in their respective tournaments.
Similarly, ATP Masters events have been dominated by the Big Three. Djokovic leads with a record 40 titles including a double Career Golden Masters, Nadal with 36 and Federer with 28. Each one of them made at least 50 finals at the Masters events, Djokovic with a record 58 finals, Nadal with 53 and Federer with 50. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic won their first ATP Master event in 2002, 2005 and 2007 respectively. Since then, the only ATP Masters events missed in their respective careers were: Federer: Monte-Carlo (clay) and Rome (clay); Nadal: Miami, Shanghai (hard outdoor) and Paris (hard indoor); Djokovic: Hamburg (clay) and Madrid (hard indoor).
The Year end Championships was dominated by Federer and Djokovic for more than a decade. At the event, Djokovic leads with a record seven titles and Federer won six. Nadal made two finals and lost to Djokovic and Federer.
The Big Three monopolized the top spot in the ATP singles rankings 947 weeks (equivalent to 18 years). Djokovic has been ranked No. 1 for a record 428 weeks, Federer for 310 weeks, and Nadal for 209 weeks. Each player has occupied the year end top position at least five times, with Djokovic holding the record with eight year end No. 1 finishes.
The respective rivalries between the Big Three are considered to be some of the greatest tennis rivalries of all time,[170][171][172][173] and are the three most prolific men's rivalries of the Open Era. Amongst the three of them they have played 150 matches against each other, 49 of which were at Grand Slam events. They contested in 71 finals, including 23 Grand Slam finals, more than any other trio in tennis history. Currently, Djokovic leads his head to head record against both Federer and Nadal.[174] Federer has delivered the most bagels against the other two with four, while receiving only one.[175]
Outright best records compared to all other players and winning head to head records are indicated in bold.
Grand Slam title race
The Big Three have been competing to win the most Grand Slam men's singles titles of all time.[177] Federer first led the trio by winning his first Grand Slam singles title at 2003 Wimbledon. He broke Pete Sampras's all-time record 14 Grand Slam titles at 2009 Wimbledon.[178] Following the 2010 Australian Open, Federer had 16 titles, Nadal 6, and Djokovic 1, the peak of Federer's lead over Nadal and Djokovic. After winning the 2016 French Open, Djokovic came to within 2 titles of Nadal (12 to 14), but over the next two years, Nadal and Federer extended their lead over Djokovic again; following the 2018 French Open, Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic had 20, 17, and 12 titles, respectively. During the 2010s, Federer's lead gradually shrank, culminating in Nadal tying Federer's record 20 titles with his win at the 2020 French Open. Subsequently, Djokovic's three victories in 2021 brought him on an equal footing with Federer and Nadal, when for the only time all three players had an equal number of titles.[179] At the 2022 Australian Open, Nadal surpassed both Federer and Djokovic by claiming the title,[180] and went on to claim his 22nd Grand Slam trophy at the 2022 French Open.[181] Djokovic subsequently won the 2022 Wimbledon, the 2023 Australian Open, and the 2023 French Open, surpassing Federer and Nadal and setting the all-time record at 23 Grand Slam titles.[182] Djokovic then claimed the 2023 US Open for a record-extending 24th Grand Slam title. Federer retired on 2022 with 20 Grand Slam titles; and Nadal retired on 2024 with 22 Grand Slam titles.
Chronologically
Federer won his first Grand Slam title in 2003, Nadal in 2005, and Djokovic in 2008. Djokovic won his most recent title in 2023, Nadal in 2022, and Federer won his final title in 2018.
By age
Nadal won his first Grand Slam title at age 19, Djokovic at 20, and Federer at 21. All three have won their final or most recent title at the age of 36.
Fellow top players, including David Ferrer, Tomáš Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Stan Wawrinka and Andy Roddick have all spoken about the dominance of the Big Three (and Murray until 2017) and the challenge they have faced in matching them.[184][185] Many former top professionals have also spoken about the topic, including Björn Borg, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Goran Ivanišević.[9][186][187][188][189]
David Ferrer declared in 2013:
I think the top four, they are better. It's my opinion. But I am trying to win every match. The results, are there, no? I'm not making something up. It's very difficult for me to win a Grand Slam because there are the top four. At this time they are better than the other players.[190]
Media
Since 2010, when the Big Four increasingly began to dominate the tour as a group, many articles and reports have concentrated mainly on the members of the Big Four and their chances in upcoming tournaments, with smaller sections devoted to all other players.[191][192][193][194][195]
The presence of the Big Four is generally seen to have had a positive impact on tennis, making the sport more exciting and in turn attracting more attention. However, with all four members being European, this may have had a potentially negative effect on tennis popularity in North America compared to previous decades, when Americans were regularly at the top of men's tennis.[196][197] It has also been argued that the dominance of the Big Four has made the game predictable[198] or even boring.[199][200]
Alternative concepts and proposals
'Big Four'
Even initially, some tennis commentators, including Murray himself,[201] spoke of a "Big Three" or "Trivalry",[202] due to Murray's lesser achievements than the Big Three.[203][204] In 2014, statistician Nate Silver labelled the group the 'Big Three and a Half'.[205] Murray's overall record against the Big Three is 29–56. However, Murray features in the top ten on a number of Open Era records, including in quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals reached at the Majors, and is to date the only person in history to have won two gold medals in singles at the Olympic Games, and only the second player in the Open Era (after Andre Agassi), to have won a Grand Slam singles event, an ATP Finals, an ATP Masters, and an Olympic singles gold, as well as reach world No. 1 in the ATP rankings. He reached world No. 1 after the Big Three reached it,[206] though he had by that time spent 76 weeks as No. 2;[207] further, he first reached No. 2 in August 2009, ending the four-year Federer–Nadal stranglehold on the top two in the process,[208] six months before Djokovic did for the first time (in February 2010).[209]
Murray's three Majors, two Olympic Games victories, ATP Finals, Masters titles and his success in reaching the world no. 1 ranking, all since 2012, saw him listed more comfortably alongside the other three members during the mid-2010s.[70][210][211] His rise to reach the world No. 1 ranking in November 2016 and keep it to finish the year at the top position further helped arguments about him belonging in a "Big Four". However, given Murray's injury-ridden exit from the tennis elite after his 2016 triumphs, and the Big Three's continued dominance through year end 2019, the "Big Four" label has increasingly become a description of a set period within the larger 'big Three' era. confined to 2008 to 2017, and specifically the period from 2012 to 2016 when Murray was consistently higher than number 4 in the world, and winning grand slams, Davis Cup and Olympic gold until sidelined in early 2017 by injury. The players themselves, however, have tended when discussing the era to speak in terms of the quartet, partly because of Murray's Olympic legacy.[212][213][214]
'Big Five' suggestions
Occasionally, it was claimed that the current era in tennis could be seen as featuring a "Big Five", with Juan Martín del Potro,[215] Marin Čilić[216] and Stan Wawrinka[217][218][219][220][221] each suggested as additional expansions to the then Big Four. Wawrinka is the only active player outside the Big Four to have won three major titles (the same number as Murray), defeating Djokovic and Nadal on the way to the 2014 Australian Open title, Federer and Djokovic to win the 2015 French Open, and Djokovic to win the 2016 US Open. He also holds a positive win–loss record in Grand Slam singles finals, winning three of four (the loss being to Nadal in the final of the 2017 French Open), as opposed to Murray who has won only three from eleven (a 27.27% strike rate). However, Wawrinka has reached seven fewer Grand Slam singles finals, has won 13 fewer Masters titles than Murray, and has peaked at only number 3 in the world rankings. Wawrinka himself has downplayed the suggestion that he be included in an expanded "Big Five", describing Murray as "well ahead" of him.[222][223]
Golden era
Some players, including Steffi Graf and John McEnroe, believe the presence of the Big Four has coincided with that of a new "Golden Era" in men's tennis since 2008, wherein depth, athleticism and quality have never been better. The era has been compared to that of Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson and John Newcombe throughout the 1960s and that of Björn Borg, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl during the late 1970s and early 1980s.[224][225][226][227]
Novak Djokovic[228] and Roger Federer have both recognized the period as a golden era for tennis, though Federer tempered discussion around the all-time-greatest status of the Big Four in 2012, commenting:
I'd say no, but I don't know. Just because you look back maybe 15 years, then you have Sampras, Edberg, Becker, and Agassi, I don't know who else. Those guys weren't good or what? You look back, a further back, 20 years, and you have the Connors and the Lendls. Those weren't good either? I mean, I don't know. So for me I think that's respectful. It's just different times and definitely more athletic, there's no doubt about that. But then again we don't play doubles. We don't play mixed. Maybe we play less matches today because it's more taxing, but we do play less best of five set tennis than they used to play. You can't compare really, but we have somewhat of a golden era right now. I feel that truly. It's nice to see Andy making his move at the Olympics, nice to see Novak having an absolutely ridiculous year last year, and then Rafa and myself still being around. It's definitely good times. Past that you still have great champions as well. It's very interesting at the top right now, and the depth I think has never been greater than right now. But then best ever? The four of us? That's a really difficult call.
The term Golden Era has also been applied to other famous eras in tennis history including the mid-1970s to 1980s,[230][231][232] and the 1920s to the 1930s.[233]
Prize money
Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer make up the top three prize money leaders of all time (not adjusted for inflation).[234]
Additionally, they collectively own the 10 biggest single season payouts ranging from $13.06 million to $21.15 million.
With a combined total of 150 matches played, the Big Three have played many notable matches against each other. The 2008 Wimbledon final, 2009 Australian Open final, 2012 Australian Open final, 2013 French Open semifinal, 2017 Australian Open final, 2018 Wimbledon semifinal and 2019 Wimbledon final are considered some of the greatest tennis matches of all time.[236][237][238] Djokovic saved double match points against Federer at the 2010 and 2011 US Open semifinals and the 2019 Wimbledon final,[239][240] whereas Federer ended Djokovic's 41-match winning streak in the 2011 French Open semifinals.[241] Nadal stopped Djokovic from completing a Non-calendar year Grand Slam at the 2012 French Open and has delivered eight of Djokovic's defeats at the tournament, while Djokovic has delivered two of Nadal's four losses at Roland Garros and outlasted him in the longest major final in history at the 2012 Australian Open. Federer ended Nadal's Open Era record 81-match winning streak on clay at the 2007 Hamburg Masters, while Nadal ended Federer's Open Era record 65-match winning streak on grass in the 2008 final, and twice denied Federer the non-calendar year Grand Slam at the 2006 and 2007 French Opens.
2005 Miami Open final – Federer beat Nadal in five sets their first final against each other.
2005 French Open semifinal – Nadal defeated Federer in four sets on the way to his maiden major title.
2006 Italian Open final – Nadal prevailed over Federer in a five-set, five-hour epic.
2006 French Open final – Nadal thwarted Federer's bid to achieve the non-calendar year Grand Slam by triumphing in four sets. It was also Federer's first loss in a major final.
2006 Wimbledon final – Federer triumphed over Nadal in four sets to win his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title. This was Nadal's first loss in a major final and Federer's first win over Nadal at a major.
2007 Hamburg Masters final – Federer defeated Nadal for the first time on clay, ending Nadal's 81-match winning streak on the surface. It was one of two victories Federer scored against Nadal on clay.
2007 French Open final – Nadal denied Federer a second bid to complete the non-calendar year Grand Slam. This was only Federer's second loss in a major final, and second to Nadal.
2007 Canadian Open final – Djokovic beat Federer in three sets in their first final against each other.
2008 Hamburg Masters semifinal – Nadal defeated Djokovic in three dramatic sets.
2008 Wimbledon final – Nadal prevailed over Federer in five sets in the then-longest Wimbledon final of all time. Some[who?] consider this the greatest match in tennis history.
2009 Madrid Masters semifinal – Nadal defeated Djokovic in three close sets in one of their longest matches.
2010 US Open semifinal – Djokovic beat Federer in five sets while saving two match points in the final set.
2011 Miami Open final – Djokovic beat Nadal in three close sets, finishing the first quarter of the season with a 24–0 winning record.
2011 French Open semifinal – Federer beat Djokovic in a close four-set match that could have gone either way. It was Djokovic's first loss of the season.
2011 Wimbledon final – Djokovic defeated Nadal in four sets to win his first Wimbledon title. This was Djokovic's first win over Nadal at a major, after losing in the first five attempts.
2011 US Open semifinal – Djokovic beat Federer in five sets while saving two match points in the final set − a repeat of the previous year's match.
2012 Australian Open final – Djokovic outlasted Nadal in five sets. This is the longest major final ever, clocking in at 5 hours and 53 minutes.
2012 French Open final – Nadal bested Djokovic in four sets to win his seventh French Open title, surpassing Björn Borg's record of six, and denying Djokovic's attempt at a non-calendar year Grand Slam.
2013 Monte-Carlo Masters final – Djokovic defeated Nadal to end his eight-year winning streak at the event, the longest win streak at a single tennis tournament (46 matches).
2013 French Open semifinal – Nadal beat Djokovic in five sets. It's one of three matches where Nadal was taken to the deciding set at the French Open.
2014 Indian Wells final – Djokovic defeated Federer in a three-set final.
2015 Wimbledon final – In a rematch of the previous final, Djokovic needed only four sets to down Federer.
2016 Italian Open quarterfinal – Djokovic beat Nadal in one of the best matches of the season.
2017 Australian Open final – Federer beat Nadal in five sets to win his first major in four-and-a-half years, and ending a six-match losing streak against Nadal at the majors.
2018 Wimbledon semifinal – Djokovic, who was ranked world No. 22, defeated world No. 1 Nadal in five sets to reach the final. It was his biggest win in almost two years.
2018 Paris Masters semifinal – Djokovic beat Federer in three sets in one of the year's best matches.
2019 Wimbledon final – Djokovic prevailed over Federer in a fifth-set twelve-all tiebreaker, after saving two championship points in the final set, in the longest final in Wimbledon history.
2021 French Open semifinal – Djokovic defeated Nadal in four brutal sets, delivering Nadal's third-ever loss at the French Open.
2022 French Open quarterfinal – Nadal beat Djokovic in four sets in a record 10th meeting at one tournament.
↑ The Olympics gold medal entered the Big Titles list in 2019.
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The 2011 ATP World Tour Finals (also known as the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for sponsorship reasons) was a tennis tournament that was played at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom between 20 and 27 November 2011. The defending champion in singles was Roger Federer, while the defending champions in doubles were Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjić. However, they did not defend their title together because they separated after the 2010 event. Zimonjic partnered with Michaël Llodra for the season, and Nestor partnered with Max Mirnyi. Federer successfully defended his crown, winning a record-breaking sixth title, while Nestor and Mirnyi captured the doubles title.
The 2012 ATP World Tour Finals (also known as the 2012 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for sponsorship reasons) was a tennis tournament that was played at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom, between 5 and 12 November 2012.
The rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer was one of the most prolific rivalries in tennis history and is considered one of the greatest rivalries of all time.
The Djokovic–Murray rivalry was a tennis rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. They met 36 times, and Djokovic leads 25–11 overall and 11–8 in finals. Ten of their encounters were played in majors, with Djokovic leading 8–2. Djokovic and Murray are one of two male pairs to have contested the finals of each of the four majors.
The 2013 ATP World Tour Finals (also known as the 2013 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for sponsorship reasons) was a men's tennis tournament that was played on indoor hard courts at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom, between 4 and 11 November 2013. It was the season-ending event for the best singles players and doubles teams of the 2013 ATP World Tour.
The 2014 ATP World Tour Finals (also known as the 2014 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for sponsorship reasons) was a men's tennis tournament played at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom, between 9 and 16 November 2014. It was the season-ending event for the best singles players and doubles teams on the 2014 ATP World Tour. The Bryan Brothers won the title at the doubles tournament, while Novak Djokovic successfully defended his single title for the second time after Roger Federer withdrew from the final, the first walkover in a final in the tournament's 45-year history.
The 2015 Novak Djokovic tennis season is considered one of the greatest seasons of all time by an individual tennis player. Selected achievements/records from this season are: winning 3 Major titles, becoming only the third man to reach all four major finals in an Open Era season, reigning as world number 1 for all 52 weeks of the year, winning a record 6 Masters 1000 tournaments, claiming the ATP World Tour Finals, reaching the final of 8 Masters 1000 tournaments, reaching a record 15 consecutive finals, a record 31 victories against players ranked in the top 10 at the time of the match and earning a record breaking amount of prize money. Djokovic had an impressive 15–4 record against the other 3 members of men's tennis's Big Four, including a 4–0 record versus Rafael Nadal, 5–3 against Roger Federer and 6–1 record against Andy Murray. Beyond that, he also finished the season with a 16–4 record against Top-5 players.
This is a list of the combined career statistics of the Big Four, the four players who have dominated men's tennis in singles for the majority of the first quarter of the 21st century. The Big Four consists of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.
↑ Tignor, Steve (8 July 2008). "W: Report Cards". Concrete Elbow. Tennis.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
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