Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GENERATION EX
Rusedski challenges young stars after they failed to challenge the Big Three
GREG RUSEDSKI believes the next generation of stars must prove they can break the dominance of the Big Three – Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Since 2003, when Federer won his first Wimbledon, the trio have accumulated 53 Grand Slams between them.
In that time only seven other players, including Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka, who won three each, have edged the trio out to claim Majors.
They have won the last 10 in a row and especially with Murray currently out of the running, few look likely to stop them.
The big hopes – Dominic T hi em, Alex and erZve rev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and teenager Felix Auger-aliassime – all went out early at SW19 this year.
Heading into today’s quarterfinals, where Federer meets Kei Ni shi kori , Nadal plays S am Querrey and Djokovic faces David Gof fin , it’s hard to see that dominance being broken any time soon. Fomer British No.1 Rusedski (below) said: “These three guys are not going anywhere until the youngsters say, ‘I want to take this away from you’.
“If they are winning Slams and doing as well as they are, why are they going to go o anywhere? I wouldn’t.
“These young players have to start taking it away from th e Bi g
Three. But you’re talking g about three of the greatest est players in history – 20 slams, l 18 slams, and 15 slams.
“There are two youngsters who are very impressive and I like their attitude. First there’s Tsitsipas, but he needs to improve his serve for the grass courts. Then there is Auger-aliassime, but he needs to get a better second serve.
“He’ll do that, he’s only 18. But what’s intriguing is that all three have always got better. It’s the lifestyle, the belief, they don’t have th e scar ti ssu e, th ey ’re j ust incredible. In my generation we had 10 guys who thought they could win Slams.
“I like the attitude of Tsitsipas saying I need to take this away from these guys. That’s what I want to see the younger gene generation do. Right now, th these guys are just better th than them.”
Rusedski reckons N Nadal is the man to b beat at SW19, due to the sl slow courts, even though the Spaniard has only won Wi Wimbledon bl twice.
He added: “Rafa has been phenomenal. It’s the best I’ve ever seen him play on grass. I pick Rafa to get to the final against Novak.” But he denies tennis will have a problem when the Big Three quit. “No. I was in the generation of Pete Sampras – he won 14 Slams. “Then Lleyton Hewitt won Wimbledon and Gustavo Kuerten came in and then this generation appears.”