Even though it was Dominic Thiem who became the first player outside the Big-3(Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) to ever win a major since Stan Wawrinka in 2016, the 2020 US Open didn’t have either of the Big-3 stars in the final.

Not to take anything away from the Austrian, there were discussions that the tournament would’ve been won by Djokovic if not for his unfortunate disqualification in the fourth round against Pablo Carreno Busta.

Daniil Medvedev managed to stop Novak Djokovic from winning Calendar Slam at US Open 2021

So, for a next-gen player to win a major defeating the Big-3, the ATP tour had to wait one more year to fulfill that dream. It was Daniil Medvedev who managed to thrash Djokovic in straight sets in New York and won his debut slam title.

The Russian maintained an incredible level throughout the match and didn’t get overwhelmed by the occasion. Also, the fact that he played the finals in 2019 against Nadal helped him focus on implementing the tactics right.

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Add to the fact that the Serbian star was carrying a burden of becoming the first-ever male tennis player to win 21 slams in his career and the possibility of having a calendar grand slam to his name.

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After two sets in the final, there were hopes of a bounce back from Djokovic but his wavering form only helped Medvedev claim the title.

Recently, Toni Nadal was asked about who is the greatest among the next gen players.

“I do not know who is the best.  Their level, when it is at the highest, is very similar. The problem is when their level is at the lowest. When Medvedev plays well, he is at the level of Nadal, Federer or Djokovic. What happens is that when he plays badly, his level drops a little bit more than that of Novak, Roger, or Rafa”, Toni said. 

Toni Nadal believes consistent wins irrespective of form is key to dominate Big-3

Toni Nadal believes that the player who can win consistently despite not playing his best tennis would be the best amongst these youngsters.

“Whoever manages to maintain a very good level of play will be the best of the new young generation”, uncle Toni concluded. 

For the next-gen players to maintain a positive head-to-head record against Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer on the ATP tour, especially in slams, they need to prove that their level is above all three of them.

But, considering the standards set by the Big-3, it’s an uphill task for any youngster to dominate their legacy in near future.

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