The Big three tied in the number of grand slams wins this year. Novak Djokovic missed the chance to break this record but lost the final to Daniil Medvedev in straight sets. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were not seen in New York as they both were suffering from injuries. Daniel Vallverdu, who has coached some of the best players in the recent past, shared his opinion on Novak’s future. 

“As long as Roger and Rafa are still playing I think there’s going to be a big motivation for Djokovic to keep going,” the Venezuelan told Reuters. Although Rafa and Roger say they have no plans of quitting, it seems like it is the beginning of the end. Daniel later added “I will be very interested to see what happens with Novak after Roger and Rafa decide to stop. I think if they’re still around, he will still have a lot of drive.”

What will Novak Djokovic do without Rafa and Roger?

The big three will always motivate each other to keep going in a bid to outdo the others. If the other two retire and Novak is the only one left, there might be a chance that he won’t be able to perform to his full potential. In New York, Nole had revealed that he was exhausted emotionally and physically by his incredible run in the 2021 season.

The world of tennis is not prepared to see the game without the big three. Every child has grown up seeing one of them as their role model. There is no doubt that Roger and Rafa hold the biggest fan followings in the sport. What happens when they retire? Are the fans ready for that?

Read more: “I Mean Exactly What I Said”: John McEnroe Doubles Down on Wimbledon Comments on Emma Raducanu