Great rivalry pushes you towards your best! And that is certainly true, as has been proved by top players like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and Rafael Nadal. However, after the retirement of the two tennis greats, there is a void in tennis. The rivalry void! And recently, the former World No.1, Ana Ivanovic, opened up about the same and also the retirement of the Swiss Maestro and the American tennis legend.

Moreover, the Serbian tennis star also had high hopes for the upcoming generation of players; to fill the void created by the subsequent retirement of top tennis stars and a remarkable generation transition.

What did Ana Ivanovic say about the upcoming players?

Ana Ivanovic on Serena Williams and Roger Federer’s retirement

The Swiss tennis legend and the Spaniard produced terrific performances whenever they had an encounter on the court. Tennis fans always looked forward to witnessing the 2 of the Big 3 locking horns. And same was the case with the Williams sisters. During an exclusive interview with the EssentiallySports, Ana Ivanovic opened up about the loss of tennis.

She said, “Umm… I mean, it was definitely a very hard moment for tennis. Because, because Serena and roger have left such marks on the sports and they have been an inspiration for many, including myself. ”

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However, she further detailed the necessity of the retirement of two tennis greats; which would facilitate the transition to new rivalries. A much-needed requirement for the sports to carry on the momentum, that the tennis stars have created over decades.

She further added, “But we really need to make this transition and see new faces and create new rivals, you know, especially in the men’s tennis. I mean Roger, Novak, Rafa, and, into some instinct also Murray.”

Furthermore, the Serbian tennis legend also understands how difficult it is to establish a meaningful rivalry. She further added, “I mean, this rivalry is not gonna be easy to recreate. But I do hope that new generations can really step up… hopefully, in the next year, we can see more of the rivalry which I think everyone enjoys.”

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Undoubtedly, it’s the rivalry that has drawn massive crowds and created a huge fan base for respective players. And certainly, the tennis world would be looking forward to filling the gap with the upcoming generation of talented players; including Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Coco Gauff, among others.

What are your thoughts about the existing rivalry in tennis? Do let us know in the comments!