Today’s young tennis players should only learn from that generation of champions who are sadly dying out. After the farewell of Roger Federer, the last exponents of the Old Gen are looking to light up the Tour with their moving performances.
Tennis has also been beyond the Big Three. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have dominated, and two of them continue to do so, the Tour for many years, looking back on many generations that have passed in these twenty years of tennis for the three champions.
Over time, the Big Three have also become the Fab Four, with the rise of Andy Murray, Grand Slam champion, champion of numerous titles and former world number one. At the same time as the four tennis players, there was also Stan Wawrinka: present then, as they are now, above all still conquering important victories years after their debut.
Murray said: “Stan and I have always kept in touch during our injuries. I don’t mean we spoke every day, but we texted from time to time. We always got along really well, as well as sharing the court. Let’s just say, when we had periods of injury, we always texted each other.” Praise not only for the Swiss Grand Slam champion, but also for another player who has been on the men’s circuit for more than 20 years.
The British tennis player, Olympic champion in London 2012, also spent beautiful words for Richard Gasquet, who is also in good form in this 2023 and always a difficult opponent for those who face him. The Briton said: “I was really happy for him when he won the tournament in Auckland earlier this year because sometimes I think he doesn’t get the recognition and respect he deserves.
He has been an extraordinary player for a long time. Yeah, I love watching these guys, who maybe aren’t at their best, but are still there giving it their all, competing because they love this sport. I trained with both of them last year at this tournament and talked to Gasquet about how long he would continue to play.
He told me that he loves to play tennis and that he loves to compete, and that can take you a long way.” Time unfortunately runs out for everyone, but these old lions are a testimony that will last over the years; extinction is near but they will always be remembered as a bulwark.
