Just like every other sport, stars and fan favorites come and go like a cycle. Father time waits for no athlete. Tennis is no exception to this rule; however, we are witnessing an era of domination like no other.
The ATP World Tour is watching an era of domination unseen in most sports. The group of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, dubbed the “Big Four,” have absolutely dominated the sport’s pinnacle for over a decade.
Every sport has its greats and legends, but many can make the argument that the Big Four have dominated the sport of tennis like no other.
The Beginning of the Big Four
The Big Four originally began as the Big Two, with Federer and Nadal owning the sport of tennis. Federer took his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003, and Nadal won his first at the French Open in 2005. From 2004 to 2007, Federer or Nadal took 15 of 17 Grand Slam titles. In 2008, Djokovic broke into the club, winning the 2008 Australian Open.
The Serbian number two followed that up by winning three of four majors in 2011, cementing his status in the club. Murray entered the fray around 2008, but he didn’t win his first major title until 2012 at the U.S. Open. From January 2010 until September 2013, a member of the Big Four won each and every Grand Slam title.
For years, many have thought that the era of domination would begin to cease, yet it never did. Federer soared into his thirties but never lost a beat. Nadal continued to dominate, especially at the French Open, where he won the title nine times from 2005 to 2014. When Djokovic finally broke through, he rose to a new level of greatness.
Murray was still young, but he had his flaws. He did eventually make his mark. The Big Four was born, and every time we began to wonder if their dominant mark would finally crack, it never did.
Just look at the numbers. In the last 46 Grand Slam events, either Federer, Nadal, Djokovic or Murray took the title 42 times. Federer has 17 career Grand Slam titles; Nadal has 14; Djokovic has 12; and Murray has three. They are four of the best to ever hit the court, and remarkably, they all played in the same era.
Between 2004 and 2016, the Big Four took the title at the Australian Open each time, except for 2005 and 2014. At Roland Garros, a member of the Big Four took the title each year from 2005 until 2016, with the only exception being 2015. At Wimbledon, a member of the Big Four has won the title every single year since 2003.
And at the U.S. Open, the Big Four have prevailed each year from 2004 to 2016, with the sole exceptions of 2009, 2014 and 2016. All in all, they have completely dominated the ATP World Tour.
2016: The Big Four back down to earth, to an extent
Yet, this past year, the Big Four began to tumble down like never before. After Djokovic took the title in Melbourne, Federer was forced to have knee surgery after a freak accident, his first major surgery of his career. Nadal continued to struggle with various injuries that threatened to derail his career. As Federer and Nadal fell out of the spotlight, many pondered if the Big Four was finally over.
At year’s end, Stan Wawrinka defeated Djokovic to take the title at the 2016 U.S. Open, claiming his 3rd Grand Slam title. The invincible Djokovic from the beginning of the year finally began to look human. Murray crashed out after his success at Wimbledon the month before.
Nadal continued to struggle with injury concerns. Federer, seemingly invincible, returned from knee surgery to make a semifinal run at Wimbledon, but later took the rest of the 2016 season off to recover and prepare for 2017. The Swiss Maestro missed not one, but two Grand Slams in 2016.
His absence sent shockwaves throughout the sport. Even his fellow athletes remarked how strange his absence felt.
As the Big Four fell harder than ever, the future stars began to accelerate faster than ever. Milos Raonic, 25, made a run to the finals at Wimbledon, and the Canadian number one sits at a career-high ranking of three in the world.
Wawrinka, 31, is now the Swiss number one. He finally broke through the Big Four and now owns three Grand Slam titles.
Kei Nishikori, 26, looks prime to break through soon. He got close, making a run to the U.S. Open finals in 2014, where he took out Djokovic in the semifinals before losing the Marin Cilic in the finals.
Dominic Thiem, 23, is one of the sports' brightest stars. He currently sits at eight in the world. Juan Martín del Potro, who defeated Federer in the 2009 U.S. Open, looked prime to ruin the Big Four's party, but injuries took their toll on the Argentinian.
These are only a few of the big names to come. The next generation of stars are almost here, but the ATP World Tour should not rush the Big Four out quite yet.
The sport of tennis has no better ambassadors than Federer and Nadal. The next generation of stars grew up watching the Swiss and Spanish superstars. They will have to be replaced, but they will never be forgotten. They are two of the sports’ biggest brands, two brands that will never be replaced or replicated.
Djokovic and Murray are the younger members of the group, but they are loved just as much. After Murray broke through at Wimbledon in 2013, he ascended to god-like status all over the United Kingdom. Djokovic has created a popular brand worldwide, thanks in large part to his charismatic personality, on and off the court.
While the next generation will inevitably takeover, the ATP World Tour will be left without such popular stars. Tennis fans will adapt; however, as Federer's absence showed us, the transition won’t be easy.
Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray are some of the most popular athletes in the world, let alone in the tennis world. They play at a high level, they win the biggest titles, yet they remain active in the community.
The Big Four have brought not only talent to the tour, but they have also brought money, advertising capabilities, millions of fans and popularity to tennis. It’s estimated that combined, the Swiss Maestro, the King of Clay, the Joker and the Muzzard have generated over $300 million.
Every sport goes through transitions, and we may finally be seeing the transition from the Big Four to the up-and-coming stars. However, while we still have them, we need to cherish what these four special talents have brought over the years.
Beyond the court, they are the best possible ambassadors to one of the world’s most popular sports. They have inspired millions, yet they have given millions back through their charitable foundations.
This era will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most dominant, epic and fun. From the marathon matches to the epic rivalries, each member of the Big Four has brought more to the sport of tennis than anyone can imagine. Let’s hope we get yet another year to see these stars shine.