The tennis world is ablaze with debate as Nick Kyrgios, the outspoken Australian star, passionately defended the enduring legacy of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic—the fabled Big 3—against claims that young guns Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have surpassed their prime. In a candid conversation on the Ultimate Tennis Showdown series, Kyrgios clashed with renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who argued that the current world No. 1 and No. 2 are playing at a level beyond the Big 3’s peak. Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist with a unique perspective from facing all three legends, firmly rejected the notion, sparking a lively discussion about tennis’s past and future on the eve of the 2025 Wimbledon semi-finals.
Kyrgios, who turned 30 in April 2025, brings a rare authority to the debate, having notched victories over Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic during their prime. His upset of Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014, a win over Federer at the 2015 Madrid Masters, and back-to-back triumphs against Djokovic in 2017 at Acapulco and Indian Wells make him one of the few to conquer the Big 3. Reflecting on Mouratoglou’s claim that Alcaraz and Sinner are “playing better” than the trio at their peak, Kyrgios was unequivocal. “I just don’t think like Nadal on clay in his prime, I don’t think Alcaraz and Sinner are better,” he said. “I think Alcaraz would beat him sometimes, but I think Nadal would probably win 6 or 7 times out of 10, you know, on clay.” His stance underscores the awe-inspiring dominance of Nadal, who won 14 French Open titles, and the Big 3’s collective 66 Grand Slam crowns.
The debate comes at a pivotal moment. Alcaraz, 22, and Sinner, 23, have taken the tennis world by storm, sharing the last six Grand Slam titles. Alcaraz’s 2025 French Open and Wimbledon victories, coupled with Sinner’s Australian Open and US Open triumphs in 2024, have fueled comparisons to the Big 3’s golden era. Their epic five-hour, 29-minute French Open final in June 2025, where Alcaraz saved three match points for a 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2) win, was hailed as one of the greatest ever. Yet, Kyrgios argues that the “aura” of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic remains unmatched. “Alcaraz and Sinner and stuff, they are good. They are going to be generational talents and probably some of the best tennis players, but for me, they don’t have that aura yet of when I played the Federer and Djokovic,” he said on the Nothing Major podcast in December 2024. “They will for sure get there, but realistically, they are kids doing insane things.”
Kyrgios’s perspective is shaped by his firsthand battles against the Big 3’s suffocating presence. Federer’s elegance, Nadal’s relentless intensity, and Djokovic’s unyielding resilience created an intangible mystique that Alcaraz and Sinner, despite their brilliance, are still developing. Alcaraz, the youngest man to win majors on all three surfaces, boasts five Grand Slams, while Sinner, the first Italian world No. 1, has three. Their rivalry, with Alcaraz leading 8-4, including five straight wins, is redefining tennis. “It’s refreshing to have another great rivalry that people get excited about,” Djokovic himself said in 2023, predicting that Alcaraz, Sinner, and Holger Rune could form a new “Big 3.” Yet, Kyrgios believes the original trio’s psychological edge—evident in moments like Djokovic forcing Alcaraz to save three championship points in their 2024 Wimbledon final—sets them apart.
Mouratoglou, who has coached Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, sees a different picture. He praised Alcaraz’s near-perfect game, saying, “Carlos can do anything on court; he is perfect in almost all aspects of the game. His forehand is unbelievable; I see no weakness in his backhand; and physically he is a beast.” Sinner, he noted, is a “machine” with unmatched consistency, though Alcaraz’s versatility gives him an edge in their head-to-head. Taylor Fritz, who has faced both, highlighted their defensive prowess, noting, “They move laterally as well as Rafa and Novak did in their best moments, but their ball is about 10 miles per hour faster.” Despite these accolades, Kyrgios remains steadfast, emphasizing the Big 3’s unmatched consistency and mental fortitude across two decades.
As Alcaraz prepares to face Fritz in the Wimbledon semi-finals, aiming for a third straight title, and Sinner battles Djokovic, the debate underscores the sport’s evolution. Kyrgios, set to return at the 2025 Australian Open after injury setbacks, admires the young duo’s potential but insists the Big 3’s legacy is untouchable—for now. “Compared to Novak, Federer, Nadal, they are yet to have the aura that they have,” he tweeted in December 2024, clarifying his stance after fan backlash. With Alcaraz and Sinner pushing tennis to new heights, their journey to match the Big 3’s mythic status promises more epic battles and heated discussions.
Leave a Reply