By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday September 6, 2020
The Big Three's streak of 13 consecutive majors win is over. Now it gets intersting, says Alexander Zverev.
Photo Source: USTA
Novak Djokovic's shock default from the US Open means that the Big Three—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic—will see its run of 13 consecutive Grand Slam singles titles come to an end. Not since the 2016 US Open, when Stan Wawrinka took the title, has a player from outside the history-making trio won a major singles title.
What does it mean to Alexander Zverev?
"Now it gets interesting,” he said.
Zverev and his many talented peers aged 25 and under have been trying unsuccessfully to break through at the Grand Slam level, and this year factors have conspired—think global pandemic plus a stroke of bad luck for Djokovic—to make it happen.
“There's going to be a new Grand Slam champion,” Zverev said. “That's all I know right now. There's no past Grand Slam champions left in the draw. It's going to be one of the young guys, I think, if you count Dominic Thiem as a young guy, as well. He obviously has a chance to win, as well.”
The German felt terrible for Djokovic, and admitted he was still in shock after learning of his default.
“It's very unlucky, very unfortunate,” he said. The decision was made I think by the supervisors, and as I said, they are just doing their job. There is nothing much else I can say to that. I mean, I don't know what to say. I'm a little bit in shock right now, to be honest.”
Now Zverev says things will most certainly get interesting. There will be a first-time major winner on the men’s side, and there are still nine players 24 and younger—Denis Shapovalov, Borna Coric, Matteo Berretini, Andrey Rublev, Frances Tiafoe, Daniil Medvedev, Alex de Minaur, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Zverev—alive in the draw.
“Now I think is the time where it gets really interesting,” Zverev said. “I know who is where in the draw. I know who I can play. I know who the rest of the guys can play. Yeah. We'll see where we go from here.”