Alexander Zverev and the contours of tennis’ new ’Big Three’

Tennis fans of recent vintage never tire of talking about the ‘Big Three’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

It’s understandable too, for they collectively won 66 Majors in a 20-year-span, triggered constant improvements in each other’s games and elevated the quality to levels unseen.

When Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner started dominating the Tour — they have won 11 of the last 13 Slams — supporters were no doubt enthralled, but there was a longing for a third power-centre to break the duo’s omnipresence.

Sunday’s final at Wimbledon, where Jannik Sinner brought down the German wall in Alexander Zverev 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4, may be the first sign of such a triumvirate developing in this era.

“Big, big respect to Sascha [Zverev], because he’s doing something amazing,” Sinner said after winning his second straight Wimbledon and fifth Major.

“His game is growing, and what’s good is that you have someone who is pushing you to the limit. We hope that Carlos [Alcaraz] comes back [from his wrist injury], because tennis needs him. Having Novak [Djokovic] around, and with all the young players coming up, it’s really nice.”

Zverev, 29, did not play like a man who had lost nine straight times to Sinner. The French Open win last month had done wonders to his confidence, and he came out all guns blazing, hitting monstrous serves and big ground-strokes to stay with the World No. 1 for the first two sets.

“We’ve had glimpses of him trying to play that way in previous head-to-head matchups,” Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill said.

“In Miami [where Sinner won 6-3, 7-6(4)], he served really well and was unloading on every single forehand. He had a couple of chances in that match. We knew he was capable of doing it. We just didn’t know for how long he could.” Though Zverev’s level dropped slightly in the third and fourth, he ran up a break-point at 3-3 in the third — saved by a brave Sinner drop shot — and severely tested the Italian when the latter was serving for the championship at 5-4 in the fourth.

At 30-30, it required Sinner to come up with a remarkable backhand cross-court lift, almost parallel to the net, to turn an excruciating rally his way.

“This year has been a progress,” stated Zverev, who is now the new World No. 2. “I haven’t beaten, but I’ve pushed them to the limits. Alcaraz in Australia, Jannik may be here. Even though it was four sets, it was very close, and could have gone five as well.

“I’ve always been the third guy in a way. So if I get closer to them, be in the mix to win the big tournaments, it would be great”.