By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
The era of the “Big Four” of pro tennis is gradually coming to an end. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were regarded as the “Big Four” for almost two decades. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all won more than 20 major singles titles and while Murray only won four majors, he won two Olympic gold medals and often in the semifinals and finals at Grand Slam tournaments against one of the other three contemporaries.
As Murray’s career came to a close in the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles competition at the 2024 Olympic Games at Roland Garros, one interesting observation came over me. Murray and doubles partner Dan Evans were defeated by Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul 6-2, 6-4, sending Murray into retirement. Only the night before, another Big Four member Rafael Nadal, played perhaps the final match of his career, also in doubles, and was handed defeat by a pair of Americans, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram. The American duo beat Nadal and his Spanish partner Carlos Alcaraz by the identical 6-2, 6-4 score ironically. Nadal was non-committal on his status, but it is speculated that he will no longer be an active player, especially when you saw the elongated wave goodbye that he gave to the crowd after the loss.
So at the Olympic Games, Americans have sent two of the “Big Four” into retirement.
Now, rewind to the 2022 edition of the Laver Cup competition in London, where Roger Federer made his farewell to tennis. He chose to play doubles alongside Nadal and who beat him in his career finale? A pair of Americans. It was Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of the United States, representing Team World, defeating Federer and Nadal of Team Europe 4-6, 7-6(2), (11-9).
So there you have it, six different Americans ended the careers of three of the Big Four, all in doubles and all in international team events.
Now, what let’s see what is in store for Novak Djokovic as he soon faces his pro tennis mortality and if players from the United States can make it a clean sweep of the Big Four.
