Ask Andy: Big 3 era unparalleled

Jun. 14—Question: Anything exciting going on in the world of tennis?

Often times in sports — and in life — we don't realize a golden age until after the fact. It's simply not easy to comprehend how good things are while you're in the midst of the enjoyment, and it's typically when time has passed that you gain perspective and fully grasp the significance.

Well, forget that entire paragraph, because it doesn't apply to tennis.

It's easy to realize that tennis' golden age has been happening for about the past decade. Which makes it astounding and so, so enjoyable for fans as it continues.

The game's three greatest male players are all active, and people who watch the sport constantly have to pinch themselves to make sure they aren't dreaming.

If you're not a tennis fan, or just a casual one, here's a quick history lesson for men's tennis.

Pete Sampras won 14 grand slams, which was the most by two when he retired in 2002.

But the emergence of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the two decades since has been remarkable.

Federer and Nadal each own 20 grand slams, while Djokovic won his 19th on Sunday at the French Open.

That's 59 grand slams from three players, whereas if you took Sampras and the next four guys on the list (Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg and Bill Tilden), it still wouldn't equal 59.

The Big 3 have shattered Sampras' mark for most slams, despite having to play most of their careers against each other — and Andy Murray, who during his prime turned the Big 3 into the Big 4. There are only four slams a year, which makes what they've been able to do that much more remarkable.

How have they have been able to do it? Aside from their unmatched talent and work ethics, the big key has been longevity.

It used be that any tennis player over 30 was highly unlikely to win a grand slam, and retirement would soon follow. Case in point is my favorite player, Andy Roddick (man, could he crush a serve). Roddick retired only a few days after turning 30.

But Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have changed when Father Time comes knocking to take away their rackets.

Federer is the oldest of the group and nobody would be shocked if he retired very soon. The Swiss Maestro will turn 40 in August, and he's had to battle injuries in recent years after never having to deal with such issues early in his career. He won his last major over three years ago.

Djokovic is the youngest of the Big 3. He's a year younger than the 35-year-old Nadal, whose injuries make him seem much more than a year older than Djokovic.

Djokovic will be the favorite to win Wimbledon, which starts June 28.

Should he win at the All England Club, he'd tie his rivals atop the mountaintop with 20 slams. And he'd go into the U.S. Open with an excellent chance of winning the calendar grand slam, having started the year by winning the Australian Open.

Djokovic will likely be considered the GOAT when he retires (heck, most would probably say he is right now). But that's a debate for another time.

On the flip side of the coin, Serena Williams is arguably the greatest women's tennis player of all-time. She sits at 23 grand slams. That's only one shy of Margaret Court, who won 13 of her slams before the tournaments were open to professionals.

Getting to watch Williams at the same time as the Big 3 adds to the embarrassment of riches (which is a funny saying, because I'm not sure people who are rich are that embarrassed, and if they are, it surely doesn't last long).

The gap is certainly closing between the Big 3 and the young guns, the next generation or whatever you want to call them. Stefanos Tsitsipas, who at 22 is now ranked No. 4 in the world, was up two sets to none against Djokovic on Sunday, before the Serb mounted an incredible comeback to take the title.

I watched Sunday's finale and didn't feel the least big guilty about spending four hours on the couch. And that came after watching countless hours of the tournament the previous two weeks.

While they're likely super frustrated right now, Tsitsipas and his fellow 20-somethings will start winning slams on a much more frequent basis in the near future.

It will be interesting to see what happens with tennis in the next few decades. Will players continue to thrive and win majors in their mid-to-late 30s? Or were the Big 3 just that incredibly talented that they defied the odds.

For right now, though, let's sit back and enjoy getting to watch some of the greatest players to ever pick up a racket.

To submit a question, send an email to andy.scheidler@greensburgdailynews.com or call 812-663-3111 ext. 217401.