This year’s US Open featured an array of great matches from all ends of the tournament, but it was the men’s singles in particular where the game of tennis had a major shift. The women’s singles draw went as expected, with very little upset. While Americans Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova were the crowd’s choice, ultimately the Belarusian player, Aryna Sabalenka, took home the victory with a final score of 6-3, 7-6 over Anisimova. Sabalenka was seeded first, and her win marked her fourth Grand Slam triumph of her career.
In the men’s singles draw, however, the outcomes carried greater significance. 2025 marks the first year in 23 years that a member of the “Big Four” did not compete in a Grand Slam final. The “Big Four” was a term coined in the 2000s referring to the four men in tennis, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. These four men consistently beat everyone else around them, and at least one of them reached a Grand Slam final every single year since 2002 – that is until now. Out of the four, only Djokovic remains as an active player, even though he’s struggled this year. In fact, every player has—because they keep losing to the same two players: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are two young rival players who’ve been on the rise in the tennis world. This year, they faced each other in three out of the four Grand Slam finals. The two have split wins in Grand Slams this year with Alcaraz winning the US Open 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. This finals win for Alcaraz came after his semifinals win against Djokovic. In a moment that felt like a passing of the torch, Alcaraz swiftly defeated Djokovic in straight sets, only a few years after breaking onto the scene. Although he’s previously stated that he wants to win a 25th Grand Slam title, there is much speculation about Djokovic’s potential retirement. He is 38 years old and has faced multiple injuries over the past few years, leading to his withdrawal from several tournaments. To many, this US Open felt like Djokovic’s last chance at a big win.
Isaac Lefcourt (Form V) said that “it disappoints me that I’m not going to see [Nadal] and all the other players… but then on the other hand it also excites me because there’s a whole new batch of talent that we get to see, especially from Sinner and Alcaraz.” This mix of emotions seems to be a common theme among students, and one that makes sense, because no high school student has been alive when the Big Four weren’t crushing in the tennis world. Nyle Patnaik (Form V) said that he has been a tennis fan all his life, and that “[he] grew up watching Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, and tennis without them feels like watching a different sport.”
While the tennis world is transforming, it isn’t necessarily bad, and from what we’ve seen out of the up-and-coming stars this year, they can put on some pretty spectacular performances. The Big Four have cemented their legacy, and it is okay to let them go. This stage is a great time for people who have never watched any tennis to start watching. Although it may be the instinct of many, now is not the time to step away from the world of tennis; now is a great opportunity to tune in and witness the evolution of a new wave of talent.
