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Big Four Are No More: Novak Djokovic Is All That Remains

By Harry Floyd

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Novak Djokovic of Serbia acknowledges the crowd after winning match point in his third singles round robin match against Marin Cilic of Croatia during Day Six of the Nitto ATP Finals at The O2 Arena on November 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Novak Djokovic of Serbia acknowledges the crowd after winning match point in his third singles round robin match against Marin Cilic of Croatia during Day Six of the Nitto ATP Finals at The O2 Arena on November 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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The once dominant Big Four in men’s singles tennis are on their way out and Novak Djokovic appears to be the last man standing.

Tennis dubbed Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Novak Djokovic the Big Four. Starting with the rise of Federer and Nadal from 2003 onward, Murray and Djokovic would later join these two legends as they took over the sport. Any headline in the tennis world centered around the Big Four. They ushered in a new era in men’s singles.

The sport is changing though and Djokovic may be the final member of the Big Four to continue on with the next generation of rising stars such as Alexander Zverev.

Looking back the 2018 ATP World Tour, it might not be initially clear that Federer and Nadal are on their way out. Federer, after all, kicked off the year on a high note by winning yet another Australian Open title. Nadal would take home another Grand Slam win at the French Open. The two would largely dominate men’s singles for the first half of the year.

2019 will reveal what the Big Four truly have left in the tank.

Injuries have begun to take their toll on Nadal though. And while Federer remains impressive anytime he plays, he is now in his late 30s. The Swiss legend is the oldest of the Big Four and his career clock is now ticking faster than the others.

Murray has played less frequently than Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic due to injury issues in recent years. The former world number one did see some action in 2018, but his off-season will determine whether or not he can remain healthy enough to make another comeback to the sport.

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There is little doubt that Djokovic will head into the coming year as a clear favorite in men’s singles. On his heels will be the recent ATP Finals champion in Sascha Zverev, followed by several other rising stars like David Goffin, Nick Kyrgios, Kyle Edmund, and Dominic Thiem to name a few. As Djokovic is best in class regarding the Big Four, Federer and Nadal could add to their legacies on the 2019 ATP World Tour. Health and consistent play will be the biggest factor moving forward. No matter what, we are entering a new era in men’s singles tennis.

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