Tennis fans of recent vintage never tire of talking about the \u2018Big Three\u2019 of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s understandable too, for they collectively won 66 Majors in a 20-year-span, triggered constant improvements in each others\u2019 games and elevated the quality to levels unseen.<\/p>\n
When Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner started dominating the Tour \u2014 they have won 11 of the last 13 Slams \u2014 supporters were no doubt enthralled but there was a longing for a third power-centre to break the duo\u2019s omnipresence.<\/p>\n
Sunday\u2019s final at Wimbledon, where 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig, big respect to Sascha [Zverev], because he\u2019s doing something amazing,\u201d Sinner said after winning his second straight Wimbledon and fifth Major.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis game is growing, and what\u2019s 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\u2019s really nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had glimpses of him trying to play that way in previous head-to-head matchups,\u201d Sinner\u2019s coach Darren Cahill said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Miami (where Sinner won 6-3, 7-6(4)), he served really well and was unloading on every single forehand. He had a couple ofnchances in that match. We knew he was capable of doing it. We just didn\u2019t know for how long he could.\u201d<\/p>\n