Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and a new crop of talented Americans provide plenty of star power at the Miami Open, even without stalwarts Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on tap.
The Indian Wells final between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev didn’t come close to living up to the hype surrounding it.
Alcaraz, who unseated Novak Djokovic as the world No. 1 this week, flat-out manhandled Medvedev. It was a surprisingly meek performance from the Russian, a player well known for his frequent outbursts of annoyance and temper. From a certain perspective (Medvedev’s), you might even call it…underwhelming.
Yet despite its complete lack of dramatic effect, a buzz has carried from Indian Wells to its “Sunshine Double” partner, Miami. And it isn’t even only Alcaraz (though if this were a festival concert, Carlitos’ name would have the biggest font); there are other sources of excitement. Italy’s Jannik Sinner, the No. 10 seed, pushed Alcaraz to the brink at the 2022 U.S. Open in the best match of the year (BY FAR). Ben Shelton, the NCAA champion who turned pro last July and is already seeded in Miami, is stoking interest in American men’s tennis again along with compatriots Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and a handful of others. Of course Medvedev himself, the No. 4 seed, is looking for his first Miami title.
The interesting part is that a year ago, the suggestion that there could even be a wildly successful Masters event with no Djokovic and no Rafael Nadal would have been met with skepticism. It might even have provoked a bit of fear among tournament directors, who have traditionally counted on them to promote ticket sales. Because what tennis lover would pass on the chance to see the GOATs? And indeed, that’s a valid question, because greatest of all time they are–the pair of them plus now-retired Roger Federer.
The slightly waning dominance of the Big 3
The Big 3 (Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic) have dominated men’s tennis for so long, even their wild never-to-be-matched records seem…dare I say it…normal. Nadal had been in the top 10 for 17 and a half years until Monday. It’s a wild statistic. So wild, in fact, that it’s longer than many other players’ entire careers. And yet, the fact that he isn’t there for the first time in a decade and a half (he currently sits at 13th in the world) is more shocking than the fact that he achieved it to begin with.
Similarly, Djokovic’s seven cumulative years at the top of the rankings is mindboggling. SEVEN YEARS as world No. 1. Tennis fans are so accustomed to Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer jockeying for the “best” moniker that it’s unsettling for it to be someone else. And since they have filled the stands with fans for two full decades, the prospect of their pending retirement sent a wave of unease around the tennis community. ‘How would we sell tickets without Fedalovic? How would we generate interest?’
Turns out we got a trial run in Indian Wells and now Miami.
Federer has retired, Nadal is injured (again), and Djokovic isn’t allowed in the United States because he is unvaccinated against COVID-19. But guess what? The fans came out in droves anyway. According to reports, Indian Wells had close to record-breaking attendance. Because although it’s probably safe to assume that there will never be an era of such lengthy and absolute dominance at the top of the men’s game, tennis is bigger than Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not writing off Nadal or Djokovic. Do so at your own peril. We don’t call them the GOATS for nothing, and no male tennis players in the history of the game know how to win better than they do. My point, instead, is that fans have another crop of players to get excited about. And excited they are.
Consider this journalist relieved.
agreed
Saying that Medvedev was “manhandled” ignores the fact that he was set up to lose convincingly after showing signs of fatigue in previous matches. Medvedev is capable of taking it to Alcaraz when he’s fresh, but not when he has to chase 50 million dropshots when his style involves staying far back on the court, and also after an 18-match win streak. Alcaraz was obviously too big a step up given the circumstances.
Alcaraz knew he had a major advantage going into the match because of what his coaching group was telling him, and he exploited the opportunity, but here you are telling him that he just “manhandled” someone.
You have a social responsibility to ensure accuracy add fairness in your reporting with due consideration to the facts – not promote self-fulfilling prophecies while ignoring the underlying truth.
He’s getting all the favors in the world from his coaching group, who want to be known as having the best player in the world, and here you are telling him that he just “manhandled” a player 10 years his senior.
How is that socially responsible?
Are the crowds at IW/Miami more fans of players/tennis generally than players specifically, or is it that the young Americans are drawing them into these tournaments?
There’s certainly less “traffic” here and on other Fed/Nadal sites I sometimes look at.