It is a page that is turned in world tennis, at the end of the 2020 season, truncated by the Covid-19: Thiem and Medvedev are convinced that Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are no longer invincible, including in the big tournaments.

This thanks to the first coronation at the Masters in London, acquired Sunday, November 22, by the Russian Daniil Medvedev, world n ° 4, against Dominic Thiem, who remains the world third.

At the dawn of a year 2021 whose calendar remains unresolved, the "Big 3" remains the stallion of world tennis: Novak Djokovic (winner of one of the three Majors played, in Australia, and two of the three Masters 1000) and Rafael Nadal (titled for the 13th time at Roland Garros) by the results.

Then Roger Federer by the aura.

But Dominic Thiem (3rd in the world at 27) and Daniil Medvedev (4th at 24) are now behind them in the ATP ranking and, more importantly, in terms of level of play. In London, where the eight best players of the season were gathered. , the Austrian and the Russian both beat Djokovic and Nadal.

Federer was not present, having ended his season during confinement in the spring.

However, Medvedev considered his final against Thiem to be "the most difficult victory of (his) life" ... the day after an exceptional half against Nadal.

Defeat the Big Three, like Nalbandian

The last to have managed to beat the three world leaders in the same tournament before winning the title there is David Nalbandian at the Masters 1000 in Madrid in 2007. The Argentinian then beat Nadal in the quarterfinals, Djokovic in the half and Federer in the final .

“It shows what I'm capable of when I play well, that I feel good mentally and physically.

Now I have to produce such a game more and more often, "analyzed Medvedev, who had already marked the 2019 season with a memorable final at the US Open where he had pushed Nadal in the 5th set.

Medvedev thus ended the year 2020 with ten matches won consecutively to win the title at the Masters 1000 in Paris and then at the Masters at the end of the year in London.

"It's a huge confidence boost for the next Grand Slam tournaments and others. I hope to continue at this level," added the player who was born in Moscow and has lived in Monaco for years.

For his part, after three lost finals (Roland-Garros 2018 and 2019 against Nadal and Australia 2020 against Djokovic), Thiem finally won his first major title this year, at the US Open, becoming the first player outside "Big 3 "to put his name on the prize list of a tournament of this caliber since Stan Wawrinka in 2016 at Flushing Meadows.

"One day Roger, Rafa, 'Nole' and Andy will not be there anymore"

He can also boast of having a clearly positive record against the sacred monsters on their last meetings: he has beaten Djokovic five times in seven games, Federer five times in six duels and Nadal three times in four games.

And even if he thinks that in the next years Djokovic (33 years old), Nadal (34 years old) and Federer (39 years old) "will still play to win the big titles", Thiem can, him, see further and imagine being part of the next generation.

"Roger, Rafa, 'Nole' and also Andy (Murray) have made a huge contribution to our sport, but one day they will not be there anymore," said Thiem. "And then it will be very important to keep all the fans in tennis. they brought in. It will be our challenge: to play great tournaments very well, to become huge stars ourselves. "

But the "old" will still defend their trophies dearly in 2021. "I will work hard to be ready from the start of the season", promised Nadal after his defeat in the half in London.

With AFP

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