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Tennis might never return to its glory days of the 1970s and 1980s, when its stars—Björn Borg, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, and Martina Navratilova—were known the world over, and as much for their personalities as their strokes. But today's men's game, led by the relentless Rafael Nadal and the formerly invincible Roger Federer, offers more artistry and more drama than at any time since the heyday of the sport.
"The men's game right now is fantastic," says Nick Bollettieri, who has coached ten No. 1 players, including Andre Agassi and Monica Seles. "Hell, I think we have a dozen good players now. That's the most we've had in a long time."
Credit Federer for the resurgence. As the twenty-seven-year-old star explained in a recent interview, when he turned pro, in 1998, most players, and even the very best ones, had obvious weaknesses, perhaps a poor backhand or a soft second serve. "Today you don't see that," Federer says. "Everybody can hit a good serve, good forehand and backhand. I think that's changed the most."
Federer's excellence has made this versatility a necessity. From the time he became No. 1, in 2004, until early last year, Federer had the best forehand in the sport. His serve was superb, his backhand beautiful, and his volleys sharp. He didn't so much move around the court as glide. He was the most complete player the sport had ever seen, and he racked up titles at an unprecedented pace: thirteen Grand Slams from 2003 to 2008, just shy of Pete Sampras's all-time record and seemingly on pace for twenty or more.
At least until the rest of the world caught up to him. Today, Federer's competitors retrieve more shots than ever before, hit winners from more difficult positions, and make fewer mistakes. Beating them requires stamina, patience, and more resourceful tactics. Touch and spin are as important as power, and sharp angles—some unthinkable a generation ago—are most important of all.
At the moment, Nadal, the twenty-two-year-old muscle-bound Majorcan, is the master of the modern game, a surprising turn of events to many, considering that just a few years ago he was seen as a one-dimensional player best suited for clay.
"I don't really think [Nadal] gets credit for how complete of a tennis player he is," says Andy Roddick, who faced Nadal in the Indian Wells semifinal in March. "I think he kind of gets pigeonholed into what people remember from five years ago."
But just as Nadal has emerged to usurp Federer's crown, his two biggest rivals from the next generation are closing in. Andy Murray, the twenty-one-year-old Scot who infuriates opponents with fast feet and precise dinks, drop shots, and lobs, recently moved up to the third spot in the rankings. Murray, a boxing aficionado, has sublime tactics and hands as soft as McEnroe's. He has beaten Federer four straight times since losing to him in last year's U.S. Open final.
On clay, no one has pushed Nadal harder than Novak Djokovic. The surly, racket-smashing Serb with freakishly flexible limbs already has one Grand Slam title to his name (the 2007 Australian Open) and he's equipped to win on every surface. Djokovic made a name for himself at the U.S. Open a few years ago when he showed off several dead-on impersonations of his fellow players, including Maria Sharapova. These days he does less clowning and more business: This year he and his family established the first top-level professional tournament in Serbia. (Fittingly, Djokovic won.)
Trailing the dazzling foursome of Nadal, Federer, Murray, and Djokovic are a talented and troupe of supporting actors from whom we'll certainly be seeing more:
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Juan Martin del Potro, a six-foot-six twenty-year-old, slugs the ball and likes to charge the net, unusual traits for an Argentine (he's a bigger fan of hard courts than clay). |
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Matching del Potro's height is Marin Cilic. The twenty-year-old Croat has shown surprisingly agility and speed for his height. |
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Gaël Monfils, a twenty-two-year-old French showman, dominated the junior rankings and is the best athlete on the tour; if he can improve his tactics and stay injury free, he'll give the top players plenty of worries. |
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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the son of a Congolese handball player and a French schoolteacher, is a late bloomer at twenty-four who woos crowds with his leaping overheads and good looks. Watch for him at Wimbledon. |
Perhaps you've noticed that there is nary an American in this bunch. Indeed, the talent among American men—who are led by Roddick (off to a fine start in 2009) and James Blake—is thin. Will it affect the health of the sport in the U.S.? So far, there's hope. Tennis is the fastest-growing sport in the country, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers' Association, which reports that participation increased nearly 10 percent in the past year. Fans are noticing how rich the men's game is these days. Thankfully, it looks to remain that way for years to come.
Tom Perrotta is senior editor at TENNIS Magazine and a frequent contributor to ESPN.com.
Photography credits:
- Scott Barbour/Getty Images
- Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty images
- Jeff Gross/Getty Images
- Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
- DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images
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