Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev in five sets at the French Open Final on Sunday. In doing so, the 21-year-old Spaniard cemented the greatness of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
How? Let’s break it down!
Alcaraz’s win at Roland Garros marked his first-ever win at the French Open, which made him the youngest man in tennis history to win a Grand Slam on each surface. It was his third Grand Slam title. He won the U.S. Open in 2022 and won at Wimbledon in 2023.
Here is where things get interesting!
Alcaraz was born on May 5, 2003. Only last month did he turn 21 year old.
Nadal is 38 years old. Djokovic is 37 years old. Federer is 42 years old. All three members of the ‘Big Three’ were born at least three years prior to 1990. They have 66 Major championships between them.
With his win on Sunday, Alcaraz became the most successful tennis player born after the year 2000. His three Grand Slam titles are also more than every man born in the 1990s combined.
Every single tennis player that was born in the 1990s combined to win just two Majors. Alcaraz has three.
This mind-blowing stat is a testament to the dominance of tennis players born in the 1980s. While that most notably includes Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, that also includes Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka. Juan Martín del Potro and Marin Čilić also got one each.
Roger Federer is retired. Rafael Nadal is not far behind. Novak Djokovic is likely still a few years away from hanging up his racquet.
They essentially made every tennis player born in the 1990s completely irrelevant. Carlos Alcaraz was able to break through on behalf of the 2000s but even he only has three. Of course, “only” in that context does not give him the credit that he deserves!