When the numbers speak for themselves, not even words are enough to explain the phenomenon that tennis has experienced for almost two decades. The arrival of the Big 3 clearly marked a before and after in the sport that continues to make history day after day.
The recent victory of Novak Djokovic (5º) ante Roberto Carballés Baena (75th) by 6-3, 6-4 and 6-0 in the australian open He has marked an exorbitant figure for the Serbian: 16 years without falling in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament. This equates to 64 consecutive wins in his debut match of a Major. The last time? Australian Open 2006, when a young and inexperienced Absent he was defeated in the hands of the American Paul Goldstein in four sets.
Behind this, never again did the former No. 1 in the world see defeat in his opening match. The closest thing to it was in the same contest but in 2017, when he would say goodbye in the second instance after falling in five agonizing sets against Denis Istomin.
As for the other two members of the Big 3, Roger Federer He has said goodbye to tennis having fallen for the last time in the first instance of a GS over there in Roland Garros 2003 in front of the peruvian Luis Horna. Rafael Nadal (2nd) It is the one that suffered this fall most recently. It was in the Australian Open 2016 before his compatriot Fernando Verdasco (123rd) in five sets
