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- ▲ Alcaras (left) defeated Djokovic to win the Australian Open men’s singles final. © Provided by Yonhap News
The ‘past emperor’ and the ‘next generation emperor’ clashed in the men’s singles final of the Australian Open, a major tournament.
The result was the victory of the next emperor. World No. 1 Carlos Alcaras (Spain) won the championship by defeating World No. 4 Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 3-1. It was a symbolic match that officially declared to the world that a complete generational change had occurred.
With this win, Alcaras brought home his 7th Grand Slam. He also achieved a ‘career grand slam’ by sweeping the Australian Open, the only major tournament he had not won before. Age 22 years and 8 months. He is the youngest person ever to complete a career Grand Slam. Now the era of true Alcaras has begun.
So, to what level has Alcaras risen compared to the best seniors of all time? Coinciding with Alcaras’s win at the Australian Open, British sports media ‘Give Me Sports’ selected and revealed ’25 of the greatest male players in world tennis history’ on the 2nd (Korean time).
The media explained, “It is never easy to rank players who played in different eras, especially because the players’ environments, courts, and quality of equipment are different. Despite these difficulties, we selected the 25 best male players of all time who graced the court.”
He added, “For this ranking, the ability to win Grand Slams on a regular basis is essential. Additionally, additional points are given to players who performed in times of fierce competition. Along with the style of play, the level of players they face is also important.”
Alcaraz declared a new era by winning his 7th major title. He was ranked 13th. It is still nothing compared to the great predecessors. There is a long way to go. Jannic Sinner (Italy), who is considered one of the next-generation emperors along with Alcaras, ranked 21st.
Representative seniors above Alcaras include Andre Agassi (USA) in 10th place and Pete Sampras (USA) in 4th place.
‘TOP3’ is overwhelming. The ‘Big 3’ who have dominated world tennis for the past 20 years are Rafael Nadal (Spain), Roger Federer (Switzerland), and Djokovic. He is dominating the rest of the players at the Grand Slam.
Which of these is number one? The opponent Alcaras clashed with in the Australian Open final was Djokovic. He has won 24 major championships, ranking first among male players in history. When combining men and women, Djokovic and Margaret Court (Australia) are tied for first place with 24.
Additionally, Djokovic is the only player among the ‘Big 3’ who remains active.
The media said, “Djokovic is the most complete player in the history of tennis. He has won all major tournaments, including 24 Grand Slam titles and a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite his tremendous success, he still harbors a thirst for more titles. He maintains perfect physical condition and is still considered a strong candidate to win every tournament he participates in.”
But 38 years old. Even legends are bound to lose their power in the face of the passage of time.
The media emphasized, “With the emergence of Sinner and Alcaraz, it is becoming more difficult for Djokovic to win his long-awaited 25th Grand Slam title. He came close at the Australian Open, but lost to Alcaras. Even if Djokovic does not win his 25th Grand Slam title, he will be remembered as the best player in tennis history.”
◇Top 25 greatest male players in world tennis history (Nationality/Grand Slam)
25. Manuel Santana (Spain, 4)
24. Guillermo Villas (Argentina, 4)
23. Rene Lacoste (France, 7)
22. Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland, 3)
21. Jannick Sinner (Italy, 4)
20. Andy Murray (Scotland, 3)
19. Stefan Edberg (Sweden, 6)
18. Making money (USA, 6)
17. Mats Wilander (Sweden, 7)
16. Boris Becker (Germany, 6)
15. Ken Roswell (Australia, 8)
14. Bill Tilden (USA, 10)
13. Carlos Alcaras (Spain, 7)
12. Fred Perry (England, 8)
11. Roy Emerson (Australia, 12)
10. Andre Agassi (USA, 8)
9. Jimmy Connors (USA, 8)
8. Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic, 8)
7. John McEnroe (USA, 7)
6. Bjorn Barley (Sweden, 11)
5. Rod Laver (Australia, 11)
4. Pete Sampras (USA, 14)
3. Rafael Nadal (Spain, 22)
2. Roger Federer (Switzerland, 20)
1. Novak Djokovic (Serbia, 24)
