jl809
Hall of Fame
Mid-2016 to now is referred to by some people on here as the “inflation era”; a period where the level of tennis on the men’s tour was comparatively weak and the Big 3 won slams at a low level of play.
But imo, there is just as strong a dividing line between the period pre-January 2020 and the period after it, and a new era - call it what you will - began then.
From 2016-late 2019, slams and M1000s were being won at a level comparable (not consistently better, but comparable) with what the Big 3 had produced in their primes - rarely peaks, but primes.
For slams, this definitely includes Wimbledon 16, RG 17, Wimbledon 17, RG 18, Wimbledon 18, AO 19 and RG 19. You could also make cases for matches at AO 17, USO 17 and USO 18. That’s 7/14 slams as definite and 3/14 debatable. Even the slams that miss the cut (AO 18, Wimbledon and USO 19) featured passages or matches of fantastic play and entertainment from the winner.
For M1000s, this includes IW and Miami 17, MC 17, Madrid 17, Rome 17, Shanghai 17, MC 18, Madrid 18, Rome 18, Cincy 18, WTF 18, arguably Miami 19, Madrid 19, Rome 19, arguably Montreal 19, Paris 19. You can definitely add Davis Cup 19 and ATP Cup 20.
However…
Since the Australian Open 2020, we have entered a new era. “Good” slams include RG 20 - the last god-tier Big 3 slam performance - arguably RG 21 for the SF alone, arguably USO 21 from Medvedev, and arguably RG 22. That’s it. Even then, Nadal and Djokovic looked rough in various rounds of their RG wins. That’s 1 definite slam and 3 “maybes” out of 10.
Meanwhile, we have ALREADY had the following “eeesh” slams: AO 2020, where Djokovic mysteriously went walkabout in the final and still won; USO 2020, with the worst final ever; AO 2021, which Djokovic won injured, and Wimbledon 2021 and 2022, which a stressed Djokovic had to fight through at a relatively low level. Nadal also reached the SFs of Wimbledon with an injury, having won the AO 2022 at a slow, low and messy level.
At the M1000 level, Rome has been won impressively (2021 and 2022), as was Paris in 2021. Other than that, the only high level big tournament wins were the 2020 WTF, where Thiem and Meddy brought a great level vs Djokodal, and 2021 WTF, where Zverev served everyone away. IW 2020-2022? Forget it. Monte Carlo? C’était merde. ATP Cup? Remember that? And so on and so on.
Basically, we have fallen off a small cliff
Whatever this era is, it is a devolution from where we were before. If 2016 onwards is inflation… what shall we call this????
But imo, there is just as strong a dividing line between the period pre-January 2020 and the period after it, and a new era - call it what you will - began then.
From 2016-late 2019, slams and M1000s were being won at a level comparable (not consistently better, but comparable) with what the Big 3 had produced in their primes - rarely peaks, but primes.
For slams, this definitely includes Wimbledon 16, RG 17, Wimbledon 17, RG 18, Wimbledon 18, AO 19 and RG 19. You could also make cases for matches at AO 17, USO 17 and USO 18. That’s 7/14 slams as definite and 3/14 debatable. Even the slams that miss the cut (AO 18, Wimbledon and USO 19) featured passages or matches of fantastic play and entertainment from the winner.
For M1000s, this includes IW and Miami 17, MC 17, Madrid 17, Rome 17, Shanghai 17, MC 18, Madrid 18, Rome 18, Cincy 18, WTF 18, arguably Miami 19, Madrid 19, Rome 19, arguably Montreal 19, Paris 19. You can definitely add Davis Cup 19 and ATP Cup 20.
However…
Since the Australian Open 2020, we have entered a new era. “Good” slams include RG 20 - the last god-tier Big 3 slam performance - arguably RG 21 for the SF alone, arguably USO 21 from Medvedev, and arguably RG 22. That’s it. Even then, Nadal and Djokovic looked rough in various rounds of their RG wins. That’s 1 definite slam and 3 “maybes” out of 10.
Meanwhile, we have ALREADY had the following “eeesh” slams: AO 2020, where Djokovic mysteriously went walkabout in the final and still won; USO 2020, with the worst final ever; AO 2021, which Djokovic won injured, and Wimbledon 2021 and 2022, which a stressed Djokovic had to fight through at a relatively low level. Nadal also reached the SFs of Wimbledon with an injury, having won the AO 2022 at a slow, low and messy level.
At the M1000 level, Rome has been won impressively (2021 and 2022), as was Paris in 2021. Other than that, the only high level big tournament wins were the 2020 WTF, where Thiem and Meddy brought a great level vs Djokodal, and 2021 WTF, where Zverev served everyone away. IW 2020-2022? Forget it. Monte Carlo? C’était merde. ATP Cup? Remember that? And so on and so on.
Basically, we have fallen off a small cliff
Whatever this era is, it is a devolution from where we were before. If 2016 onwards is inflation… what shall we call this????
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