7 'outsiders' who have interrupted Nadal, Djokovic and Federer's Grand Slam dominance ft. Carlos Alcaraz, Stan Wawrinka
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are widely regarded as the three best players in the sport's history.
With 22, 21 and 20 titles respectively - Nadal, Djokovic and Federer are the three all-time Grand Slam leaders. The next most successful player - Pete Sampras (14) - is a distant fourth.
Federer made his Grand Slam breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2003. Two years later - at Roland Garros - Nadal won the first of his 22 Majors - which is when the Federer-Nadal Grand Slam era started. Nearly three years later - Djokovic entered the fray with his Australian Open triumph.
Nadal has won two Grand Slam titles this year - the Australian Open and Roland Garros - while Djokovic won Wimbledon.
Such has been the domination of the Grand Slam scene by the trio since Roland Garros 2005 - thay they have swept a staggering 59 of the 69 titles on offer. Nadal (6) and Djokovic (9) have won 15 of the last 18 Grand Slams.
Only a few players have punctuated their Major dominance in this period. On that note, here's a look at the seven 'outsiders' who have made their Major breakthrough in the era of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic:
#7 Carlos Alcaraz - 2022 US Open
Carlos Alcaraz is widely regarded as one of the best young players in the game. Arriving at the US Open this year, he was one of five players with the chance to become World No. 1. He did so - taking the toughest route imaginable.
The 19-year-old needed to go five sets in the fourth round, quarterfinals and semifinals - saving a match point in the quarterfinals - to book a final date with Casper Ruud. It was a historic title match, because for the first time in Grand Slam final history - the winner had the chance to become the World No. 1.
Alcaraz, though, showed none of the weariness of the previous rounds as he drew first blood before Ruud fought back to take the second. After an early exchange of breaks, Alcaraz saved two set points in the 12th game before taking the third set in a tie-break.
He then rode a single break in the fourth to become the first teenager to become World No. 1.
It's not a dream, @carlosalcaraz, it's real. 🏆 https://t.co/XP3dpda4wg
Alcaraz is only the third player other than Nadal and Djokovic to win a Major in the last 18 Grand Slams since the 2018 Australian Open. He's the youngest Slam winner since Nadal (2005 Roland Garros) and the youngest at the US Open since Pete Sampras (1990).
#6 Daniil Medvedev - 2021 US Open
Daniil Medvedev became third-time lucky in a Grand Slam final when he took on history-chasing Novak Djokovic in the 2021 US Open title match.
He made serene progress through the draw - dropping his only set of the fortnight in the quarterfinals to reach his second final in New York in three years. However, he was up against Djokovic - who was looking to become the first player since Rod Laver (1969) to win the calendar year Grand Slam.
It was Medvedev, though, who reigned supreme - dropping only four games in each set to become the fifth man in 13 years to make their Major breakthrough in New York.
Daniil Medvedev stuns Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win the #USOpen https://t.co/Ksup0ClAEI
The deposed World No. 1 lost in the fourth round to Nick Kyrgios last fortnight. He has dropped to No. 5 this week.
#5 Dominic Thiem - 2020 US Open
Dominic Thiem had already shown his mettle at the Majors by reaching consecutive Roland Garros finals (2018-19) - lost to Nadal. He demonstrated his growing pedigree on hardcourt by going five sets against Djokovic at the 2020 Australian Open.
However, Thiem had to fight back from the brink in his second Major hardcourt final the same year. Finding himself two sets down against first-time Grand Slam finalist Alexander Zverev, the Austrian dug deep - really deep.
The Austrian fought back to force a decider. Both players squandered opportunities to serve for the match before a tie-break ensued - the first in a US Open final. There, it was Thiem who reigned supreme 8-6 to become the first player born in the 90s to win a Grand Slam.
It's Dominic Thiem's moment.
The point that made him a Grand Slam champion 👇 https://t.co/uYMplH3TF7
The former top-10 player also became the first player in the Open Era to win the US Open from two sets down in the final. Pancho Gonzalez (1949) was the last man to do so, but that was in the pre-Open Era.
#4 Marin Cilic - 2014 US Open
Marin Cilic was a surprise winner at the US Open in 2014. The tall Croat dropped three sets in the first four rounds to make the quarterfinals - where he caught fire.
Cilic saw off Tomas Berdych in straight sets to reach the last four - where he played 'lights out' tennis to stun five-time winner Federer in straight sets. With Kei Nishikori beating 2011 winner Djokovic in the other semifinal, a first-time Major winner was guaranteed in New York.
It was Cilic who emerged triumphant - beating Nishikori in straight sets - to become the first Croatian Grand Slam winner since Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon in 2001.
#Cilic is the champion! The No. 14 seed wins his first Slam title, d. #Nishikori 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. #usopen http://t.co/zzEra5dBhV
Since that triumph, Cilic has made two other finals - 2017 Wimbledon and 2018 Australian Open - but fell to Federer on both occasions. He has made two other Major semifinals in this period - one at the US Open (2015).
#3 Juan Martin del Potro - 2009 US Open
Juan Martin del Potro provided one of the biggest upsets in US Open history when he stunned reigning five-time winner Roger Federer in the 2009 title match.
Del Potro entered his first Major final that fortnight by ambushing Nadal in straight sets. However, he had his task cut out against Federer - the undisputed king of New York in the last five years.
It was the defending champion who made the brighter start - pocketing the opener. Federer served for a two-set lead and came within two points of doing so, but del Potro broke back and won the set in the tie-break to level proceedings.
Federer reasserted his ascendancy in the contest by taking the third and came within two points of the title in the fourth, but del Potro emphatically slammed the door shut. After winning the ensuing tie-break, the Argentine's pummeling groundstrokes in the decider forced Federer into submission as del Potro became the first player in the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era to win a Grand Slam.
With two finals, wins over Federer and Nadal, and the 2009 title, @delpotrojuan has countless memorable moments in Flushing Meadows.
Enjoy the best of the best from Delpo at the US Open 👇
Del Potro returned to the US Open final in 2018 but was beaten by Djokovic. The 'Tower of Tandil' hasn't officially announced his retirement but has played just once in the last three years.
#2 Stan Wawrinka - 3-time Grand Slam winner
Stan Wawrinka is one of only two players to have won multiple Grand Slams in the era of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.
The 'other' Swiss made his Major breakthrough at the Australian Open in 2014. After beating three-time defending champion Djokovic in the semifinals, Wawrinka beat an injured Nadal in a four-set final to become the first first-time Grand Slam winner in over four years.
Wawrinka proved he was no flash in the pan - beating Djokovic from a set down in the 2015 Roland Garros final. He repeated the trick at the US Open the following year - overcoming the 21-time Major winner for the second time in a Major title match.
Stan Wawrinka (2016 US Open)
The last two men from outside the Big 3 to defeat a member of the Big 3 in a Grand Slam final:
🔹 Stan Wawrinka (2016 US Open)
🔹 Daniil Medvedev (today) https://t.co/Oa8yfTCvlu
The former top-10 player made the Roland Garros final the next year but fell to Nadal in straight sets.
#1 Andy Murray - 3-time Grand Slam winner
After coming up short in his first four Grand Slam finals, Andy Murray was determined to avoid a fifth disappointment when he took on Djokovic in the 2012 US Open final.
The Scot made a nervy start but found himself two sets up before an injured Djokovic fought back to force a decider. Murray, though, reasserted his ascendancy in the contest to become the first British player in more than seven decades to win a Grand Slam.
Murray doubled his Grand Slam tally at Wimbledon the following year - once again beating Djokovic in the final - this time in straight sets. Three years later, the Scot triumphed again at Wimbledon - beating Tomas Berdych in the title match.
"I have had great moments and tough losses here, which makes this win extra special"
- Andy Murray #Wimbledon https://t.co/cHOnOUr0vK
Murray is one of a handful of players in the Open Era to reach the final at all four Grand Slams. He is 0-5 in Australian Open finals - falling to Djokovic four times and Federer once. Murray fell short in his lone Roland Garros final (2016) against Djokovic despite taking the opening set.