"Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray never ever give you an easy win" - Darren Cahill explains how the younger players can earn their stripes
Player-turned-coach Darren Cahill recently praised the Big-4 — Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray — and gave his thoughts on how the younger players can also establish themselves in the sport.
Cahill has achieved considerable success as a tennis coach. He has guided several top players during the early years of their careers (Lleyton Hewitt and Simona Halep) and also in their final years (Andre Agassi).
Having also worked as a tennis analyst, the Australian has seen from close range the rise and dominance of the Big-4. While Federer retired from the sport last year, the other three are still going strong, with Nadal and Djokovic even adding more Grand Slam titles to their belts (the two are currently tied at 22 apiece).
Speaking on an episode of The Big Deal - Australian Sports Business Podcast, Cahill first praised the next generation of stars, including Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Stefanos Tsitsipas, who are trying to break through and establish themselves.
"These guys Rune, Tsitsipas and Sinner. There's a whole bunch of these younger guys who are coming through. Alcaraz, who was as good as anyone, was the number one player coming into the Australian Open. Unfortunately, you didn't get to see him," he said.
"Watching him play, it's full of emotions and enthusiasm," he added. "It's wonderful every time he steps on the court. I know that because Jannik and Carlos have played a few matches. In fact, they played three times last year. The US Open match was regarded as one of the matches last year."
The 57-year-old then urged the younger players to build resilience and learn from the likes of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray. While he lauded the youngsters for not showing fear when walking onto the court to face any of the veterans, he expressed hope for them to go a step further and win the big matches.
"You've got to build up a little bit of resilience, a little bit of belief and you only get to do that through experiences. And these younger guys, they're not scared walking onto the court against these all-time legends but they need to be able to put them away and they need to be able to beat them," Cahill opined.
"The great thing about Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and also Andy Murray is they never ever give you an easy win. You have to earn it. So if you can beat these guys, you have damn well earned it," he added.
"I wouldn't ever eat what he eats" - Darren Cahill praises Novak Djokovic for his diet
Novak Djokovic might be 35 years old, but he is showing no signs of slowing down. Djokovic won the Wimbledon Championships last year and began 2023 by clinching a record-extending 10th title at the Australian Open.
The Serb has always been very meticulous with his training and diet. During his interview Darren Cahill praised Djokovic for his dedication, saying:
"I think Novak is special. I think that his diet is something. I wouldn't ever eat what he eats. Because his diet is remarkable. It works for him and that's what he puts into his body because he knows it gives him the best chance to perform at maximum capacity."