Roger Federer & his fellow 'mutants' live in another world, says former RG finalist
It can be safely said that the arrival of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic brought about a transformation in the ATP tour. Tennis might have been around for a long time but the elevated status it enjoys today is largely due to Roger Federer and his fellow greats.
With a breathtaking 56 Grand Slams won out of the last 67, the 'Big 3' have totally revamped the sport. They have forced the competition to get better at every level, and made winning Majors an immensely difficult task.
That sentiment has been repeatedly echoed by current and former players too. Speaking to French daily Le Télégramme, 1988 French Open finalist Henri Leconte expressed his admiration for the Big 3 and especially for Roger Federer, branding them as something otherworldly and surreal.
Leconte, who was the contemporary of legends like Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander pointed out that having so many great players at the same time is a once-in-a-million-years kind of privilege.
"It's amazing, we'll never have that again," Leconte said. "This generation of mutants (the Big 3) lives in another world. And we will have to forget it (when they retire)."
Leconte is worried about the future ahead without the three legends, and his fears are not unfounded. Ever since Roger Federer announced his absence from the 2020 tennis tour owing to successive knee surgeries, speculation about his retirement has surfaced again.
In fact, Roger Federer admitted last week that the thought of hanging up his racquet has floated into his mind several times during the pandemic. However, the 20-time Grand Slam champion still loves the sport and hopes to cast his magic spell for a while longer.
Given the circumstances, Leconte is preparing himself for a world without Roger Federer - which according to him may come to pass as soon as Wimbledon 2021.
"It wouldn't be surprising if Federer ended his career after Wimbledon," Leconte said. "And then it will be over. Because we will see and experience sport in a whole new way. We may move into a more virtual world, through our phone or television."
Once Roger Federer retires, the magical era will come to an end: Henri Leconte
The Big 3 might already be in their 30s and heading towards the twilight of their careers, but they continue to dominate the Grand Slams. They have produced tennis of the highest quality to win the last 13 Majors, allowing very little wriggle room for the younger players.
The up-and-coming generation comprised of Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas have grown up watching Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic spar against each other. Although these youngsters are also incredibly talented and have occasionally threatened to take over the top spots, they keep falling short at the last hurdle.
Henri Leconte is well-aware, like everyone else, that Roger Federer's time is nearly up - and that Djokovic and Nadal will follow suit soon after the Swiss. But the Frenchman knows that without the Big 3, the magic will be gone forever.
"The Zverevs, Thiem and others knock on the door. But it will be different. The magical era that we had will be over and it will necessarily be something else. I think people don't realize it," Leconte added.