Has Novak Djokovic left the US Open ghost behind?

It's not just tennis that's back. Even Novak Djokovic is back after being kicked out of the US Open earlier this month. Last week, he won his 36th Masters title, the Rome Master 1000; the most by any men's tennis player. 

But before that, a shoutout to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) that amply demonstrated how a tennis event can be conducted in a bubble with sufficient checks and balances. After the US Open, the action has now shifted to Europe where the clay court tournaments are underway. 

Before the Rome Master, Djokovic was tied up Rafael Nadal, the world's second ranked player, at 35 Masters each. According to atptour.com- arguably the best website for all things men's tennis- Djokovic now has won five Rome Masters; the second most number of titles among his Master 1000 collection. The ATP Masters are the second most prestigious tier events after the four grand slams. He has also won five Paris and Indian Wells titles. With this win, Djokovic has also surpassed Pete Sampras' record of the number of weeks spent as No.1 ranked player. Sampras has spent a total of 286 weeks, and Djokovic has now spent 287 weeks as No.1. 

Djokovic's results at Rome Masters removes all doubts about how his suspension at the US Open might have affected him. Even tennis commentator, expert and former player Mats Wilander thinks so. I watched a bit of his finals match against Diego Schwartzman who had earlier beaten Rafael Nadal in the quarter finals. Djokovic was at his best, moved well, stayed on with Schwartzman in long rallies and preserved. In doing on, he appears to have put the ghost of US Open past him and has emerged as one of the favourites to win next week's French Open in Paris, along with Nadal and Dominic Thiem, the world's number 3 ranked player and the newly crowned US Open champion. Infact, Djokovic after winning at Rome said that Nadal would be particularly vulnerable at Paris clay because this time the French Open is going to be played in October, as opposed to the month of May when conditions are different. 

(photo courtesy: tennisworldusa.org)

End of the road for the Big Four?

"We’ve got teenagers and young guys coming now; I see change is coming,” says American coach Brad Gilbert over the phone. Gilbert has trained the likes of Murray, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Nishikori. “I don’t know when it’s coming but there is change coming. This is an exciting time for men’s tennis where we’ve got the older, established players, the challengers, and a good mix of new young players,” said Brad Gilbert. 

Men's tennis is changing. How long will the Big 4 continue to remain the Big 4? You have the challengers to the crown and then you have the young turks, under 21, who are potential leaders. My story in today's Mint on how the men's tennis landscape is changing.

I have also attached the graphics that wasn't carried in the story. But I am attaching the same here for my reader's reference. 

http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/L2pyk3ElzCsP6PAt8tWVgP/End-of-the-road-for-the-Big-Four.html