Murray is doubtful that Alcaraz, Sinner and Medvedev will become the new Big 3

In a recent press conference, the British tennis player Andy Murray talked about the rise of the new champions of the ATP Tour, commenting on the increasingly recurring comparison with the Big 3 who have dominated world tennis for decades: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal.

The former ATP No.1 clarified that it is too early to say that Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev are already the successors of the Big 3.

“My feeling is that it takes some time to create it. I’m not saying that it’s not possible for Alcaraz, Sinner and Medvedev or some of the younger guys to dominate, to be at the top of the sport and be there in the latter stages big events five, six or seven years in a row,” Murray said.

The Scot then went on to argue that the Spaniard and Italian have a good chance of dominating the Tour in the coming years.

“It’s definitely possible that those guys are good enough to do it, but I think people are looking for that era where a group of players compete and win most weeks. But it takes time to build it, it doesn’t happen from one tournament to the next. I think it happened over the course of six, seven or eight years and always playing in Grand Slam finals, so let’s see. I think it’s possible, especially with Alcaraz and Sinner. I think Medvedev is brilliant too. There’s a chance it could happen, but there’s no guarantee,” he explained.

Murray finally concluded by explaining that the longevity of a tennis player’s career depends a lot on planning and injuries.

“If you play four tournaments and lose in the first round of each of them, the body reacts very differently than if you get to the semi-finals and finals two weeks in a row. Playing nine matches in 12 or 13 days is very demanding from the point of view from a physical point of view.

If you are winning and doing very well every week, then you should play a lighter schedule. Federer was probably the first to do it and he did it excellently, but you can’t say, ‘Well, everyone should play a lighter programme, because not everyone gets to the final every week like him,” said the British champion.

Andy Murray is one of the very few tennis players capable of undermining the dominance of Federer, Djokovic and Nadal, so much so that he started the era of the Fab Four.

Those times, however, are a distant memory for the British tennis player, who at 36 years old and after countless injuries is no longer able to express the level of his best days. Winning even just one match has become a feat for the three- time slam champion, and the victory against Muller in the first round of the ATP 250 in Doha was only the first of the calendar year, followed by the elimination against the young Czech Jakub Mensik to the next round.

Andy Murray on the difficult moment: “I will overcome it”

For Andy Murray, returning to the tennis courts after the ordeal due to hip injuries and the long absence from the Tour was already a victory.

Thanks to his great determination and his dispassionate love for tennis. In 2023, however, the British tennis player also managed to go further, occupying the 38th position in the ATP ranking. Today, however, the situation seems decidedly more complicated, and winning even just one match has become a titanic undertaking for Murray.

Only one victory in the last nine matches played for the 36-year-old Briton, which came on 23 October last year against Hanfmann in the first round of the ATP 250 in Basel, still empty in 2024. Having returned from this difficult moment, the three-time slam champion has talked about his situation in view of the ATP 250 in Doha, in which the Briton will try to defend the final he won last season.

The current number 50 in the ranking criticized the treatment he received from journalists after his latest uninspiring results.

“It’s been a difficult period, but I will continue to play. I don’t have to do what the journalists or the fans say. I have the necessary ranking to play in important tournaments, I’ve earned it, and my desire is to continue trying. I know I can play a lot better than I have this year,” Murray said.

The British tennis player then said he was confident of being able to get out of this difficult period. “This is a new situation for me and I see it as a good opportunity to learn important lessons and continue to improve. I am convinced that I will overcome it and that I will be stronger than before in doing so.

I still really enjoy everything about the circuit and have not lost the desire to continue racing. In life there are times when things aren’t going well and you have to be strong to try to change the dynamic. That’s what I’m going to try to do,” he explained.

“I want to keep playing” ✊@andy_murray 🗣️ @SkySportsTennis pic.twitter.com/9YwZdn5AQx

— LTA (@the_LTA) February 17, 2024