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Men's tennis has largely been dominated by the 'Big 3' - Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. In the last decade, the three of them have won around 90% of the Grand Slam titles. However, with the rise of Next Gen superstars, a changing of the guard is just around the corner.
Although Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem have each won a Grand Slam, they have not been able to showcase the consistency the Big 3 are famous for. But a group of young players are fast emerging who have the potential to win their first Grand Slam in 2022.
5. Carlos Alcaraz
Often regarded as the next Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz has impressed everyone with his exceptional gameplay. The Spaniard broke into the limelight when he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas at the 2021 US Open. The 18-year-old won the 2021 Croatian Open this year and emerged as the winner of the ATP Next Gen Finals.
4. Andrey Rublev
Another rising star, Andrey Rublev is an exceptional player on hardcourts. He also showcased his prowess on clay this year by defeating Rafael Nadal at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Although he hasn't gone past the quarterfinal stage at a Grand Slam, the talented Russian will have his eyes set on winning his first Major in 2022.
3. Matteo Berrettini
World No.7 Matteo Berrettini has been in tremendous form over the past few seasons. The Italian was runner-up at Wimbledon in 2021 and will be eager to get his hands on a Grand Slam trophy in 2022.
Berrettini's best chance of winning a Major will be on the hardcourts, where he can make the best use of his massive serve and rocket forehand.
2. Stefanos Tsitsipas
In 2021, Stefanos Tsitsipas achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 3. The Greek star enjoyed a great start to the season, winning the Monte Carlo Masters and the 2021 Lyon Open.
Although he was injured towards the end of the season, Tsitsipas will be eager to get back on the court in 2022 and challenge for his first Grand Slam title.
1. Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev has achieved almost everything in tennis... apart from winning a Grand Slam. He bagged gold for his nation at the Tokyo Olympics, won the 2021 ATP Finals and ended the season as World No. 3.
Zverev's best performance at a Slam came at the 2020 US Open where he heartbreakingly lost to Dominic Thiem in the finals. His brilliant gameplay has even fetched him praise from Novak Djokovic, who believes the German will soon win his maiden Grand Slam.
These are the five players most likely to open their Grand Slam accounts next season. It will be fascinating to see whether they can finally end the dominance of the 'Big 3' and take their rightful places in the history of tennis.
Also Read: "Alexander Zverev can become World No. 1 next year"- Boris Becker
