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As gusts of wind blast in from the North, it reminds us that the seasons of change are beckoning already. The months have flowed seamlessly and spilled into the other with the world of tennis slowly getting ready to warm up to a new host of promising and perhaps, threatening players who have come dangerously close to toppling over the Big Four. It was in the year 2004 that tennis had opened up it's arms out wide to embrace a certain charismatic Swiss as he waltzed in with his perfection, soon after the gates shook and trembled when a certain Spaniard had charged inside the hallowed world of tennis like a raging bull bringing with him an ice cool Serb and a certain English gentleman in suit.
It may be 2018 now but the top order of the game is still content in the cocoon world of a Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and a Novak Djokovic still, almost unwilling to make way to the new conquerors of tennis town. The Golden Era of tennis faces the threat of the twilight zone now more than ever with the Big 4- Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray all placed in their mid-30's trying to outlast the battle against time.
A new crop of players showcasing amazing tenacity and blending it with fine finesse is already ready to take over the world and breach the domination of the Big 4. In a year which saw Federer claim the Australian Open, Nadal the French Open whilst Djokovic soared to claim a comeback high with a win at Wimbledon and US Open, things look pretty settled for now. However, come January it will be a new season again and the younger lot of promising players have already started identifying the chinks in the armour of the Old Guard.
Here's a list of players who are most likely to bring an end to the domination of the Top 4:
Alexander Zverev
Standing tall at 6 foot 6 inches, Alexander Zverev cuts out a pretty spot for himself breathing right behind the back of Roger Federer who is ranked Number 3 on the ATP chart whilst Zverev claims the 4th position. The 21-year-old German who has been touted to be 'the next big thing' and the one to watch out for, made sure the tennis pundits kept their eyes locked on him when he won the year-ending ATP Finals with panache.
Aside from being the youngest person since 2008 to win the title, Zverev defeated Federer and Djokovic en route to his claiming the coveted title. Having won 10 ATP singles titles already, Zverev has been taking the world by storm. He has outclassed the Big 4 with his fine and ambitious tennis skills and is definitely a hot favourite for the 2019 season. The win at London further cemented his recent dominance at the sport and one can be sure that the year ahead will be buzzing with the news of Sasha's conquests!
Kevin Anderson
Nobody had so much batted an eyelid at Kevin Anderson when he came in rather unassumingly into Court 1 at the All England Club to play against Roger Federer in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon 2018. The first two sets of that memorable encounter were a breeze with Federer comfortably at the helm. Trouble arose when Anderson, with his persistence and ceaselessly perfect big serves kept attacking and created history by holding his own against the King of the Grass when he defeated him in a nerve-wracking five-setter. With that win, the lanky South African had scripted greatness for himself.
Although he had an injury-prone career, he is now ranked at Number 6 in the world. 2018 was a phenomenal year for him and given his grit and his flair for producing consistent performances, he is very likely to get his name on a Grand Slam soon!
Dominic Thiem
The star kid on the block is definitely the 25-year-old Austrian Dominic Thiem. At such a young age, he has already been there and done it all. He has given a strong and consistent performance at the Grand Slams ever since he turned pro in 2011. Thiem, is quite the Nadal-slayer too, having defeated the Spaniard on his favourite clay surface, a rare feat only a countable few have achieved. His rivalry with Nadal has run deep with their most recent encounter at the quarterfinals of the US Open where Thiem really exposed the chinks in Nadal's armour when they fought a classy five-setter that ran for over 4 hours.
With 11 singles titles to his name, Thiem is going to make a big name for himself in the next season and the Big Four territory has come easy to him, so far.
Marin Cilic
The World Number 8 Croatian player is a big name on the circuit for quite some time now. Marin Cilic has been known to cause a lot of upsets in the past. His career has been illustrious with Finale finishes in all the Grand Slams except the French Open. He is the only player on this list who has won a Grand Slam when he bagged the US Open title in 2014. He has faced off with Roger Federer in Wimbledon and the Australian Open finals and given a strong performance. Given his numbers and his focus, Cilic is sure to cause a disturbance in the Big Four dominance soon!
The 30-year-old player has quite a few mean and sleek shots up his sleeve which makes him a formidable opponent too. The upcoming season should have Cilic pushing for more and it won't be surprising if he does manage to go get it!
Nick Kyrgios
Ever the man associated with controversies and showcasing the most abrupt and erratic behaviour on tour, the 23-year-old Australian is a bustling house of talent. Nick Kyrgios holds the rare record aside from fellow Australian Lleyton Hewitt to have defeated Federer, Djokovic and Nadal in his first encounters with them! If that isn't enough to indicate his greatness, what is? Due to his on and off time on the court, Krygios is now at World Number 36 in the ATP rankings but nobody can doubt the talent he possesses.
With 4 ATP titles to his name, Krygios, if in stable form, is a force to reckon with. If he channelizes his talent well and brings back the focus he can be a major threat to the Big 4 and who knows, he might even cause a big impact on the Grand Slams.
