Wimbledon without Federer, Nadal or Djokovic, a first since 1999

The change of era is becoming increasingly apparent in the small world of tennis. While the top two places in the ATP rankings have been occupied since Monday by Jannik Sinner (22) and Carlos Alcaraz (21), other signs are not deceiving.

And the 2024 edition of Wimbledon (July 01 - 14) is no exception. The British Grand Slam is likely to be held without Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and, of course, Roger Federer. With no member of the Big 3 present on the London grass, this would be a first since 1999, when the Swiss first took part.

As far as Federer is concerned, there's no doubt he'll be absent, as he's retired in 2022. He now looks after his little family, and travels the world giving advice and sharing his experience of tennis, top-level performance and life in general (see our article 'Federer's life lesson, in grand philosopher mode').

For Rafael, it's a strategic decision. The Paris Olympics, which will be played on the clay courts of Roland-Garros (July 27 - August 4) for the tennis tournament, are his main objective for the summer. The Spaniard is not planning to take any risks on grass, despite having regained a good feel for the ochre surface.

As for Djokovic, it's up to his body to decide whether or not he'll be there. Injured to the meniscus of his right knee in the Round of 16 at Roland Garros (June 04, 2024), the Serb underwent surgery immediately afterwards (June 05) and should theoretically not be able to recover to 100% of his abilities in less than a month's time. The current world No.3 is also aiming for a comeback for the Olympic tournament on July 27.

Despite our champions' best efforts to the contrary, time marches on and inexorably takes its toll. That's life, in all its beauty and drama, and tennis is no exception.