For 40 Grand Slams over 10 years, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray have dominated men’s tennis.
Federer’s won 15, Nadal 14, Djokovic six, and Murray two – there’s 37 of them.
Only Marat Safin (Australian 2005), Juan Martin del Potro (US 2009), and Stan Wawrinka (Australian this year), have broken the four-man cycle.
But there are two on the horizon who will give the quartet a right riyal shakeup, and it could well be this week at Wimbledon – Bulgaria’s 23-year-old Grigor Dimitrov, and towering Australian 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios who is on duty tonight against Rafael Nadal on centre court.
Kyrgios has beaten one player of note in his year long career – Richard Gasquet.
The fact that Kyrgios came from two sets to love down against the 13th seed was career defining.
Tonight it’s the ultimate test against the world’s number one.
Don’t write off Kyrgios due to his lack of experience. He has plenty of power in the tank off both wings, an excellent volley, and an even better serve.
It’s the serve that will get up Nadal’s nose. He treats rookies with contempt, and if he does it again tonight, he will do so at his own peril.
Don’t line up their respective career stats, they are too one-sided.
It’s what happens on centre court tonight that will be the only criterion.
Dimitrov has far more experience to call on than the Australian.
Dimitrov has already beaten Murray in three sets this year on hardcourt at Acapulco, and he’s beaten Tomas Berdych twice, Wawrinka, Milos Raonic, and Tommy Haas.
The Bulgarian is ranked 13th in the world, and even though Murray, the defending champion, has been in superb touch at Wimbledon, he will have to take his A-game to centre court tomorrow night, or watch the final on television.
While Dimitrov is a better player than Kyrgios at the moment, the Bulgarian has top quality Australian coach Roger Rasheed in his corner.
Rasheed will keep his charge on a uphill curve of rapid improvement, while Kyrgios has another Australian coach Simon Rea, who is even less known than his teenage boss.
Hopefully Australian master coach Tony Roche will get involved with Nick Kyrgios,
We wish Nick well tonight, just be yourself young fella, and let all that talent and power hang out.
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