Ten years ago, we thought Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick would provide the great new rivalry in tennis.
Until Roger Federer emerged, that is, and we tuned into Federer and Roddick instead, only because they played so much.
When we realised Roddick never won, it was – for a few slams anyway – all about Hewitt and Federer again, just like their junior days.
But, really, Federer’s rivals, they came and they went.
All up, he conquered a dozen different foes in grand slam finals.
For the Swiss tennis master, officials even organised the game they played in heaven – or close enough, an exhibition against Andre Agassi on the roof of the world’s tallest island hotel, 70 floors up at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
For Federer, the sky was the limit.
Then everything changed; boasting the biggest forehand in tennis, Rafael Nadal crashed the party.
Suddenly it was Roger versus Rafa, Rafa v Rog. Here, there and everywhere. For season after season. On every surface.
Federer and Nadal, they walked on water; they opened seasons on floating courts in lagoons in Qatar and clashed in more major finals than any two men in grand slam history.
Now, though, there’s a new sheriff in town, a fresh rivalry and, seemingly, no more room for Federer, arguably the finest player who ever lived.
Novak Djokovic is the new heavyweight champion of the tennis world.
And like Federer was so painfully often to the Spaniard, Nadal is now Djokovic’s punching bag, or sparring partner to be fair.
For the first time in 45 years of professional tennis, the same two players have met in three consecutive grand slam finals – and Djokovic has won the lot.
Djokovic’s knockdowns of Nadal at Wimbledon, the US Open and in Sunday night’s history-making Australian Open title match have left the powerhouse Serb eyeing the most elusive feat in tennis – the grand slam sweep.
The French Open is Djokovic’s final frontier.
But Roland Garros is also the fortress where Nadal has stormed to six of his 10 career majors.
The stage is set for the most enthralling climax to a grand slam rivalry since … well, since Nadal twice denied Federer the very same grand slam sweep in Paris in 2006 and 2007.
In a seismic shift in tennis’s world order, Djokovic defeated Nadal in back-to-back claycourt finals last year during a remarkable run of six straight wins over the Spaniard, on three different surfaces, before reasserting his dominance at Melbourne Park.
But if ever there’s a place for Nadal to turn the tables, it is Paris.
Djokovic is talking big, dreaming of the “ultimate challenge to win all four grand slams”, possibly even this calendar year, something only Rod Laver in 1962 and 1969 and American Donald Budge in 1938 have managed.
“The way I’m playing right now I think I have a game that is good enough to win the titles on all surfaces,” Djokovic said as he basked in the glory of his epic five-hour, 53-minute Australian Open final triumph over Nadal.
“I have proven that, even last year, winning back-to-back Madrid and Rome. It was an incredible effort and gives me a lot of confidence and self-belief coming to the clay courts now.
“I have experienced some incredible heights in my tennis career in the last year and a half, so I have confidence.
“I’m at the peak of my career. I’m playing the best tennis of my life, so it gives me enough reason to believe that actually, talking about Roland Garros, I can go to the finals this year.
“It’s still a long way off – there are still many tournaments to come – but I will definitely prioritise the grand slams and Olympic Games this year.
“I don’t know how far I can go. But right now I’m up for everything.”
Djokovic has laid down the challenge and Nadal seems ready to take up the fight.
While the Majorcan admitted his half-dozen losses to Djokovic last year left him deflated, psychologically scarred, his near-miss in Melbourne has offered new hope.
“I really had real, very real, chances to have the title and to win against a player who I lost six times last year,” Nadal said in the immediate aftermath of the 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 defeat.
“I never put him in this situation during 2011, all 2011, so that’s another positive thing for me. I didn’t have mental problems today against him. I had in 2011 all these mental problems.
“Now he’s the best of the world. That’s how great it is. Five grand slams, so the history says that he has a part in the history, winning five grand slams, winning a lot of titles, No.1 of the world.
“We’ll see where he arrives.”
Djokovic’s Open victory over Nadal was his 14th from their 30 career encounters.
The two have now clashed three more times than even Federer and Nadal and on only four less occasions than Sampras and Agassi went toe to toe.
In numbers alone, Nadal and Djokovic remain some way behind the greatest rivalry of them all – Laver’s incredible 142 recorded showdowns with fellow legend Ken Rosewall.
But for a series perhaps only halfway through, Nadal and Djokovic’s is undoubtedly already a rivalry to rank with the best the sport has seen, short of Laver and Rosewall’s but ahead of Borg and McEnroe’s and possibly on the way to surpassing Federer and Nadal’s.
In 2010 and again in 2011, it was Djokovic who saved double match points against Federer in the US Open semi-finals to prevent Federer and Nadal completing an unprecedented set of grand slam men’s singles finals featuring the same two players.
But let’s not forget that also last year Federer snapped Djokovic’s phenomenal 43-match winning streak with success over the Serb in Paris to ensure a fourth French Open final with Nadal.
So maybe we shouldn’t get too far ahead of ourselves.
Perhaps there’s yet another twist in store and just maybe Federer, for once the forgotten one, has yet to have his final say.
Whether it’s aces or races, try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp for great odds and a great punting experience. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Alex de Minaur has missed out on the chance of a lifetime to beat Rafael Nadal on clay in successive tournaments, blown away by…
Former Wimbledon champion, double grand slam winner and Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza has announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 30.…
Rafael Nadal has hailed the brilliance of Alex de Minaur, calling him "a great player" after the Australian forced the Spanish legend to say…
The clay season promises to be one of high level and tight margins. With the Monte Carlo open just around the corner, it will…
In incredible scenes, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz's quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells was halted abruptly due to a "bee invasion." Less…
Marathon man Jordan Thompson has finally clinched his first ATP Tour title, with the Australian upsetting Norwegian Casper Ruud to lift the trophy in…
