We’ve seen some great tennis rivalries over the last two decades but times are a changing. Roger Federer has been at the center of many of those rivalries, starting with his with Pete Sampras. Then Federer had some excellent matches with Rafael Nadal – especially as the two alternated wins on their preferred surfaces. Lately, Federer has been challenged and overtaken by Novak Djokovic, who is the top men’s player in the world. However, when you take a look at how things are playing out right now, the rivalries have died down. Federer is in the twilight of his career and while he’s still Djokovic’s top competition, he’s clearly faded. Winning those matchups are tough for him. As for Rafael Nadal, his body looks completely broken and it’s a big question mark whether he’ll be elite ever again. And then there’s Andy Murray, who occasionally fits in somewhere here.
The ATP’s future will be one without Federer and Nadal, and while Djokovic could stick around for a long time, it’s unclear who’ll be his biggest challenger.
What about younger players that are moving up in the ranks? The sport will need rivalries to regain its edge once Roger and Rafa leave. Here are four possibilities:
Novak Djokovic versus Nick Kyrgios
There is something incredibly hard to resist about Kyrgios’ game, even though he’s one of the bad boys of tennis. Kyrgios plays the game with a lot of energy and passion, even though that passion can burn in ugly ways. Kyrgios can hit a tennis ball really hard, especially as a server. He can hit bullets that Djokovic, quite possibly the best returner of all time, might not be able to get back into the court. The clash between the Kyrgios serve and the Djokovic return game could create a matchup which entertains fans and creates a lot of close 7-5 or 7-6 sets. If Kyrgios can build himself up to the point where he’s a top-10 player and a guy who makes the semifinals of major tournaments, this pairing of players could create some really memorable moments.
Novak Djokovic versus Milos Raonic
There are a lot of similarities between Djokovic-Kyrgios and Djokovic-Raonic. The main differences are that Raonic does not have a bad-boy label. He’s a very calm, expressionless and mild-mannered person, so he’s not going to create a trash-talking scene. That might not help tennis, but his game will. Raonic showed in the Australian Open that he has a better all-around game now, compared to past years. Raonic is more than just a serve. He’s a better returner. He has an inside-out chip forehand drop shot which was very effective in Australia. Raonic has some touch and finesse to go along with all his power. He hits a better backhand and is faster around the court. He might have beaten Murray in the Australian Open semifinals had he not suffered a fourth-set injury. This could become a big meeting with Djokovic if Raonic can stay healthy.
Nick Kyrgios versus Milos Raonic
This should be a natural successor to any rivalries involving Djokovic or Murray. If any two younger players could make a rivalry which will draw a lot of fan interest and attention, having an Australian with Greek roots against a Canadian with Slavic roots will draw in fans around the globe. This could be the matchup which propels tennis into the 2020s as a decade.
Nick Kyrgios versus Dominic Thiem
This is a matchup in which the long-term future of men’s tennis could be stabilized. Raonic is in his mid-20s, but both Kyrgios and Thiem are the especially young stars of the ATP Tour. If there’s one matchup more than any others which could be found in a major championship in 2025, this one’s probably the best bet right now. That’s very encouraging for the ATP. It just needs to see these players make the steady climb up the ranks without suffering significant injuries or encountering major crises of confidence.
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