The beginning of the end of the generation of the 90s
Players born in the 21st century are beginning to dominate all the headlines, and the eternal #NextGen of the Big 3 is starting to be more sidelined than ever. Will any of them win another Grand Slam?
They grew up with high expectations and a very clear goal: to take a bite out of the Big 3. The tennis players born in the 90s were destined to make history against the greatest of all time, but this completely clouded them in truly crucial moments. They play well, they are dynamic, bringing something different to what was seen in 80s tennis, but when it comes to the crunch, they have not been able to meet the media demands, as evident in Roland Garros 2025.
We're talking about players like Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Dominic Thiem, Andrey Rublev, Matteo Berrettini, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Alex De Miñaur, and even Nick Kyrgios or Denis Shapovalov. Apart from Thiem, all are still active with years of career ahead, but with the rise of figures like Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz, it seems they would need a stroke of luck to secure a major title. This changing of the guard is confirmed in this Roland Garros 2025, as there hasn't been a player born in the 90s among the semifinalists since Wimbledon 2019.
- Unlucky against the Big 3's dominance
The overwhelming pressure they had to deal with was probably the most condemning factor in their careers. At a minimum, these players are now 25 years old, and the only ones who have clinched a Grand Slam are Thiem (US Open 2020), already retired, and Medvedev (US Open 2021). Zverev has had golden opportunities to secure one, but essentially, his mindset has been a hindrance. Added to all this, they had to face the entire Big 3 when they still had good years ahead, with Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, and Novak Djokovic amassing a whopping 66 titles between them.
- Struggles with injuries
Some of these players from the 90s generation have had to cope with untimely injuries that have either interrupted their careers or marked a turning point. Zverev returned to the top level after a dramatic ankle ligament rupture at Roland Garros 2022, but others like Berrettini have not been as fortunate and are currently in a tough spot, unable to replicate the level they showed back in 2021 when he was a serious Wimbledon contender.
The cases of Kyrgios and Thiem are similar, both dealing with a similar wrist injury, enduring hardship to return to top form. Thiem, who experienced that turning point in Mallorca 2021, never regained the same level and eventually decided to retire for good at the end of 2024. On the other hand, but not far from a similar reality, is the Australian, striving to achieve physical stability that allows him to compete, so far without success.
- "It's not about reaching the top, it's about staying there"
As mentioned, some did reach glory and entered the history books. Although Thiem's success came in a peculiar context (US Open in a pandemic without Nadal or Federer and with Djokovic disqualified), Medvedev triumphed over the Serbian at Flushing Meadows in a final where Djokovic felt extreme pressure to equal Nadal and Federer in Grand Slam titles. The Russian remained flawless and also ascended to world number one. However, that 'Russian robot' level vanished quickly, and his best form is now just a memory. He currently holds the eleventh position in the rankings.
- Haunting inconsistencies
Above all, Zverev and Tsitsipas have experienced unusual dips in their performance. Despite current disparities between them, they falter in crucial moments and fail to match their opponents' level. This happened with the Greek in the two finals he competed in and occurs repeatedly with the German in similar rounds. Notably, against Djokovic at Roland Garros 2025, he claimed the first set but succumbed to major flaws in his game, losing service three consecutive times between the third and fourth sets. A similar story unfolded at this year's Australian Open, where Zverev couldn't compete at a high level against Sinner in the final (6-3 7-6 6-3).
- The new generation, hungry for debutants
Looking at the current top 10 as of June 5, 2025, we see that there are up to five players born in the 21st century (Sinner, Alcaraz, Jack Draper, Lorenzo Musetti, and Holger Rune). Similarly, Sinner and Alcaraz are already the circuit's top references, collectively boasting seven Grand Slams, a far cry from the two held by all the tennis players born between 1990 and 1999 combined. It doesn't end there, as new names with star potential emerge, such as Jakub Mensik with a Masters 1000 title, Arthur Fils showcasing flair on the court, and promising Joao Fonseca.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El inicio del fin de la generación de los 90