"The level was higher in the era of Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal"

Pedro de Pablos | 27 Mar 2026 | 18.57

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There is an eternal debate about which era was better, whether the current one where Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner reign, or the era of the 'Big Three' when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic were the masters of the circuit. According to the renowned coach Jamie Delgado, there was more competition in the top rankings in the past.

Delgado is one of the most authoritative voices on the circuit, having coached Andy Murray for five years, Grigor Dimitrov for two years, and currently being part of Jack Draper's team for a few months. He believes that the 'Big Three' had rivals who made it tougher for them in the final rounds, but he also acknowledges that currently the overall level is higher, requiring top players to be more alert from the early rounds, as he mentioned in the podcast 'Off Court With Greg'.

"Jannik and Carlos are incredible players and I think they could challenge Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic without a doubt. I think in the past, about ten years ago, there were more rivals who could face them. The level was higher back when Roger, Novak, Rafa, and Andy Murray were at the top," he stated. Delgado believes that both Sinner and Alcaraz could match the level of the 'Big Three,' but not their competitors like Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, or Jack Draper.

Jamie Delgado acknowledges that the current tennis level is higher

Jamie mentioned specific names from the past that posed challenges to Roger, Novak, and Rafa. "Right behind them, there were players like Juan Martín del Potro, Stan Wawrinka, and Thomas Berdych. I think these players were a greater threat to the top four than some of the current ones. In my opinion, I believe that the top 10 or 15 were stronger before, but I think the overall level of the circuit is better now."

According to Delgado, the advantage of today's tennis is that players cannot relax since any opponent on a good day can cause trouble. "I can say that, from a coach's perspective, in recent years with Grigor Dimitrov, every match is really tough. I feel like my player has to be at his best from the first match. Every match is very challenging. In contrast, 10 or 15 years ago, I think sometimes the early rounds for the top players were a bit more of a walkover."

Different eras, different circumstances. It is true that in the current era, it seems difficult for a player to emerge who can challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, as they have been dominating practically every tournament they participate in for several months. However, the average level mentioned by Delgado also allows for more equality and excitement from the early rounds, which could be crucial in attracting more fans to the circuit.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "El nivel era más alto en la época de Federer, Djokovic y Nadal"