US Open Tennis 2014 Men’s Final: Kei Nishikori vs. Marin Cilic Ends Big 4 Era

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: September 8, 2014

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You might think it's a bit hyperbolic to suggest that the U.S. Open final between Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic is the end of an era in men's tennis. Perhaps in a few years with a few more titles shared between the Big Four in men's tennis, it will prove to be. 

But for now, this Grand Slam final feels like the end of the Big Four's reign of terror over the men's game. Here are a few reasons why.

In 2005, Marat Safin defeated Lleyton Hewitt in the Australian Open. Normally, this might appear to be a random piece of history, but until this year's U.S. Open, that represented the last time that a Grand Slam final was played without one of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic.

And hey, that Andy Murray guy has made quite a few appearances in those matches, too.

Oh, it gets better. Since that match, just two players outside of the Big Four have actually won a Grand Slam title (Juan Martin del Potro won the 2009 U.S. Open while Stan Wawrinka won this year's Australian Open). 

So yes, the final between Nishikori and Cilic feels like the end of something. And maybe, for a young crop of potential stars in men's tennis, the beginning of something, too. 



Think about what we've seen of late.

More and more, Nadal has struggled with his health. Murray has been a shell of himself for much of the year after being so good between 2012-13, when he won two Slams, reached the final of two more and snagged a gold medal. Even Djokovic, who has less red flags than the three aforementioned players, has significantly cooled.

Between the 2011 and 2012 Australian Opens, Djokovic won four of the five available Grand Slam titles. Since then, he's won two of 10. That's hardly shabby, of course, but the "Era of Djokovic" hasn't exactly been as dominant as we were perhaps expecting. 

And then there's Federer, who really ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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